Scottish Holidays, Anniversaries, and Historical Anniversaries on the Calendar

This page lists and explains Scottish holidays, anniversaries, and historical anniversaries for each month of the calendar.

Rampant Scotland


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Rampant Scotland is the source of or starting point for many of these summaries.

January

Hogmanay - New Year's Eve, 31 December - The origins of the word 'Hogmanay' are lost in the past.  Some say it is from the Norse 'Hoggunott' or night of slaughter when animals were killed for a midwinter feast.  Also that it is from 'Huh-me-naay' or kiss me now when even strangers embraced.  Another theory is that it comes from the French Hoguinane sung by children on 'Cake Day'.
To this day, Hogmanay is still a more important festival in Scotland than Christmas.  Historians believe that we inherited the celebration from the Vikings who, coming from even further north than ourselves, paid even more attention to the passing of the shortest day.  While clearly celebrated around the world, the Scots have a long rich heritage associated with this event, when the whole country celebrates in the build up to 'the bells' chiming midnight - and Burns' song Auld Lang Syne is murdered once again!
There are traditions such as cleaning the house (known as 'redding') on 31st December (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the days when coal fires were common).  And Scotland is the only part of the UK that has a statutory holiday on 2nd January as well as 1st January - so we can recover from the excesses of 31 December!
See Scottish New Year Traditions.
A New Year Greeting from Scottish Snippets

First Footing, 1st January - Visiting friends and relatives immediately after New Year's Eve, in the early hours of the morning of January 1st. First footing after the bells have rung in the New Year is still common - the 'first foot' in the house after midnight should be male, dark, and handsome and should carry symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun (a spiced cake) and, of course, whisky. In Kirkwall, Orkney, there is a New Year Ba' Game held in the streets of the town which can last most of January 1st, between the Uppies and the Doonies, or more correctly, 'Up-the-Gates' and 'Doon-the-Gates' from Old Norse 'gata' (path or road).

Handsel Monday, First Monday of the New Year - Traditionally this was the day on which handsel (presents) were given by employers to their staff, rather than on Christmas Day. Alternatively, in some areas, this was done on January 12th.

Burning of the Clavie, 11th January - The event takes place on the night of January 11 (the original Hogmanay before the calendar changed in 1660). In Burghead, Morayshire, a tar barrel filled with tar-soaked wood shavings is carried around the harbour and then to the Doorie Hill where the Celtic Druids used to light their fires.

Up-Helly-aa, Last Tuesday of January - Held in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, a full sized Viking Galley, complete with shields and oars is pulled by a torch-bearing procession dressed as Viking warriors to the beach. Guizer Jarl calls for three cheers for the builders of the longship and after a bugle call, the galley is set alight by 800 blazing torches.

[image of robert burns]
25 January - Burns' birthday
The anniversary of the birth of the poet Robert Burns, in 1759 at which many a Burns Supper is consumed and the Immortal Memory, a speech in praise of the Bard, is given.
  Burns Suppers:  A Burns Supper Guide       Conduct a Burns Supper       Burns Night
  Burns Program Items:  Selkirk Grace       Address to a Haggis by Robert Burns - Scots and English       Auld Lang Syne [plays music]       Auld Lang Syne       A Toast to the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns
  Burns Miscellany:  Burns Interactive (Cute and informative)       Explore the World of Robert Burns       Robert Burns and Christianity       Letter From Robert Burns To His Father At The New Year       Haggis Hunt (Humor)       A Burns Unit (Humor)

A Timeline of Scottish History - January

February

Imbolc, 1 February - the Celtic goddess who in later times became revered as a Christian saint. Originally, her festival on February 1 was known as Imbolc or Oimelc, two names which refer to the lactation of the ewes, the flow of milk that heralds the return of the life-giving forces of spring. Later, the Catholic Church replaced this festival with Candlemas Day on February 2, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and features candlelight processions. The powerful figure of Brigid the Light-Bringer overlights both pagan and Christian celebrations.

