Tonight, I have a Scottish Society meeting, so I am kilted at work. I always wear the kilt on those days. As when anytime, I am kilted people ask me what’s with the kilt, today?

Today, being Groundhog Day, I reply don’t you know the Scottish connection to Groundhog Day? No, they say. Well, I reply Pennsylvania was settled by many Scots. In Scotland, for centuries men would go out in to the woods looking for a wild haggis on the first Tuesday of February. They believed if they killed a wild haggis, the winter would end soon and spring would begin.

But for centuries, no wild haggis had been found. In fact it was believed that William Wallace captured the last one. So, when the Scots came to Pennsylvania knowing there were no wild haggis there, decided to change their custom to the groundhog since there were so many of them. They changed the story to seeing his shadow, knowing it was always so overcast they had a better chance of ensuring an earlier spring.

The reply usually is, ‘I never heard that before’. My reply is, yes, I made it up this morning and then tell them the real reason for being kilted. When someone tells that they thought haggis was a meal of sheep entrails and oatmeal, I respond yes, you are right as Scots have not been able to find a wild haggis they used that for a substitute. It’s been great fun!