From the islanders of the Hebrides to the tailors of Savile Row, Harris Tweed, the world’s most iconic cloth is known for its beautiful vibrant colours, hard wearing properties and rich history. Hand crafted by weavers in the Outer Hebrides for generations and loved by designers including Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith and Margaret Howell it is a fabric that is both traditional and modern. Harris Tweed’s mark of certification is the instantly recognisable Orb which is branded onto the cloth itself. The Orb is one hundred years old this year and provides Harris Tweed lovers with the knowledge that they are buying genuine Harris Tweed that has been hand-woven by the islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra in their homes, using pure virgin wool that has been dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides
From the islanders of the Hebrides to the tailors of Savile Row, Harris Tweed, the world’s most iconic cloth is known for its beautiful vibrant colours, hard wearing properties and rich history. Hand crafted by weavers in the Outer Hebrides for generations and loved by designers including Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith and Margaret Howell it is a fabric that is both traditional and modern. Harris Tweed’s mark of certification is the instantly recognisable Orb which is branded onto the cloth itself. The Orb is one hundred years old this year and provides Harris Tweed lovers with the knowledge that they are buying genuine Harris Tweed that has been hand-woven by the islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra in their homes, using pure virgin wool that has been dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides
Did you know it is possible to find out about each individual piece of Harris Tweed cloth woven? Thanks to records kept by the Harris Tweed Authority, based on the Isle of Lewis, details are recorded for each piece woven including the date of weaving, and who it was woven by! Another key role of The Harris Tweed Authority is to and protect the Harris Tweed brand at home and abroad.
Tweed and tartan are as traditional as mince pies and tinsel. Here is a selection of gifts for her, for him and for little ones that are sure to delight. For Scots and fans of Scottish heritage and beautiful fabrics, Christmas is a great time to make an addition to their wardrobe as there are many fabulous savings to be made. A made to measure outfit makes for a very special present that will be a delight to wear on special occasions for years to come. There are many lovely outfits to choose from depending on your preferred style and budget. Popular for jackets are Prince Charlie’s and Argylle or for something more casual that can be worn at highland games and in warmer climates opt for a Ghillie shirt outfit. Presenting a gift which includes a family, country or university tartan makes this a truly personal gift. Classic accessories featuring beautifully finished, Scottish made items, delicately engraved and using the finest fur add the finishing touches to a prestigious package. An accessory set in a presentation box is a special gift that allows the receiver to give their outfit a whole new look, they usually include a matching sporran, sgain dhub and belt buckle featuring a Celtic or masonic crest. Individual items are also popular; cufflinks featuring a saltire, masonic symbol are popular and with over fifty styles to choose from you’ll be spoilt for choice! Rugby tops come into their own during the Six nations and are great for everyday wear. Individual sporrans for day or evening wear are a good choice. Harris Tweed is one of Scotland’s best loved brands synonymous with quality and a Harris Tweed jacket or hat is sure to be welcome, their soft feel and thick material makes them perfect for the colder months. For ladies you can’t go wrong with Celtic jewellery to add a bit of sparkle to the day! Earrings, brooches and necklaces in pewter catch the light and keep their shine over time. Look out for pretty designs and colourful stones. Friends abroad will also appreciate a little taste or the romance and history embodied in Celtic inspired jewellery. A ladies wool kilt in a family or country tartan are popular this time of year , from cute tartan mini-kilts and bodices popular on both the catwalk and the high street to more traditional hostess kilts there are many styles to choose from. Tartan is a design that is perpetually popular so these lovely skirts can be worn each year. A tartan scarf is a lovely gift adding a cosy layer and cheer to any outfit. For younger members of the party a kids kilt or tartan dress which start at very small sizes is a fantastic gift which little ones will wear with pride and excitement with having their own tartan item. A traditional Scottish gift is a lovely present for people outside of Scotland too, particularly those who have enjoyed a visit to Scotland , have Scottish roots or have married a Scot. If you’re looking for something a bit different and steeped in tradition a Quaich presented alongside a bottle of fine Scottish whisky makes for a superbe gift. Quaichs are traditional Scottish drinking vessel perfect for New Year’s Eve toasts and ideal if buying a present for a couple to be married in the coming year. Quaichs also look great as ornaments when not in use.