Candlemas Day, 2 February - "Candlemas began as a Roman festival to celebrate the return of spring. It is now a Scottish legal 'quarter day' when rents and other duties must be paid. Schoolchildren also traditionally gave their teachers gifts on this day. There is an old traditional poem which said that:

St Valentine's Day, 14 February - This used to be an excuse for youngsters to go round begging for sweets, money or fruit, while older brothers and sisters tried to find a sweetheart. 'Name-papers' were sometimes used where names were written and placed in a bonnet and and each person drew out a paper. If the same name was drawn three times, it meant a marriage would take place!

March

Whuppity Scoorie, 1st March - According to Rampant Scotland: A rumbustious celebration by the young lads of Lanark. It is a relic of the days when making a lot of noise was believed to frighten away the evil spirits. Pennies supplied by money from the Common Good Fund was thrown and the children scrambled to pick it up. Balls of paper (or bonnets - a lot softer!) tied with string were used by the participants to strike one another.

Easter, Variable Dates - Easter 2005: (Western) Easter Sunday is 27 March. According to Rampant Scotland: There was a festival for 'Eastre', a Saxon goddess of fertility, in pre-Christian times which was integrated into the Christian calendar. The date is moveable, because the calculation is based on phases of the moon. In Scotland, to this day, 'hot cross buns' are baked, containing spices and fruit and with a white pastry cross. On Good Friday, no ploughing was done and no seed was sown. The custom of rolling painted, hard-boiled eggs down a hill took place on Easter Monday. According to some other sources the the word Easter is the translation given of the Greek word pascha, which in all other places in the New Testament is correctly translated passover. The name Easter comes from the name of a pagan goddess known as Astarte, Eastre and Astoreth, the Babylonian queen of heaven in whose honour a festival was held in April. Even such Easter observances as hot-cross buns can be traced back to rites in the Chaldean worship of this queen of heaven.

April

Hunt the Gowk, 1st April - On this day people would play tricks and tell lies to catch each other out. But the jokes had to stop at mid-day. Now called April Fool's Day, hunting the gowk was originally sending someone on a foolish errand. 'Dinna laugh, an' dinna smile, but hunt the gowk another mile.' In this more sophisticated age the practice seems to be dying out but it does remind us that in the past Kings and Nobles all had their Jester or Fool. One of the most famous in Scotland was Aberdeenshire's Jamie Fleeman, the Laird of Udny's Fool. He lived in the eighteenth century and was well known for his pithy wit. One of his most quoted sayings was 'A'm the Laird o Udny's Feel. Faw's feel ar ye ?'

Preen-Tail Day or Tailie Day, 2nd April - The day following All Fool's Day when paper tails were attached to the backs of unsuspecting people as a joke.

Glen Saturday, the first or third Saturday in April - The day when the children of Kilmarnock in Ayrshire went to Crawfurdland Castle to pick daffodils. On that day it was and still is customary for the children of the town to go in droves to the castle to gather 'glens'-- as they term the yellow daffodils that grow in great abundance on a lawn behind the mansion. The later Mrs. Craufurd of Craufurdland delighted to welcome the little people, and to load them with bouquets of the coveted flowers. None were sent away empty handed, the crop being often so abundant that hundreds more could be supplied.

Whitsunday, the seventh Sunday after Easter - Another Scottish legal quarter day when rents fell due. The ecclesiastical calendar notes that Pentecost falls on the seventh Sunday of the Easter season, and is known as Whitsunday. In Scotland, however, 'Whitsunday' is a fixed term day, May 25 (O.S.), referred to as 'flitting day' because the year's house-lease runs from that date. Farming communities hired labourers on that day and also six months later at Martinmas, November 11th. Both dates are also established on the Scottish legal calendar.

