A SCOTTISH actor has issued an impassioned call for St Andrew’s Day to be turned into a global celebration on a par with St Patrick’s Day, insisting that “we are sleeping on St Andrew’s Day”.
In a video shared online in the wake of Scotland’s World Cup campaign, actor, writer and comedy performer Isla Fairfield – addressing “all Scots and Scottish lovers globally” – argues that the World Cup has proved the country’s reputation for bringing “the vibes” and “the atmosphere”, adding this spirit should be channelled into the annual event at home and abroad.
Scottish brands Tennents and Irn Bru were tagged in the post, with Tennents replying: "We're down."
Fairfield from from Dunfermline, Fife says: “Call to action to all Scots and Scottish lovers globally. We are sleeping on Saint Andrew's Day. We're sleeping figuratively and literally.
"If this World Cup has shown us anything, it's not that we're [inaudible] at football. We already knew that. It's that the Scottish can party. We bring the vibes. We, we, we bring the atmosphere.”
St Andrew's Day, celebrated in Scotland because Andrew the Apostle is the country's patron saint, is November 30.
Turning to the example of Ireland, she continues: “What are we doing on St Andrew's Day? What the fuck are we doing? Look at our Irish siblings. Look what they've done to St Patrick's Day. Across the world, people are dressed in the tricolours, right? Celebrating St Patrick's Day. Guinness being sold globally.
"What are they doing on St Andrew's Day? They don't know what the fuck St Andrew's Day is. Do you know when St Andrew's Day is? I mean, off the top of my head, I know it's like in November. But what are we doing?”
She calls for celebrations on a scale that would be “measured on the Richter scale”, saying: “It should be such a massive party that every city, town, village in Scotland should be partying so hard it could be measured on the Richter scale.
"The Germans would fucking celebrate it. All the bars in Germany, they'd be putting up their Saltire. In Boston, you bet your bottom dollar that they'd be partying for St Andrew's Day. So if you own a club, if you own a bar, if you have access to a town hall, start planning now.”
“Why should we have to wait 28 years to party like that?” she asks, referring to the long gap between Scotland’s appearances at the tournament.
“We should be doing it every single year on St Andrew's Day. Every year. It should be a global phenomenon. We've melted people's hearts because of our ability to bring community, to bring atmosphere, to bring the party. No Scotland, no party. What are we doing? What are we doing?
"St Andrew's Day should be bus, club, another club, no sleep. It's on the 30th of November. Monday, November 30. This year, we're going to start as we mean to go on. So let's stop sleeping on St Andrew's Day and let's get out.
"Get your bagpipes ready. Get your kilt ready. We're going out with a bang.”
The call was welcomed with international comedians joking they would "get drunk in solidarity, with one Scot replying: "I celebrate it every year but it's as much as wishing everyone a Happy St Andrew's Day, pour myself a Scottish G&T in the evening and have a Scottish meal for tea, whether it's haggis, neeps and tatties or Balmoral chicken or something.
"It's low-key because for whatever reason, it's never a big deal and I've honestly never understood why. So I would absolutely love for this to kick off!"
