The Tartan Question

My dearest, newly divorced daughter is to be married again !

Three days after her divorce became final she was engaged !!

I'm delighted for her ,.., truly I am !

I know I make daft comments about her having learned nothing after her first marriage but her "new guy" is quite different ,,, In the space of the last few years he has given us back ( all of the Buchanan family ) our daughter, our sister, our sister-in-law and I know she is a much happier mother for her kids. What a change .,,. thank-you Thomas.

However, now, to add to his woes, the brave Thomas has decided to get married in Tartan !

Thomas is Danish !

Denmark is not in Scotland ! But wait ,,,

We now have Scottish World Tartan Register No. 3129

The historical association between Denmark and Scotland extends over 900 years to the age of the Vikings. Their influence can be traced through some of the Festivals still celebrated to this day in the North and East of Scotland, in the numerous Norse place-names around our coastline, and in the original language of Scotland – Gaelic. And perhaps most importantly, many of the Norse invaders married and settled in Scotland, so that we share a common blood-line to this day.Although tartan is associated with Scotland it has been known in Denmark for almost 400 years, for some 40,000 Scots mercenaries, mostly from the Highlands, fought in the Kalmar Wars between Sweden and Denmark. Many of these Scottish soldiers eventually settled in Denmark and became integrated into the local community, thus adding to the common blood-line.

The new Danish tartan has been designed and woven as a gift to the people of Denmark.

The colours of the tartan combine the colours in the flags of Denmark and Scotland.
The Danish tartan was officially launched at a reception organised by the Danish-Scottish Society at the Danish Cultural Institute in Edinburgh on Saturday 27th. May 2006.

About fifty or so Danes living in Scotland, including the Danish Consul and the Director of the Institute, were present. to see the Director’s three-year old son Sebastian model the kilt in the Danish tartan.
With the approval of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, the kilt was specially made for Prince Christian to wear when he attains the age of three, and Sebastian’s father, Mr. Kim Casperson, who left his post as Director and returned home to take up a new post in Denmark last week, delivered it personally to the Crown Prince and Princess at Amalienborg Palace.
The Danish tartan was designed to reflect the strong historic links between Denmark and Scotland. Although brought up in Australia, Crown Princess Mary’s parents hail from Scotland, and the Prince’s kilt is a potent reminder that the links between our two nations continues to this day.

So there you have it !

Thomas has debated wearing The Buchanan, ( his new daughter is half one of course ), the Glasgow, ( he lives here ), the McNeil ( his mother's maiden name was Nielsen ! ) so with all this confusion going on in his head I felt duty bound to give him my best, considered ( fatherly ?) advice .,.,.,

Ok Thomas here it is ,,, Having now given your question two or three days very serious thought .,,. I’ve checked out various sites re the question of “proper dress”, tartan wise, for your up coming nuptuals as well as other possible options for you on the kilt front and it seems to me that you really only have one choice ! Sadly, it’s probably also the most expensive choice !

You should obviously wear your own tartan .,., The Danish ,..,.,You could wear a small token Buchanan something with it ,, say our Kilt Pin or Clan Crest Badge maybe ?

But for your own National pride, for your parents and countrymen, it has to be The Danish ,,, a fine cross of our Scottish & Danish National flags and not at all a bad looking tartan.

And just for the record Thomas ( even if you didn’t ask formally for my daughter’s hand :0) ) you will be a most welcome addition to our Clan Buchanan.