Scottish Holidays & Kilt 'Excuses'

[brbaritone]

No one needs an excuse to wear The Kilt. Even so, it is useful to have a ready answer to the question, "What's the occasion?" This is usually easy, since I wear The Kilt to work on certain important days - St. Andrew's Day, the Birthday of Robert Burns, the Battle of Culloden Anniversary, etc. Here is a list of Scottish Holidays to allow some planning, and also preparation for education of the curious. What thinkest The Rabble? Any additions or suggestions?

January 25 - Robert Burns' Birthday (1759)
February 1 - Imbolc (Beginning of Spring)
February 2 - Candlemas (Scottish Quarter Day - alternately February 28)
February 8 - Mary, Queen of Scots, executed (1587)
March 25 - Robert the Bruce crowned King of Scots (1306)
April 6 - Tartan Day - Declaration of Arbroath Anniversary (1320)
April 16 - Battle of Culloden Anniversary (1746)
May 1 - Beltane (Beginning of Summer); original Scottish Parliament disbanded (1707)
May 12 - First meeting of the new Scottish Parliament (1999)
May 15 - Whitsun (Scottish Term Day - alternately May 28)
May 24 - Victoria Day
June 24 - Battle of Bannockburn Anniversary (1314)
July 1 - Repeal of the Act of Proscription (1782)
July 25 - King James VI of Scotland crowned King of England (1603)
August 1 - Lughnasadh or Lammas Day (Scottish Quarter Day - alternately August 28)
August 1 - Act of Proscription came into effect (1746 - banned Highland Dress, kilts, and tartan)
August 15 - Sir Walter Scott's Birthday (1771)
August 23 - William Wallace executed (1305)
September 11 - Battle of Stirling Bridge Anniversary (1297)
September 28 - Balmoral Castle foundation stone laid (1853)
November 1 - Samhain (End of harvest season)
November 11 - St. Martin's Day (Scottish Term Day - alternately November 28)
November 16 - Stone of Scone returned to Scotland (1997)
November 30 - St. Andrew's Day
December 26 - Boxing Day
December 31 - Hogmanay (Scottish New Year)

[Jordan]

That's an interesting list, some I haven't heard of before and some aren't Scottish holidays.

Dates like Samhain (which is also Halloween on the 30th October), Imbolc, Beltan and Lughnasadh are pagan rather than Scottish.

And what's Whitsun? That's a new one on me?


If you want a reason to wear your kilt you'd probably better just saying you want to wear it rather than rattling off some obscure "Scottish" day that nobody has ever heard of.

[The Q]

Whitsun ( White Sunday ) is a Christian holiday the 7th Sunday after Easter, in most of the UK that Monday was a bank holiday like Easter it moved around. in 1978 the UK Government moved it to be permanently the last Monday in May.

Few in Scotland would recognise your list , most in Scotland would only recognise the below list as holidays.

As to excuses,
The list actually expresses a political view point, to wear a kilt on those days only can be seen as supporting one side in the politics of the UK so you have to be careful.

Days such as Culloden you should remember that the central and lowlands for a great part the Scots supported the British Government, as British verses Gael, Protestant verses Catholic. Though these days those who don't know their history properly see otherwise. so why would you wear the kilt that day ? to celebrate your defeat or to celebrate your victory?

Other ones you have mentioned Such as Sir Walter Scott are seen as "Tartanization" by the "establishment" to hide the Union of Scotland with England. So depending on you point of view you are for or against it due to politics, or for or against it due to turning the Image of Scotland into the Tartan Shortbread box.

The attempt to move Tartan day to April the 6th in many places, from July the 1st the repeal of proscription can also be seen as political..

Holidays	2015	2016	2017	2018
New Years Day	Jan 1	Jan 1	Jan 3*	Jan 1
2nd January	Jan 2	Jan 4*	Jan 2	Jan 2
Good Friday	Apr 3	March 25	April 14	March 30
Early May Bank Holiday	May 4	May 2	May 1	May 7
Spring Bank Holiday	May 25	May 30	May 29	May 28
Summer Bank Holiday	Aug 3	Aug 1	Aug 7	Aug 6
St. Andrew's Day#	Nov 30	Nov 30	Nov 30	Nov 30
Christmas Day	Dec 25	Dec 26*	Dec 25	Dec 25
Boxing Day	Dec 28*	Dec 27*	Dec 26	Dec 26

[Debbie]

No excuse needed. I wear the Kilt because I like said garment, and I will wear my kilts in preference to a skirt or leggings or trousers, and if anyone disnae like it, that's their problem.

[Jock Scot]

I don't know of many, any actually, Scots, who would recognise all on the list in the first post and whilst I may recognise some of the headings, I almost certainly could not come up with a correct date.

[brbaritone]

The purpose of my list was as stated - to give an answer when people ask why I am kilted on a particular day, and to coordinate kilt-wearing among the quartet of loyal Scots at work. There is no political viewpoint intended, although I am grateful for the insight! In UK politics, I am only an amateur historian and interested spectator. My Scottish group has worn kilts on April 16, not to celebrate the victory or the defeat but simply to commemorate the Battle of Culloden and its importance in Scottish history ... and to have a reason to wear The Kilt to work.

Some of the suggested dates are obscure, but that was part of the point - to stimulate discussion. I tried to include at least one date in each month, but could not find any possibilities for October. Sincere thanks to the respondents. I hope to hear more.

[tulloch]

Remember the site kiltday.com? Every day is a kilt day.

By the way, happy Guy Fawkes day.

[brbaritone]

I just ran a search for kiltday.com. The domain is for sale if anyone wants to buy it. I agree that any day can be a kilt day.

The most enthusiastic of my kilted brethren at work asked if I wanted to kilt up for Guy Fawkes Day. I hesitated because it's not really a Scottish holiday. It also plays into the English/Scottish and Catholic/Protestant controversies that The Q mentioned in his reply. I have to sing at church this evening (no, not because of Guy Fawkes Day!) and I will be wearing a suit.

[terry m]

I agree with tulloch.

[The Q]

Remember the site kiltday.com? Every day is a kilt day.

By the way, happy Guy Fawkes day.

I celebrate Guy (Guido) Fawkes day not as to which side of the political argument of the time but that the Democratic (for the time) parliament survived. Though saying that it's bucketing down with rain outside I hear not a firework nor can I see in a couple of miles a bonfire. With the same forecast for tomorrow I suspect Saturday night will be noisy.

It is problem discussing certain aspects of the historical kilt and Scottish history, that it is very close to the politics of Scotland today.