St andrews day

November 30, 2009 12:44 PM

This is the Happy St Andrews day thread....

As the vast majority of mefites are Scottish, i need hardly explain - but St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and today is our national day.
Generally we go round to our neighbours and beat each other in joyous drunken celebration of what it means to be Scottish. I know this is a rather scots-centric post, but i am sure the small minority of mefites from the new world will bear with us. Now let all the Scots join this thread and hurl gratuitous insults at each other and bring up petty grievances from the past.

posted by sgt.serenity to Etiquette/Policy at 12:44 PM (127 comments total)

Stunt post is stunty!
posted by dersins at 12:50 PM on November 30, 2009

As long as you're not wishing one particular Andrew of no real renown a happy birthday, I think we'll be OK here.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:50 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

Thanksgiving Day Proverb - Stunt post that is meta-metatalk chat filter has short life.
posted by Babblesort at 12:51 PM on November 30, 2009

Sorta Jinx!
posted by Babblesort at 12:51 PM on November 30, 2009

Saint Andrew has a dull flag.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:51 PM on November 30, 2009

My favorite Scotman? Stunty MacStuntpost.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 12:56 PM on November 30, 2009

Couldn't you have made a really cool St. Andrew's Day post on the blue instead?
posted by grouse at 12:57 PM on November 30, 2009 [12 favorites]

Now let all the Scots join this thread and hurl gratuitous insults at each other and bring up petty grievances from the past.

All you need is a steel pole and it sounds like Festivus!
posted by never used baby shoes at 12:58 PM on November 30, 2009

...the Scots are a mean, ungenerous, parsimonious, cheeseparing race. — My Bones Will Keep - Gladys Mitchell
posted by longsleeves at 1:02 PM on November 30, 2009

[Something semi-clever but irrelevant about haggis, drunks, and freeballing under a kilt}
posted by Burhanistan at 1:02 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

So *that's* why I started drinking Scotch early today!
posted by The Whelk at 1:02 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

I support any holiday that is not Canadian Thanksgiving.

I mean, really, how can you be thankful to be Canadian?
posted by eyeballkid at 1:03 PM on November 30, 2009

Stunt post is stunty!

away with your new-fangled jargon.
posted by sgt.serenity at 1:04 PM on November 30, 2009

Reminder to the Scottish: Not all MeFites live in your country, hence any references to “St. Andrews Day” will be meaningless (or, for Canadians, will have arrived a month late).

St. Andrews Day isn’t like New Year’s Day: It isn’t universally recognized and it doesn’t have a fixed date worldwide.

Scottish MeFites who post about “St. Andrews Day” are actually posting about Scottish St. Andrews Day.

An acknowledgement that the readers of your post might not live in a country that celebrates St. Andrews Day, or might live in Canada where it’s celebrated in October, would show greater understanding of the global reach of this site.
posted by Think_Long at 1:06 PM on November 30, 2009 [11 favorites]

Now let all the Scots join this thread and hurl gratuitous insults at each other...

Numpty!
posted by chillmost at 1:07 PM on November 30, 2009

Oh fuck all this shit.

That's all I got. Just felt the need to say that today. Carry on with St. Andrews Day festivities! I hope all mefites and their children have a great day!!
posted by marxchivist at 1:10 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

DOUBLE BEARDED SON OF A MACINTOSH !
posted by The Whelk at 1:11 PM on November 30, 2009

Oy, those are fightin words, The Whelk.
posted by strixus at 1:13 PM on November 30, 2009

As the tiny minority of mefites are Latvian, I need to explain - but Barbes Diena (also Barbanas Diena) is a festival held today, celebrating the fertility of lambs and ewes. Working with needles or other sharp objects is forbidden. Dumplings are eaten. Various rituals are performed to guarantee the health and fertility of the sheep.
posted by UbuRoivas at 1:13 PM on November 30, 2009

Canada where it’s celebrated in October, would show greater understanding of the global reach of this site.


