St. Andrew's Day 2024

This special National Day is a bank holiday in Scotland since 2007 and is celebrated annually on 30th November (on that day it is believed Saint Andrew died through crucifixion). If the date falls on a weekend the holiday is moved to the first Monday after. Even though the bank holiday’s rank is honoured here, some banks are still open and many people go to work because the law does not impose the day off. Students of the University of Saint Andrews, the best university in Scotland and third in the whole United Kingdom (after Oxford and Cambridge, known as Oxbridge) do not have classes and are encouraged to instead take part in the special celebrations and the events happening in town. Also at the University itself there is a characteristic ball organized a day or two before. The university’s name indicates its location not its patron. Very often it is confused because the clue is very small. The name does not have an apostrophe in “Andrews” which means it is not a university of a certain saint but located in town which is called this way. Festivities outside the University happen throughout the whole week. The most popular among them is the Ceilidh dance. It is a group kind of dance in old days organized every weekend, now tradition is kept mainly on special occasions and more as a tourist attraction. In Stornoway this special holiday is a start of a winter festival that lasts two months and is full of traditional music sessions, regional cuisine, games and movies. Many places around the country give out free tickets for this occasion to museums, church visiting, military strongholds, castles and other touristic places. For whisky drinkers there is a special kind of Scotch tasting in a town called Oban. In Edinburgh and Glasgow there’s many commemorative shows with music and dancing activities. In a town called Irvine a great festival of lights is organized every year.
This day is so important for Scottish people because it is the holiday of the main patron saint of their country. He has been holding this title since 1320 but Scots had been praying through his intercession much earlier than that. The legend says that while Óengus mac Fergusa, known as King Angus, invaded the Lothians (region where Edinburgh is), which was not a part of Scotland at the time, he prayed to Saint Andrew for victory. He promised to make him the patron saint of his country and after he won he kept his word. According to the legend, this is also how the saltire, Saint Andrew’s Cross became Scotland’s flag and the main symbol. This is why the day devoted to him is of such a great importance.