St Andrew's Day

Who was St Andrew?

St Andrew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and is the patron saint of Scotland. According to tradition he was crucified on an X-shaped cross, which is why the Saltire, the white diagonal cross on a blue background, became Scotland's flag. His feast day is 30 November.

A bank holiday since the St Andrew's Day Act

St Andrew's Day became a bank holiday in Scotland through an Act of the Scottish Parliament in the early twenty-first century. The law made it a bank holiday, but did not require employers to give staff an extra day off. Some employers let staff swap another local holiday for St Andrew's Day, while for many people it remains a normal working day.

If 30 November falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday becomes a substitute bank holiday.

In 2026 the day falls on Monday 30 November.

How is St Andrew's Day celebrated?

St Andrew's Day marks the start of Scotland's winter festival season, which continues with Hogmanay and Burns Night in January. There are ceilidhs with traditional music and dancing, Scottish food such as haggis, neeps and tatties, and events in towns across the country, including St Andrews in Fife. The Saltire is flown from public buildings, and Scots abroad often mark the day too.