Hardly anyone outside scotland uses metafilter, its mostly me and a couple of people from glasgow.
posted by sgt.serenity at 1:13 PM on November 30, 2009 [3 favorites]

Look at that horrible monster attacking that poor old lady!
posted by jbickers at 1:14 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

* CUE BAY CITY ROLLERS*
posted by The Whelk at 1:14 PM on November 30, 2009

cmon people, only 600000 more comments till we overtake the americans .....
posted by sgt.serenity at 1:16 PM on November 30, 2009

Happy St. Andrews Day! Another reason for a glass of wine later, thank you!
posted by kiwi-epitome at 1:21 PM on November 30, 2009

Is this something I'd need a haggis to understand?
posted by Mngo at 1:22 PM on November 30, 2009 [2 favorites]

As much as it tempts me daily to do so, please don't game MetaFilter to make a point.
posted by GuyZero at 1:22 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

Lambing in December in northern Europe?

Ah, whatever. They've got dumplings? Yeah, sure Latvia, you're getting lambs in December. Let's eat.
posted by nebulawindphone at 1:26 PM on November 30, 2009

Money is flat and meant to be piled up.
posted by Liver at 1:26 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

Query: It's unclear if this thread is an attempt to mock Americans who make US-centric posts, or if it's meant to mock the people who complain about Americans who make US-centric posts. Please clarify.
posted by Caduceus at 1:27 PM on November 30, 2009 [3 favorites]

As much as it tempts me daily to do so, please don't game MetaFilter to make a point.

I'm making a point of celebrating the rich multicultural diversity that is metafilter.
posted by sgt.serenity at 1:27 PM on November 30, 2009

Dear mods:

If text color changing html is disabled, why on earth does it show up as working in live preview? My editorial query was supposed to be red.

Love,
Caduceus
posted by Caduceus at 1:29 PM on November 30, 2009

St. Andrews Day isn’t like New Year’s Day: It isn’t universally recognized and it doesn’t have a fixed date worldwide.

At first I wasn't sure about that. And indeed the Eastern and Western churches both celebrate St. Andrew's day today. But the Coptic Calendar puts it on 4 Kiahk, whereas today is 21 Hator by that reckoning. So, I'm sure all of the devout Copts that read Metafilter are no doubt incensed at this blatant anti-Alexandrian calendar bias.
posted by jedicus at 1:31 PM on November 30, 2009 [7 favorites]

Hardly anyone outside scotland uses metafilter, its mostly me and a couple of people from glasgow.

There was that nice jenleigh girl, once upon.

I'm making a point of celebrating the rich multicultural diversity that is metafilter.

Honestly, we're kind of okay with letting this stand as a goof but as a tradeoff there it'd be nice of you not to push it and make us regret giving you a pass. My gratitude for the invention and refinement of single malt will only carry this so far.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:32 PM on November 30, 2009

Just eat some pie and chill out.
posted by piratebowling at 1:32 PM on November 30, 2009

That lassie goat glessed an nae cunt leaves here til we find oot which cunt dunnit.
posted by fire&wings at 1:32 PM on November 30, 2009 [7 favorites]

Something something Sean Connery.
posted by qvantamon at 1:34 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

St. Andrew's Metafilter: Pished wee beasties!
posted by psylosyren at 1:35 PM on November 30, 2009

Couldn't you have made a really cool St. Andrew's Day post on the blue instead?
Um! I did, Saint Andrei’s Day - Andreevden (Saint Andrew) is Bear's Day.
And roll on February 3.
posted by tellurian at 1:40 PM on November 30, 2009

My gratitude for the invention and refinement of single malt will only carry this so far.

The Mods here are bastions of enlightenment thinking, Cortex, I will be sure to email you a dram.
posted by sgt.serenity at 1:40 PM on November 30, 2009

gratuitous McGlashan content.
posted by scruss at 1:42 PM on November 30, 2009

There was that nice jenleigh girl, once upon.

Another good woman ruined by a bad man. :(
posted by Optimus Chyme at 1:52 PM on November 30, 2009

why on earth does it show up as working in live preview

Live preview does no filtering at all. You can use any HTML element there and it will work. The filtering happens server-side, so you have to use real preview if you want to see if something is filtered.
posted by Rhomboid at 1:56 PM on November 30, 2009

Are we actually sure you're a true Scotsman? Do we know who is a true Scotsman? Does my maternal grandmother being of Scottish descent count? I need to know if I get to participate in these gratuitous insults!
posted by larkspur at 1:59 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

Couldn't you have made a really cool St. Andrew's Day post on the blue instead?