This Christmas gather you friends and family and raise a toast with a special glass of your favourite malt! Whisky is a spirit that really comes into its own during the cold winter months. Perfect for keeping out the chill whisky is a popular tipple for Christmas and Hogmany and makes a great gift too. If you are gifting friends and family a bottle of whisky a pewter flask or Quiach, a traditional Scottish drinking vessel is a lovely addition. Here are some perfect tipples to sample over the festivities season. Glengoyne has some fine offerings including the Glengoyne 17 years has a well-balanced palate of flavours and a delicate citrus taste. The distillery sits on the right on the so-called ‘Highland Line’ which is a mark on the map created by Parliament in the 18th century to help collect taxes. At the time whisky producers in the highlands paid less that their fellow producers in other parts of Scotland. From Glenmorangie Highland Park 12 Year Old Island Single Malt Whisky is worth its premium price, subtle smooth and fragrant, this is a classic offering from Orkney with notes of honeysuckle and heather. Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky comes from one the oldest family run distillery and their latest offering doesn’t disappoint with toffee and orange flavors coming through nicely. Whisky lovers may have felt understandable concern over reports this week that the popularity of Scottish whisky has peaked to such a level that stocks could be at risk. Export sales this year increased by over 23% in the last nine months – and this is before Christmas and New Year sales are taken into account!- with the surge in sales potentially leading to shortages. The growth of markets in South America and Asia has seen new middle classes emerge who are attracted the prestige and traditional surrounding Scottish whisky. The ten year lag time of production is a further factor. However all would not be lost are these are some alternatives should a shortage happen – Japanese malt whisky is, like it’s Scottish counterparts is double – distilled in pot still. Japanese whisky has come on leaps and bounds over the last ten years and has received lots of positive attention in Europe, particularly when the Nikka Yoichi 10 Year Old Japanese Whisky won the Best of the Year prize in the Whisky Magazine awards. Scottish and Japanese love of whisky came together in a more sombre mood when Scottish distilleries came together to support the relief effort following the devestating Japanese earthquake and Tsumani. Distillers Arran, BenRiach, Bladnoch, GlenDronach, Mitchell's Glengyle, Kilchoman and Springbank created the ‘Spirit of Unity’whisky – over £90,000 has been raised so far thanks to sales and the money has been used to provide urgent supplies and to house over 300 people in temporary accommodation. So this Christmas celebrate unity and enjoy a Scottish or Japanese malt. From midnight mass to the chimes of the New Year there is no better time to enjoy that water of life.
Our favourite choir master, Gareth Malone looked dashing in tartan at the International Emmys ceremony in New York. The International Academy of Television Arts & Science awards recognise outstanding achievements so it was only right that Mr Malone picked up an award for Arts Programming for his series ‘Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne’ which was shown in 2010. During this year’s series 'The Choir: Military Wives' the programme led to the release of the charity single Wherever You Are which is battling it out for the Christmas number one. Gareth Malone said the Military Wives have Simon Cowell ‘quaking in his boots’ and we are rooting for the Military wives! Gareth accepting his award
Haggis is the only main course that is acceptable on this special night in memory of Scotland’s most beloved bard. If you have vegetarian or squeamish guests there are number of delicious vegetarian versions. If you fancy something sweet Cranachan is a delicious traditional pudding made with oats, raspberries, cream and whisky. When it comes to the Selkirk Grace toast a traditional Scottish Quaich is the perfect receptacle for some of your finest whisky. The Selkirk Grace Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it; But we hae meat, and we can eat, And sae let the Lord be thankit. As the haggis is being piped in the guests stand as a mark of their appreciation, a key part of the ceremony is the cutting open of the haggis which can be accomplished with aplomb using a traditional Dirk. Then follows Burns’ famous ‘Ode to the Haggis’At the end of the poem, a Scotch whisky toast will be proposed. Once the meal has been eaten it’s the time for speeches which play a crucial part in the evening. Delivery should be light hearted and entertaining, as such the speaker should be rewarded for their efforts with much applause, you might also like to offer a small token of appreciation to the speaker such as a pair of Celtic cufflinks or mini-bottle of whisky. To add to the occasion why not present ladies with a tartan sash and younger members of the party with homemade tablet. Adding tartan ribbon to your front door to welcome friends and family is also a nice touch. Have a great Burns Night. Slante!
