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The Scottish Parliament passed the St. Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Bill, proposed by Dennis Canavan, on November 29, 2006. The Bill sought to designate St Andrew’s Day, or an alternative day around November 30, as a Bank Holiday. The Bill received Royal Assent on January 15, 2007 and became an Act.

When will St Andrew’s Day be over the next few years?

Monday 1st December 2008

Monday 30th November 2009

Tuesday 30th November 2010

Wednesday 30th November 2011

Friday 30th November 2012

Who was St Andrew?

Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and has an association with the country dating back to the time when his bones were brought there as a Catholic relic. The town where the relics were entombed became St Andrews, though the relics were lost or destroyed during the reformation.

St Andrew himself was a disciple of Jesus. He and his older brother Simon (St Peter), were fishermen in Galilee - now part of Israel. The gospels of the new testament tells the story of Andrew’s time spent with Jesus before he died.

In 1969, Gordon Gray, leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland was in Rome to be appointed the first Scottish Cardinal since the Reformation. Pope Paul VI gave him further relics of St. Andrew with the words “Saint Peter gives you his brother”. These are now displayed in a reliquary in St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Edinburgh.

The Scottish Flag

The Scottish flag is the cross of St. Andrew, also known as the Saltire. It is said to be one of the oldest national flags of any country, dating back at least to the 12th century. It is based on the diagonal cross on which St Andrew was crucified by the Romans. The blue background is said to represent the sky.

The Thistle

A group of Scots were sleeping in a field when a group of marauding Vikings crept up to attack. Fortunately one of the Vikings stood on a thistle and was pricked by its thorns. He yelped in pain, waking the sleeping Scots who were able to fight off their attackers - hence the legend of why the thistle has been adopted as Scotland’s national emblem.

Flower of Scotland

O flower of Scotland
When will we see
Your like again
That fought and died for
Your wee bit hill and glen
And stood against him
Proud Edward’s army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again

The hills are bare now
And autumn leaves lie thick and still
O’er land that is lost now
Which those so dearly held
And stood against him
Proud Edward’s army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again

Those days are passed now
And in the past they must remain
But we can still rise now
And be the nation again
And stood against him
Proud Edward’s army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again

Facts, Customs and Traditions

St. Andrew’s Day is connected with Advent, which begins on the nearest Sunday to 30 November.

St. Andrew’s Day marks the opening of Christmas Markets.

Many Midwinter customs and folk superstitions are also connected to St. Andrew’s day.

Around midnight on Nov. 29, the day before St Andrew’s Day, it was traditional for girls to pray to St. Andrew for a husband. They would make a wish and look for a sign that they had been heard.

A girl wishing to marry could:

• Throw a shoe at a door. If the toe of the shoe pointed in the direction of the exit, then she would marry and leave her parents’ house within a year.
• Peel a whole apple without breaking the peel and throw the peel over the shoulder. If the peel formed a letter of the alphabet, then this suggested the name of her future groom.

Many Scots take the chance to indulge in Scottish culture on St Andrew’s day. The saltire can be flown, haggis, scotch, bagpipes, oatcakes (bannocks) , colcannon, salmon and black bun are often eaten and ceilidhs are organised especially for the day.

Events for 2008

The Food Trust Scotland are holding a celebration of tatties at a Sunday lunch on November 30. Speakers and menu yet to be confirmed for the meal at New Lanark Mill Hotel, 12.30 for 1 pm. Enquiries to info@thefoodtrustscotland.org.uk .

National Museum of Scotland:

Join us in celebrating National Museum of Scotland’s 10th Anniversary and St Andrew’s Day 2008!

10th Anniversary and St Andrew’s Day Celebrations
Date: Saturday 29 - Sun 30 November
Time: All day
Duration: Drop in
Cost: Free
Suitable for: Everyone
Venue: National Museum of Scotland

Enjoy free music, art, dance and history over two fun-filled days as the party takes over the museum on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November. Make sure you’re a part of the celebrations!

Click here for the St. Andrew’s Day events page.

If you would like your St Andrew’s day event to appear here, just leave a message in the box below.

Events in Fife

These are the events so far in Fife for St Andrews Day.

2/9/16/23/30 November - Music in the Museum - St Andrews Museum, Kinburn Park,St Andrews

29/11/08 - St Andrews Night Ceilidh - Rothes Halls, Rothes Square, Glenrothes (This coincides with the closing of the celebration to mark Glenrothes 60th Anniversary)

29/11 - 7/12 - A Vision of St Andrews - St Andrews Preservation Trust Museum, St Andrews

26/11 - 3/12 - St Andrews Festival - Various events taking place throughout St Andrews including a “Son et lumiere” on 29th/30th Nov and the Annual Procession and Beating the Retreat on 30th Nov. The full programme has still to be confirmed for this event which takes place annually.

Events in England

Anglo-Polish St Andrew’s Night Celebration 28/11/2008
7pm: The Moorhayes Community Centre, Lea Road, Tiverton, Exeter, Devon
Anglo-Polish St Andrew’s Night Celebration