Seriously. I've got a whole lot of different single malts at home and would have welcomed a good post to the blue about St. Andrew and his day so I could read the links and sip along. But stunty post is meh.
posted by rtha at 2:00 PM on November 30, 2009

Hmph. Speaking as a St Andrews alum who is in fact going to a ceilidh tonight, I will take the wind out of your mean-spirited stunt post and say yes, a very happy st andrews day to all!
posted by Dormant Gorilla at 2:01 PM on November 30, 2009

We also need to discuss if sgt. is a true Scotsman.
posted by ersatz at 2:02 PM on November 30, 2009

Xcellent! Another alphabet thread!
posted by iamkimiam at 2:06 PM on November 30, 2009

Settle, settle. Look, here's a nice Barr's Cola. I'll even let you run it back to the shop for the deposit.
posted by boo_radley at 2:08 PM on November 30, 2009

I honestly can't believe that nobody has namedropped Irn-Bru yet, but the "find in page" never lies.
posted by Sidhedevil at 2:12 PM on November 30, 2009

Dodged a bullet there, I did.
posted by boo_radley at 2:14 PM on November 30, 2009

Somebody was going to, but they stopped to drink some Irn-Bru and now they're on their way to hospital.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:14 PM on November 30, 2009

That's awfully presumptive. Not everyone on Metafilter is from Scotland. While you're out celebrating with beers, most of the rest of the industrialized world is stuck behind their desks, eating yogurt with a fork, and planning on rushing to the doctor's immediately after work.

Don't lord your decadent lifestyle over those of us who need to work most days of the year to make a living. Learning about different cultures is depressing, and seeing people talk about their holiday online is like watching strangers kiss in public. It just makes you feel awkward, left out, and you become overwhelmed with anxiety that you will die alone/without pie.

If that's the best of the web, I don't want any part of it. You can keep your damned community weblog. I say us True MeFites start FreedomFilter, an all America, all the time page.
posted by mccarty.tim at 2:16 PM on November 30, 2009 [9 favorites]

Damn Scots! They ruined Scotland!
posted by Burhanistan at 2:22 PM on November 30, 2009

FreedomFilter . . . so, instead of the green, grey, and blue it will be the red, white and blue? I love it.

Also, we can be called FreeFis, and say we'll meet up somewhere "off the FreeF"
posted by Think_Long at 2:24 PM on November 30, 2009

My gratitude for the invention and refinement of single malt will only carry this so far.

Television, the decimal point, colour photography, insulin, aggression, telephones, penecillin, the radar, King Leonidas, the comb, hypnotism, golf and the refridgerator cleary not enough then. Always the alcohol. Always with the alcohol.
posted by fire&wings at 2:25 PM on November 30, 2009

I think somedy's been batterin the pish theday.
posted by ClanvidHorse at 2:26 PM on November 30, 2009

Result! Gratuitous pints turn out not to be gratuitous at all! I knew there was a reason the pub called me in tonight. Seems I'm a bad Scotsman- not knowing it's Drew's day and the wee man fully cosseted with underwear.
posted by Gratishades at 2:27 PM on November 30, 2009

Lad, I don't know where you've been, but I see you won first prize.
posted by not_on_display at 2:29 PM on November 30, 2009 [6 favorites]

Hi, sarge!
posted by languagehat at 2:38 PM on November 30, 2009

ACH FLAGHN PROCH AINM HOOT LADDIE
posted by Greg Nog at 2:39 PM on November 30, 2009

Groundskeeper Willie.

I have made a mildly relevant Simpsons reference praise me with your favorites now.
posted by drjimmy11 at 3:06 PM on November 30, 2009 [2 favorites]

PH'NGLUI MGLW'NAFH CTHULHU R'LYEH WGAG'NAGL FHTAGN LADDIE
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 3:11 PM on November 30, 2009 [4 favorites]

Various rituals are performed to guarantee the health and fertility of the sheep.

Wouldn't you need a Scot for that?
posted by The Light Fantastic at 3:14 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

Seems I'm a bad Scotsman

I wouldn't worry Gratishades, you're not alone. Even in Scotland. It's not a national holiday and ranks a distant 3rd behind Hogmanay and Burns night in terms of days you celebrate.
posted by IanMorr at 3:16 PM on November 30, 2009

Transparent aluminum? I mean, come on.
posted by maxwelton at 3:16 PM on November 30, 2009

Blah, blah, blah, Trainspotting, headbutt.
posted by CKmtl at 3:21 PM on November 30, 2009

Lad, I don't know where you've been, but I see you won first prize.
posted by not_on_display at 2:29 PM on November 30

eponysterical!