As Burns Night approaches it’s the perfect time to immerse yourself in the history of Scotland’s favourite son. Take a trip to Burn’s beloved Alloyway and pay a visit to the Robert Burns Birthplace museum. The museum comprises the cottage where the poet was born as well as the the most complete collection of his work and traces burns rise from farmer’s son to world- renowned poet. Well worth a visit! As part of your celebrations on Burns Night itself why not drink a toast from a traditional Scottish drinking quaich or opt for a kilt in the distinctive Burns tartan.
The year of Creative Scotland 2012 will see a programme of events take place that celebrate Scotland’s artistic and cultural strengths. The aim of the project is to highlight the vibrancy of Scotland’s creativity to audiences at home and abroad. With an investment of over six million from the National Lottery 2012 is set to be a fantastic for Scotland’s thriving cultural scene.
For Dickens visiting Edinburgh which he did often was ‘like coming home’ during his visits to the city he regularly walked up Arthur’s Seat. Edinburgh gave him the ‘Freedom of the City’ before he became well-known around the world. The impoverished living conditions which featured in many of his stories and his campaigning on social issues were inspired by his visits to slums in the Edinburgh’s old town which greatly affected him “we saw more poverty and sickness in an hour than people would believe in, in a life” he spoke of one dwelling in which “lay in an old egg box which the mother had begged from a shop, a little, feeble, wan sick child. With his little wasted face, and his bright attentive eyes, I can see him now, as I have seen him for several years, looking steadily at us.” At an event organised by Sir Walter Scott in honour of George IV’s visit to Edinburgh the catering contract was won by Ebenezer Lennox Scroggie, who would become the posthumous inspiration for Charles Dickens' character Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol when Dickens misinterpreted meal man for mean man. Some of Dickens closest friends including Lord Henry Cockburn and Lord Francis Jeffrey were from Edinburgh. Dickens wife Catherine was also from Edinburgh. This Christmas the BBC showed a wonderful new adaptation of Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickelby and The Old Curiosity Shop are brilliant tales. In the months to come there are sure to be more adaptations of Dickens work as well programmes that pay homage to one of the world’s greatest writers, as next year will be the 200th anniversary of Dickens life. Given Dickens close ties to Scotland and to mark the 200th year anniversary a Dickens tartan would be a fitting tribute. According to Elizabeth Velluet of The Dickens Fellowship Dickens the author’s links with Edinburgh were established in 1834 when he visited the city as a journalist. A few years later following an event in Edinburgh in celebration described as “great public recognition of his genius” after which Dickens delighted by the rapturous reception he has received said “I believe I shall never hear the name of the capital of Scotland without a thrill of gratitude and pleasure. I shall love while I have life her people, her hills, and her houses, even the very stones of her streets.” The Lord Provost, council and magistrates awarded him the freedom of the city. According to his friend and biographer John Foster the parchment scroll of the freedom of the city was one of his most treasured possessions. Dickens’ burgess scroll now resides in the Museum of Edinburgh – returned to the city by Dickens’ grandson in the 1940s – and will go on display next year. “Charles Dickens’ Edinburgh connections are certainly worthy of celebration,” said Edinburgh Deidre Brock. “So to mark next year’s bicentenary, we’ll be putting Dickens’ Freedom of the City ‘burgess ticket’ on proud display. I’m delighted that this anniversary is putting Dickens’ links to Scotland’s capital under the spotlight.”