Back in 1972-'73 I assistedd Col. Douglas B. MacMullen in organizing what may have been the first "Kirkin" in Los Angeles. One of the members of the local St. Andrew's Society asked the colonel if it was an ancient Scottish custom. Doug looked at the person, thought for a moment and, as I recall, replied, "It dates back to Washington D.C. in 1941. Does that make it ancient enough for you?" Frankly, until I read this thread, I had never heard of the "Kirkin" being anything other than a wholly American custom (I think it takes a hundred years for a custom to be come a tradition).