(It's my first time, did I do it right?)
posted by Ghidorah at 3:32 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

It's shite being Scottish.

Also, Weegies who can read? You always have to push it too far, sarge.
posted by GeckoDundee at 3:45 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

St Andrews Day? Really? If you're going to just make up a holiday can't you at least give it a catchier name? Something zippy like St Thankful Andrews Day or Scotsgiving. Otherwise it's never going to get it's own Charlie Brown TV special, which is how all great holidays are measured.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:47 PM on November 30, 2009

Scotsgiving?!??

Surely, that's an oxymoron.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:51 PM on November 30, 2009 [4 favorites]

Although I'm not Scottish, Mrs Slack has some Scot heritage and the Scottish Highland games is probably the event we look most forward to every year. Which is more than I can say about any event celebrating my Lithuanian Heritage. Enjoy your day regardless of the ulterior motives behind the post.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:52 PM on November 30, 2009

Why didn't you just make a cool post about Saint Andrew's Day? I don't know if you're joking around or whining, but either way, your point doesn't stand. It was Thanksgiving Day in America, so Americans talked about Thanksgiving Day. Only silly, oversensitive people had a problem with that. If Scots want to talk about Saint Andrew's Day on Saint Andrew's Day, that cool. Only silly, oversensitive people would have a problem with that.
posted by spaltavian at 3:56 PM on November 30, 2009

I'm already working on my stunt MeTa post "celebrating" Silly Oversensitive People Day. Obviously that's the holiday favored by vast majority of mefites.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 4:00 PM on November 30, 2009

If I become impossibly rich, I will commission a MetaFilter Tartan of blue, green, and gray on a professional white background.
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:02 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

For the longest time, I didn't understand the joke about Scotsmen and kilts and zippers. "Why would it matter if your sheep could hear your zipper?" I wondered, naively thinking that you wouldn't want the sheep to know when you had to pee.

Then one day, out of nowhere, I got it.

The Scots aren't alone in supposed exploits with sheep: there's an Icelandic yule lad who "bothers" sheep. And he doesn't have any knees.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 4:02 PM on November 30, 2009

New Zealand was largely settled by Scots, as well.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:20 PM on November 30, 2009

I wrote my thesis on the St. Andrews Cross Spider.
posted by dhruva at 4:24 PM on November 30, 2009 [2 favorites]

This is a great thread. Good work, everyone.
posted by Kwine at 4:26 PM on November 30, 2009

Somebody was going to, but they stopped to drink some Irn-Bru and now they're on their way to hospital.


Wasn't the Irn-Bru that did them in, it was the King Rib.
posted by juv3nal at 4:28 PM on November 30, 2009

"and bring up petty grievances from the past."

A well done job of it!

Happy saint whatever it was you said that I'm too distracted to scroll back up and re-read day, sir!
posted by majick at 4:30 PM on November 30, 2009

What's the spring-breathing jasmine and rose ?
What's the summer with all its gay train
Or the splendour of autumn to those
Who've bartered their freedom for gain?

Let the love of our land's sacred rights
To the love of our people succeed
Let friendship and honour unite
And flourish on both sides the Tweed.

No sweetness the senses can cheer
Which corruption and bribery bind
No brightness that gloom can e'er clear
For honour's the sum of the mind

Let virtue distinguish the brave
Place riches in lowest degree
Think them poorest who can be a slave
Them richest who dare to be free.

YouTubery
posted by Abiezer at 4:30 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

So that's why it's been so quiet at work today.
posted by timeistight at 4:36 PM on November 30, 2009

P.S. Happy St. Andrews Day, sgt.serenity!
posted by timeistight at 4:39 PM on November 30, 2009

So then was it St. Andrew's Day in New Zealand yesterday, or will it be tomorrow?
posted by FelliniBlank at 4:54 PM on November 30, 2009

I like Irn Bru, and scotch eggs, too. and Scotch.
posted by jonmc at 5:02 PM on November 30, 2009

My great-great grandmother MacDonald emigrated from Scotland in the 1800s, and I still haven't forgiven her.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 5:23 PM on November 30, 2009

"Settle, settle."