May

Beltane's Day 1st May - A pagan fire festival which goes back to pre-Christian times - originating with Baal in Phoenicia. It was supposed to encourage the crops to grow. There has been a holiday at the start of May in many parts of Scotland for centuries. Young girls would also rise early to wash their faces in the May dew. The custom of lighting fires at this time has come through in place names such as Tarbolton in Ayrshire ('tor' meaning hill and 'bolton' from 'Beltane'). The ancient Druidic Fire Festival has been revived by 'New Age' followers who gather on the historic Calton Hill in Edinburgh. This also one of four "Quarter Days

Act of Union 7th May - The Scottish Parliament voted in 1606 and 1607 to agree the Union and the Acts of Union were signed. They took effect on 1 May 1707. The Scottish parliament was dissolved and England and Scotland became one country. Scotland kept its independence with respect to it's legal and religious systems, but coinage, taxation, sovereignty, trade, parliament and a new Union Flag became one.

Empire Day / Victoria Day 24th May - It was not until after the death of Queen Victoria, who died on 22 January 1901, that Empire Day was first celebrated. The first 'Empire Day' took place on 24 May 1902, the Queen's birthday. Although not officially recognised as an annual event until 1916, many schools across the British Empire were celebrating it before then. ... Empire Day remained an essential part of the calendar for more than 50 years, celebrated by countless millions of children and adults alike, an opportunity to demonstrate pride in being part of the British Empire. ... Political correctness appears to have 'won the day' when in 1958 Empire Day was re-badged as British Commonwealth Day, and still later in 1966 when it became known as Commonwealth Day. The date of Commonwealth Day was also changed to 10th June, the official birthday of the present Queen Elizabeth II. The date was again changed in 1977 to the second Monday in March, when each year The Queen still sends a special message to the youth of the Empire via a radio broadcast to all the various countries of the Commonwealth. Flags were flown from public buildings and schools decorated classrooms with flags of the British Empire. The name was changed to Commonwealth Day. The nearest Monday to 24th May was a local trades holiday in many parts of Scotland to celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday and the tradition has continued long after Queen Victoria's reign.

June

Guid Nychburris mid June - This is a Dumfries festival which has its origins in a court which resolved disputes between neighbours to make them 'Guid Nychburris' or good neighbours. The Queen of the South is crowned during the week-long festivities.

Lanimer Day 17th June - Held in Lanark, Lanimer Day (a corruption of 'landemark' or boundary) is when the houses are decorated with greenery and there is a Lanimer Fair.

Selkirk Common Riding18th June - A ceremony of Riding the Marches or boundaries is traditional in a number of locations around Scotland, and the tradition has still survived particularly in the Scottish Borders. Selkirk's is particularly well known, remembering as it does the Battle of Flodden in June 1488, but there are similar festivities (on differing dates) in Langholm, Lauder, Peebles, Annan, Linlithgow and Sanquhar. Other venues include Hawick, Galashiels, and Annan. See also Selkirk Common Riding.

July

Glasgow Fair last two weeks in July - Originally a real fair established by a charter from William the Lion in 1190, but latterly the last two weeks in July when factories and offices closed for summer holidays and Maw, Paw and the Weans went Doon the Watter (River Clyde) to the holiday resorts there. There was also a Broadside Ballad Glasgow Fair on the Banks of Clyde.

August

Lammas 1st August - There was a Celtic feast of 'Lugnasaid' and this may have been the origins of this festival. Others believe it was a corruption of 'Loafmas' when a loaf was baked with the first grain from the harvest. It is now a Scottish legal 'Quarter Day' when rents and contracts fall due. The third of the Scottish 'Quarter Days', Lammas also marked the start of autumn and the harvest season. Lammas, which probably began as a celebration of the Celtic god, Lugh, was absorbed into the church calendar as Loaf Mass Day. (Lammas takes its name from the Old English hlaf meaning loaf and maesse meaning feast.) The first cut of the harvest was made on Lammas Day and in some areas, its first fruit - a loaf of bread - was given to the local cleric. Lammas was an annual fair day in most parts of Scotland but by the end of the 20th century only the Lammas Fairs at St Andrews and Kirkcaldy remained.

Marymas 15th August - A bannock (cake) was toasted on a fire in honour of the Virgin Mary. Marymas is a name formerly given to special feasts in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, particularly to the feast of the Annunciation; also, in medieval England, the Mass said in the Lady chapel or in honor of Mary, Mother of God. To this day, in the ultra-Protestant county of Ayrshire, Scotland, a fair held on or about 15 August is still called Marymas.

