Many Brits are just discovering wild fact about the Scottish flag

Today, November 30, marks Saint Andrew's Day, a celebration in honour of Andrew the Apostle, Scotland's patron saint and reportedly one of Jesus's disciples. As part of Scotland's Winter Festival, Scots come together to pay tribute to their rich culture, heritage, and customs with traditional food, music, dancing, and merriment. A symbol deeply rooted in Scottish identity is the country's flag, also known as the St Andrew's Cross or the Saltire, featuring a white saltire against a blue backdrop. According to legend, the flag's origins date back to the Battle of Athelstaneford in 832 AD, where King Angus and his men saw a white cross appear in the sky. The king vowed to make Saint Andrew the patron saint of Scotland if they emerged victorious, adopting the cross as their banner. The X-shaped cross is said to represent the one on which Saint Andrew was martyred. Interestingly, many are only just discovering that Scotland's flag holds the distinction of being Europe's oldest national flag. One Reddit user shared their newfound knowledge: "Many of you may already know this, but I wanted to share this fact. Scotland is Europe's oldest flag, it originated in 832 AD." The revelation sparked a flurry of fascinated responses, with one Reddit user confessing: "I didn't know any of this until I Googled after reading your post, so thanks for that!" Another enthusiast chimed in: "Ancient peoples really understood the power of putting white lines on strong colours." However, not everyone was convinced, with some arguing that the Danish flag is actually the oldest. While the Danish flag's design dates back to 1219, Scotland's flag has its roots in 832 AD, but the proof of continuous use of the iconic white saltire on a blue background comes later, casting doubt on which flag truly holds the title. The first recorded instance of Scotland's flag sporting the white-on-blue design was around 1542. Saint Andrew's Day celebrations are about more than just proudly flying the flag, though. They're also an excuse for ceilidhs, which are traditional parties featuring Scottish folk music, dancing, and storytelling. Expect recitals of Robert Burns's poetry too, as well as feasts of haggis, neeps and tatties, and clootie dumpling. There's also plenty of tartan, kilts, and blue-and-white face paint as the Scots celebrate their patron saint in style.