Highlands Traditions

Hi everybody!

We talked a lot about meals and gastronomy in general, but, what about the culture of this beautiful place? If you will travel here, probably you will know a little about the regional culture, events or festivities. 

In Highlands there are o lot of festivities, so we comment only a few, the most importants. If you want to know more, visit this web: http://www.visithighlands.com/

Burns Night - 25 January
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, will be given.  in this moment, families eat the most traditional meal of Schotland: haggis.

Whuppity Scoorie - 1st March
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. 

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"

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. 

St Andrew's Day - 30 November
Although St Andrew has been the patron saint of Scotland since a Pictish victory in a battle in 747AD, 30 November is not a public holiday in Scotland. Indeed, St Andrew's night is celebrated more by expatriate Scots around the world.