The Burryman second Friday in August - This is a quite unique ceremony dating from around the 14th century that is still performed in South Queensferry. The Burryman, a native of the town, is wrapped from head to toe in flannel on which a thick matting of spikey burrs is stuck. He then processes slowly (for walking is difficult) and in silence for seven miles through the town. A number of theories exist about the origins of this strange custom. One has it that the Burryman is a scapegoat figure, carrying off the town's guilt and bad luck in his burrs. Another believes that the procession of the Burryman was meant to bring good luck to the town's herring fishermen, the numerous burrs representing fish caught in their nets.

September

Braemar Gathering - There have been Gatherings of one sort or another at Braemar since the days of King Malcolm Canmore, nine hundred years ago.

October

Halloween, 31 October, the evening of All Hallows (Saints) Day and the last day of the year in the old Celtic calendar was celebrated by the Druids as Samhain from Sain meaning summer and fuin meaning ending. It was associated with witches and celebrated with bonfires and guising as children dressed up and went round neighbouring houses with tattie bogles or neep lanterns (candles inside turnips). The pumpkin serves the same purpose in the USA. There is a (long) poem by Robert Burns on Hallowe'en which gives a good description of the traditions which were followed in his day. (Note: The article on the Edinburgh Vaults has become a reader's favorite on this site. See also the FAQ.)

November

All Saints Day, 1 November - All Saints' Day is a Christian holy day observed by many Western churches on November 1 and by Eastern churches on the first Sunday after Pentecost. The day now honors all saints of the church, even those not known by name.

Samhain, 1 November - Samhain (Scots Gaelic: Samhuinn - 'summer's end') marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year, for the Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark, at Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on November 1st. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle, just as the Celtic day began at night. For it was understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed below the ground.

All Souls Day, 2 November - Prayers were said for the souls of the dead and alms given to the poor. The Church of England abolished All Souls' Day during the Reformation. However, the day has been reestablished in Anglo-Catholic churches.

Guy Fawkes, 5 November - Recalls the attempt by Guy Fawkes to blow up the Houses of Parliament with 20 barrels of gunpowder in 1605. Bonfires, fireworks and 'penny for the guy' (an effigy of Guy Fawkes, providing an excuse for children to plead for money from passers-by). This is not a specifically Scottish festivity - it is UK wide but it took place shortly after the Union of the Crowns when King James VI of Scotland became king of England and Wales also.

Martinmas, 11 November - The last Scottish legal Quarter Day when rents and contracts fell due. Since fodder was becoming scarce by this time of the tear, cattle were often killed at this time. As a by-product of this the offal was mixed with oatmeal to make haggis and the blood used to make black puddings. Martinmas was the feast of St. Martin of Tours celebrated on November 11. It was immediately followed by the beginning of Advent, 40 days of reflection and penance in preparation for the great feast of Christmas.

St Andrew's Day, 30 November - St. Andrew's Day used to be a very popular feast day in Scotland. It was a common custom for farm workers and labourers to go 'St. Andra'ing'. They would catch rabbits and hares and later on in the day would feast and drink. There have been debates on and off for some time now about making St. Andrew's Day a public holiday in Scotland. Although some lore treats St. Andrew as the patron saint of Scotland since the 8th century a.d., some historians emphasize that Queen St. Margaret of Scotland was instrumental in encouraging the acknowledgement of St. Andrew as a patron saint rather than the traditional Celtic church's acknowledgemant of St. Columba as the parton saint of Scotland. 30 November is not a public holiday in Scotland. Indeed, St Andrew's night is celebrated more by expatriate Scots around the world. (St. Andrew is also the patron saint of Russia and Greece.) See also: A Toast to St. Andrew St. Andrew's Day celebrations in Scotland Saint Andrew - Apostle and Martyr Saint Andrew - Apostle Saint Andrew's Day See ideas on how to celebrate Scotland's national day.

