So what does St Andrew's Day mean to Scots around the world? Our kids love it because they now have a day off school brought in by the Scottish Parliament in 2007. Here at ScotlandShop we keep working as there are far too many orders for Christmas to be taking a day off! The day was made a national holiday to give us all the excuse to celebrate Scottish culture, food and dance.
If you are an instagrammer then use the #mystandrewsday tag to share all that is great about Scotland and you can even win an overnight stay at Gleneagles Hotel if your picture is chosen.
So who was St Andrew? Officially first recognised as the official patron of Scotland in 1320 Andrew was in fact a Galilean fisherman before he became a disciple of Jesus Christ. Andrew is also the patron saint of Greece, Russia, Romania and Barbados and his patronage extends to fishmongers, gout, singers, sore throats, spinsters, maidens, old maids and women wishing to become mothers. You can learn more about St Andrew here.
The Kelpies are lit blue today, as is the Falkirk Wheel and the Scots poet, mary Symon's poem "Hame" is being projected across six Scottish landmarks, the Tron Kirk and Usher Hall in Edinburgh, Glasgow Science Centre and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, Scone Palace in Perth and Schiehallion Munro.
Let us know how you are celebrating St Andrew's Day and what it means to you.