O<
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 5:26 PM on November 30, 2009

So then was it St. Andrew's Day in New Zealand yesterday, or will it be tomorrow?

Yesterday - Nov 30th.

I note that the post doesn't actually give the date of St Andrew's day; it only says that it's "today", even though from my point of view, the post was made at December 1, 2009 7:44 AM. For Kiwis it probably didn't appear until a few hours later still.

This is just another example of people blindly assuming that their particular festivals and experiences are universal. For shame!
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:29 PM on November 30, 2009

Which reminds me: happy first-day-of-summer, everybody!
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:30 PM on November 30, 2009

happy first-day-of-summer, everybody!

I hate you.
posted by grouse at 5:31 PM on November 30, 2009

Happy St Andrews day !
posted by nola at 5:35 PM on November 30, 2009

You just hate xmas BBQs by the beach; admit it.
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:36 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

As an American, this post just makes me so angry. Where the fuck is Scotland, anyway? Have we invaded it yet?
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 5:40 PM on November 30, 2009 [2 favorites]

happy first-day-of-summer, everybody!

I hate you.

Me too.
posted by Captain Cardanthian! at 6:12 PM on November 30, 2009

Surely there is some love for deep-fried mars bars by the McMeefs.
posted by Rumple at 6:39 PM on November 30, 2009

...you shag ONE sheep...[shakes head]
posted by desuetude at 8:06 PM on November 30, 2009

"Who," he inquired, "is that?"

"He is one of your Majesty's gardeners," replied the Vizier.

"I don't remember seeing him before. Who is he?"

The Vizier was a kind-hearted man, and he hesitated for a moment.

"It seems a hard thing to say of anyone, your Majesty," he replied, "but he is a Scotsman. One of your Majesty's invincible admirals recently made a raid on the inhospitable coast of that country at a spot known to the natives as S'nandrews and brought away this man."

Hoots! Mphm!
posted by winna at 8:08 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

Derek, Alan, Eric, we love you!
Les and Woody, do you feel the same way too?
You're making all our dreams come true!
Bay City Rollers, we love you!
posted by mintcake! at 9:10 PM on November 30, 2009

Scotland is a miserable sodden third-rate
sexually repressed backward shithole of
a country where everyone has to pretend to
appreciate every minute of their sterile defeated life

The burden of lying chills the soul oh for
just once to tell the truth and say I hate this
phony country & the people with their shabby
spoor of tribal myths about their own ineffable greatness

Scots adore themselves but it's hard
to see why they so love themselves a bankrupt
politics predictable mediocre culture a failed sad
people pouring their soul into alcohol football
celebrations of their sentimental heart

My country is me I am my people and my loyalty
is to my instinctive intelligence that tells me
all this Scottish stuff is pure shit

- Francis Gallagher
posted by mlis at 9:18 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

"Generally we go round to our neighbours and beat each other in joyous drunken celebration..."

You mean I've been celebrating a holiday all this time?
posted by vapidave at 9:56 PM on November 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

I knew there was a reason I was having a glass of Scotch this evening.
posted by gingerbeer at 10:27 PM on November 30, 2009

My wife went to St. Andrews. Had no idea it was a thing.
posted by Deathalicious at 11:46 PM on November 30, 2009

Happy St Andrews Day you old curmudgeon.
posted by adamvasco at 2:17 AM on December 1, 2009

*drunkenly chest bumps sarge
posted by caddis at 4:13 AM on December 1, 2009

by the way, what ever happened to Heartwarming Friday?
posted by caddis at 4:21 AM on December 1, 2009

As IanMorr points out, the Scottish "National Day" is in fact Burns Night on 25 January. We gather, eat haggis, have speeches and dancing. All very jolly.
posted by alasdair at 5:18 AM on December 1, 2009

Bart: "Kippers for breakfast, Aunt Helga? Is it St. Swithin's Day already?"
posted by killdevil at 5:59 AM on December 1, 2009

Hey! I'm still drunk from last night! A fine and noble tradition.
posted by The Whelk at 6:25 AM on December 1, 2009

