St Andrew always seems to me to be an ideal patron saint for Scotland. Asimple working fisherman; hard working and not afraid of standing upfor the right; a loyal, trustworthy man and above all, plain spoken.

St Andrew always seems to me to be an ideal patron saint for Scotland.

Asimple working fisherman; hard working and not afraid of standing upfor the right; a loyal, trustworthy man and above all, plain spoken. Hetravelled far from his birthplace and some of his remains found theirresting place on the coast of Scotland that bears his name. But most ofall, he shared in Jesus' first miracle – turning the water into wine –how that would appeal to the average Scot!

For centuries, hisfeast day – St Andrew's Day or Andermass – was celebrated by Scots folkon 30 November – thanking our saint for his patronage and interventionsince the defeat of the Angles at Aethelstaneford in 832 AD, when thedawn's blue sky was criss-crossed by the saint's own symbol – the whitesaltire – a miracle foretelling victory on that day and ever since thenthe design of our proud flag.

In the Reformation, while many good things happened, over zealousiconoclasm cast the saint's relics and his feast to the winds, and thetradition of the patron saint's day fell by the wayside at home,decried as mere superstition.

However, one of the defining characteristics about our heritage isthat so many of us found our way to prosperity outwith Scotland. InEngland, Ireland, France and Sweden, communities of émigré Scots werefound, and after the Union, increasingly the sinews of Empire were thearms of Scots men and women resident across the globe.

In establishing a new life or a business abroad there is always therisk of bad luck, hardship or ruin and our community ethic saw thecreation of mutual societies where we Scots would band together raisinga common fund to support each other in times of crisis. From the Scots Boxin London in 1603 (still serving as Scotscare now) to the St Andrew'sSocieties across North America, Asia and Australasia you'll often findthat the oldest functioning charity in a given locale was founded bythe Scots. And it's often called the St Andrew's Society.

Charity can be dry work, and so the convivial life was built aroundthe charity meetings, culminating in the annual festival on St Andrew'sDay every 30th November. Drams and Alms.

The format predates the Burns Supper in invention, but you canrecognise many similar elements in the fun. I was privileged to addressthe 250th Anniversary banquet of the St Andrew's Society of The Stateof New York in 2006 and that's a good night out!

The top table are piped in with rousing marches and the audiencestand to applaud as kilties carry in the Saltire, The Stars and Stripesand the Union Jack. The three national anthems are sung: God Save The Queen (with the traditional diffidence); hands on hearts for The Star Spangled Banner and a rugby cheer for Flower of Scotland (with the traditional grumbles from those who prefer Highland Cathedral, Scotland The Brave or perhaps Donald Where's Yer Troosers).

Cheers all round and then a pause for Grace – remembering those whoare short of the good gifts we share this night in our party dress witha full glass in one hand and a menu in the other.

Starters come along straight away – a warm bowl of cock-a-leekiesoup (to some titters from American guests over the name) and then thegreat ceremony begins.

This is the bit that has changed most over the years. Since theFirst World War the next course is a Haggis – suitably addressed anddispatched with gusto and a flashing dirk. But the haggis reallybelongs to January and to the feast of our patron non-saint – RobertBurns. The real way to celebrate St Andrew in November traditionallycalled for a sheep's heid as the feast.

Yes. You heard. A good meal of sheep's heid and all the trimmings. If you've eaten recently, look away!

My Granny used to get a choice fat head from the butcher and take itup to the stamp works so that the nice man could singe off the hair inhis big furnace. You then have to cut out the tongue (please keep) andpop out the eyes (please do not keep) before boiling the head, tongueand four cleaned trotters with some wee turnips and onions untillready. Then split the head, scoop out the brains (to make the sauce!)and arrange on a bed of parsley with the halved trotters, a generoushelping of cold boiled eggs and the veggies. Mind you, not many peopleate the veggies.

At a big dinner, this would be paraded in just like the haggis andtoasted at the top table before the poor diners got their share.

So no more complaints about haggis! To add a bit of theatre to the November night nowadays, Burns's much-loved Address To The Haggisis performed. A love song to an oatmeal sausage is a difficult thing tohave to explain, particularly when it gets violent in the middle. It'sa symbol though (albeit slightly tongue-in-cheek) of how simple fareand a hard life make the Scots the folk we are.

Rather than feasting on either a head or a haggis, a more modernmain course is common now (often good Scots produce like Salmon orAberdeen Angus beef) although, our traditional puddings (crannachan orAthol brose) and local cheeses are coming back into fashion again.

The evening's speeches look at the connections between us and ourhome or homes. First, let's drink a toast to Scotland (in New York theypropose 'To The Land Of Cakes – commemorating the simple oatcake thatwas our staple diet) to commemorate our shared heritage and after that,a second toast – ‘To The Land We Live In' to recognise and give thanksto our adopted home and hosts. Add some songs or poems or entertainingparty pieces and round off in good style with Auld Lang Syne beforethree cheers for St Andrew and for Scotland are the cue to sprachleback up the brae to a good bed.

You'd find these dinners, or sometimes ceilidhs in all sorts ofcorners of the globe – but see them rarely in the villages, towns andcities of Scotland. It is wonderful news that we have come full circleand Andermass is home again as a new holiday across Scotland from thisyear.

Whether 30th November turns out to be a well deserved day's rest onour national holiday for you, or if you hear the Red Hot Chilli Pipers'special St Andrew's ring tone on your phone as your cousin in NSW callsto say hello, or it might be more of a quiet drink with friends, or anouting to a concert or a gala dinner, whatever the form of your day,it's a real chance to reflect on who we are as a people and a nationand, more importantly, to celebrate a long history of being acommunity, both here on Scotland's soil and wherever that much loved,pale blue flag with its white cross flies.

Happy St Andrew's Day!


Clark McGinn

Clark McGinn is a banker by trade and he now lives in London. He isone of the most active after dinner speakers on Scottish subjects,notably Burns and his first book: 'The Ultimate Burns Supper Book' ispublished by Luath Press at £7.99/$14.95. He is currently finishing asecond book on Scotland. See more on www.seriousburns.com.

Courtesy of Scotland.org