December

Sowans Nicht, 24 December - Christmas Eve in some parts of Scotland is called 'Sowans Nicht' from 'sowans' - a dish made from oat husks and fine meal steeped in water. And branches of a rowan tree were burnt on Christmas Eve to signify that any bad feeling between friends or relatives had been put aside for Yuletide.

Christmas, 25 December - "Like many ancient races, particularly those located in the northern latitudes, where winter days were short and the nights long, the pagan Celts had celebrations around the time of the winter solstice, in part to brighten the darkest days, in part to propitiate the gods to allow the sun to return.  In Norse mythology, Odin the gift-bringer, swept across the night sky in a chariot drawn by horses.  The Christian Church took over the festival but some of the traditions harked back to the pagan roots.  The Yule log was burned in the fireplace, there was kissing under the mistletoe (related to a Druidic fertility rite) and the house was decorated with holly (evergreen trees were regarded with reverence).
"But during the Church Reformation in the 16th century these traditions were frowned on by the Kirk which regarded Christmas as a popish festival.  Bear in mind that 'Christmas' is 'Christ's Mass' and mass was banned in Scotland at that time.  There are records of charges being brought against people for keeping 'Yule' as it was called in Scotland.  Amazingly, this dour, joy-crushing attitude lasted for 400 years.  Until the 1960s, Christmas Day was a normal working day for most people in Scotland.  So if there is a specifically 'Scottish' aspect to Christmas it is that it was not celebrated!
"The 'traditional' Christmas celebrations (other than the religious festival) originated in the 19th century (Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, had a lot to do with it!) and England and Scotland developed the same traditions from around that time - Christmas trees, decorations, Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas, presents, stockings at the end of the bed, Christmas carols Christmas cards etc.  Christmas cards are said to have been invented in Edinburgh in the mid-nineteenth century"
Yuletide Customs of Old Scotland    Christmas in Scotland    Traditional Scottish Recipes     Scotch Shortbread    Traditional Christmas Pudding

Winter Solstice, 21 December - The Winter Solstice is the day when the distance between the Tropic of Capricorn and the sun is the shortest. Because of the earth's tilt, the Northern Hemisphere is leaning farther away from the sun than at any other time during the year. This makes the Winter Solstice the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere where it marks the beginning of winter. ... Because ancient cultures were unaware of the changes in the Earth's position, they feared that the sunlight would never return. To bring it back, they engaged in many celebrations and ceremonies. In fact, there are more ceremonies and rituals associated with the winter solstice than any other time of year.

Boxing Day, 26 December - The reason that the December 26th was known as 'Boxing Day' was the fact that many centuries ago, the Lord and Lady of the manor/castle/estate gathered together at the manor house, castle etc., the workers including those from the outlying fields, forests and streams, the day after Christmas Day and organised the distribution of the annual necessities, done according to the status of the worker and the size of the family. Into boxes and barrels would go supplies of cloth spun by the spinsters, the cobblers leather goods, new tools and supplies of salt and spices. Also dried goods such as meat, fish, vegetables and some fruit and cereals grown on the estate for bread making. This the giving out of such boxes became 'Boxing Day'.

Hogmanay - New Year's Eve, 31 December The origins of the word 'Hogmanay' are lost in the past.  Some say it is from the Norse 'Hoggunott' or night of slaughter when animals were killed for a midwinter feast.  Also that it is from 'Huh-me-naay' or kiss me now when even strangers embraced.  Another theory is that it comes from the French Hoguinane sung by children on 'Cake Day'.
To this day, Hogmanay is still a more important festival in Scotland than Christmas.  Historians believe that we inherited the celebration from the Vikings who, coming from even further north than ourselves, paid even more attention to the passing of the shortest day.  While clearly celebrated around the world, the Scots have a long rich heritage associated with this event, when the whole country celebrates in the build up to 'the bells' chiming midnight - and Burns' song Auld Lang Syne is murdered once again!
There are traditions such as cleaning the house (known as 'redding') on 31st December (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the days when coal fires were common).  And Scotland is the only part of the UK that has a statutory holiday on 2nd January as well as 1st January - so we can recover from the excesses of 31 December!

A Timeline of Scottish History - December