** CRANKS VOLUME TO 11 AND FIRES UP OZZY ON THE BAGPIPES!!!! **
posted by jeanmari at 7:15 AM on December 1, 2009

Also, a little QUEEN on the pipes going out to my Scottish peeps.
posted by jeanmari at 7:16 AM on December 1, 2009

Oh for fuck's sake - haggis, bagpipes, alcohol abuse, and deep fried mars bars :(

Add Scotland to the list of things Metafilter doesnt do very well.
posted by the cuban at 8:58 AM on December 1, 2009 [1 favorite]

Hey now. I do haggis, bagpipes, alcohol abuse and deep-fried mars bars extremely well.
posted by Greg Nog at 10:33 AM on December 1, 2009

And now Cubans are complaining about how MetaFilter treats Scots. Perhaps the Scottish Independence movement isn't as nice as everyone makes them out to be...
posted by GuyZero at 10:40 AM on December 1, 2009

Bagpipes are one of the more conspicuous entries on my List Of Instruments I Do Not Yet Own.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:48 AM on December 1, 2009

Hey, don't diss the bagpipes. I love bagpipes, and so do all the Scots in my extended family who play them.
posted by jeanmari at 10:52 AM on December 1, 2009

You better ask your cats before you go acquiring bagpipes, cortex. They may not approve. Or they may approve too much.
posted by rtha at 10:59 AM on December 1, 2009

Bagpipes are one of the more conspicuous entries on my List Of Instruments Nobody Should Own.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:45 PM on December 1, 2009

The Five Scottish Food Groups:

1. Saturated Fat
2. Oats
3. Refined Sugar
4. Offal
5. Root vegetables.

All Scottish food is made of a combination of these basic foodstuffs: for example Haggis is offal, root vegetables and oats wrapped up in offal; Porridge is just oats; Neeps are root vegetables; Tablet is saturated fat melted and to which more and more refined sugar is added until it becomes superdense, verging on singularity, and contains more calories than the national grid.

My father is Scottish. I like Scotland. I don't like their food, much. Apart from tablet.
posted by Grangousier at 4:37 PM on December 1, 2009

Ah, no root vegetables in haggis, just served on the same plate. My apologies.
posted by Grangousier at 4:40 PM on December 1, 2009

It was all pìobaireachd and tasty fish dishes in my youthful Caledonian sojourns, and well I loved them both. You people are bad and wrong.
posted by Abiezer at 4:46 PM on December 1, 2009

I can only recommend to our US mefites to celebrate Sinterklaas next Saturday/Sunday. It's the origin of your bastardised Santa Claus.
If you're of NYC nobility (as in: you have NYC based ancestors before 1785) you can become a member of the NYC based Saint Nicholas Society.

I can recommend it as a celebration even for adults; you draw lots who gives a gift to whom. Gifts have to be affordable; generally a maximum of say 10-20 dollars is agreed apon. Then you write a doggerel poem to accompany the gift. THe poem is purportedly from Sinterklaas and teases the recipient about stuff in a friendly manner. Treats are ginger bread, hot chocolate and marzipan.
If you want to be elaborate you can do the deceptive wrapping thing. See the last 2 paragraphs of this wikipedia article.
posted by joost de vries at 4:00 AM on December 2, 2009

as an alum of st andrews........your mean spirited post....

Indeed, the students of st andrews university, the most generous bunch of upper class english twits one can imagine.
posted by sgt.serenity at 5:38 AM on December 2, 2009

Aw, did they knock back your UCAS form. Diddums.
posted by the cuban at 6:46 AM on December 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

You just hate xmas BBQs by the beach; admit it.

You know, if you live in the right parts of the northern hemisphere, you can do this too!

I recommend playing frisbee on the beach on New Year's Day.
posted by This Guy at 10:07 AM on December 2, 2009

Aw, did they knock back your UCAS form. Diddums.

it was the front page coffee stain that sunk it.
posted by sgt.serenity at 5:25 PM on December 2, 2009

To complete my circle, I posted the Bulgarian St. Andrew so here is the Bulgarian bagpipe – Gaida
posted by tellurian at 2:58 PM on December 3, 2009

Just a heads up that it's only one more day until Sinterklaas people. Don't forget to put your shoe next to the fireplace tonight.
Yes, I'm being Holland centric about this and unsensitive and all.
posted by joost de vries at 3:33 AM on December 4, 2009