Here in Scotland, there doesn’t seem to be a week that goes by without some celebration or another.
It’s what we specialise in. It is, put quite simply, what we do.
With Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night tucked safely away for another year, you’d perhaps be forgiven for thinking that it would be Christmas next, peering its brightly coloured face around the party door.
Well, not quite. Close, but, invariably, no cigar.
Here in Scotland, we have one more order of business before Slade, Wham and the gang turn everything up to eleven and things go just a little bit crazy.
First…It’s St Andrew’s Day.
That’s right, you brave and bountiful angels of Scotland, it’s just about time to tip our hats to the patron saint of our nation. And how do we do that? In a very Scottish way, of course: a party.
So, leave your tree in the attic a few moments longer and keep that reindeer jumper tucked away precisely where it is.
Let’s have a look at how you can organise a magnificent St Andrew’s Day celebration at home this year.
Time & Place: St Andrew’s Day is traditionally celebrated on 30th November. This year the date falls upon a Thursday, which is perhaps not ideal for an all-out party considering the commitments of many to a Monday the Friday working week. However, that does not mean that you still can’t organise something and have a right old, jolly good time. So, if you do work a 9-5pm job, think about planning a shindig for the Thursday evening. Of course, if your work life is more flexible or you happen to be on holiday…Well, 30th November is all yours to celebrate for as long and as enthusiastically as you please.
Decorations: If you are hosting at in your home, or at a local bar or restaurant, it is important to let the themes stand out through the decor you’ve picked out for the venue. So, in this particular case, we’re definitely going to be going all out Scottish. Saltire flags, tartan throws, pictures of Robbie Burns…Whatever it is you’ve got, or can get your hands on, today is the day to take advantage. If you don’t happen to have anything that screams Scotland, Edinburgh is chock-a-block with pretty much everything that you can possibly imagine and then some. Ready for a party? Your space looks the part. But what about you?
Clothing: Yes, lovely ladies and gentle sirs, if you want your gathering to look utterly fabulous and as Scottish as the Loch Ness Monster, then you’re going to have to pull out all the stops and simply go for it. Full kilt, Scottish Football/Rugby top, tartan skirts or t-shirts, Braveheart war paint …Whatever you’ve got, or can get, then put it on and let’s show the rest of the world how it’s done…All set? Good! Now it’s time to get to the real tasty issues: food and entertainment. We don’t want to get dressed up for nothing!
Food & Drink: When it comes to a party, we here in Edinburgh know how to do it right. And a key ingredient to having happy boys and girls is having a selection of top notch grub with some tantalising refreshments to wash it down with. Of course, it being St Andrew’s Day, a spot of haggis is a must, along with a good old nip of whisky (or Irn Bru for the more sensible among you). Other than that, well, we don’t need to tell you what to do. It’s party time in Edinburgh. Need we say more? Well, maybe one more thing to really get it all flying.
Entertainment: Once you’ve all had a bit of a friendly natter and a splash to drink, why not turn it all up a gear and have a bit of a song and a dance? Okay, you might not quite have adequate room for Uncle Joe to impress with his so-called ‘moonwalk’, but there doesn’t need to be that much hip room to demonstrate that you can still bust some funky moves when the right tune calls. And, yes, we know that Uncle Joe thinks he can still play the bagpipes as well as he can move, but you don’t necessarily need to go that far. Some traditional Scottish music would be the cherry on the cake to really give this the soundtrack it deserves. But, if you don’t fancy that, what about something a little bit more contemporary? Runrig? Simple Minds? Texas? Heck, we hear that Lewis Capaldi is doing well for himself these days! Whatever is your kind of tune, turn it on and let’s have some fun this St Andrew’s Day! Slainte Mhath!
St Andrew’s Day 2023 is almost upon us, so why not take this time to get some planning done and prepare for one heck of a Scottish extravaganza.
Whatever it is you decide to do this 30th November, we here at Belvoir Edinburgh hope you all have a jolly old time.
Stay safe. Stay happy. And…. Happy St Andrew’s Day!!!
