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CURIOUS

Donald Duck's Birthday
Jun 9

For Donald's Birthday, we have a Scottish Sword Dance Disney souvenir stamp, illustrating some highland dancing performed by Donald's Scottish uncle, Ebenezer Scrooge McDuck, accompanied by a kilted dancing Mickey, with Goofy on the pipes! Through his Uncle Scrooge, Donald comes from a distinguished lineage through Clan McDuck (MacDuich), which has its own special official tartan!

CURIOUS

the day Bonnie Prince Charlie sets sail with Flora MacDonald
Jun 27

A recent analysis of the tartan sett in the original portrait identifies it as Murray of Tullibardine. The lady is believed to be Jenny Cameron, daughter of Cameron of Locheil and alleged mistress of Bonnie Prince Charlie, though there are other contenders. As with other portraits of this time, several symbols are encoded into the painting illustrating support for the Jacobite cause. The most obvious symbol is the white rose of York. This symbol first gained political relevance in the War of the Roses where it distinguished the York supporters from the Lancasters who flaunted their red rose. The white cockade, as shown below on Bonnie Prince Charles, was worn by Jacobite supporters along with their blue bonnets. The rose (bud) in her cap often symbolized the exiled King James (rose) with the buds being his heirs, Charles and Henry.

CURIOUS

Paul Bunyan Day
Jun 28

For Paul Bunyan Day, a cake fit for a lumberjack with a buffalo plaid sponge center! Learn the secret here: https://sugargeekshow.com/news/lumberjack-cake-tutorial/ Axe serving utensils optional.

CURIOUS

Paul Bunyan Day
Jun 28

"Come and get it!" Even lumberjacks need a "tar" (bad coffee) and "door knobs" (biscuits) break. If you're up to "boxing up the dough" for a plate of buffalo plaid and birch tree cookies, this may be more your style. For more lumberjack lingo, click here: http://mentalfloss.com/…/8…/21-pulpy-pieces-lumberjack-lingo

CURIOUS

Paul Bunyan Day
Jun 28

What's all this talk about buffalo plaid? For the fashion-forward bison going for that lumberjack vibe on Paul Bunyan Day ... From American artist, Sean Landers, titled "Punk is Dead" from his series of animals in tartan.

CURIOUS

Paul Bunyan Day
Jun 28

Jun 28 - It's Paul Bunyan Day! Celebrate like a lumberjack! Shown is the Paul Bunyan statue in buffalo plaid (Rob Roy Macgregor tartan) with his companion, Babe the Blue Ox, from Bemidji, Minnesota. Paul Bunyan is a giant lumberjack from American folklore. His exploits revolve around the tall tales of his superhuman labors: When he tramped around the state of Minnesota, his footprints filled with water and created the 10,000 lakes. His partner, Babe the Blue Ox, stomped the first mine shaft into the Cuyuna Range. When a keg of water Babe was hauling sprang a leak, it spilled all the way south to New Orleans, forming the Mississippi River. And that's just the beginning!

CURIOUS

Canada Day
Jul 1

HAPPY CANADA DAY with a collection of tartans for the Canadian Provinces and Territories! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦 🍁🍁🍁 Visit an interactive map of Canada's tartans on the Curious and Unusual Tartans website.

CURIOUS

Independence Day (United States)
Jul 4

Happy Birthday United States and to all American Friends and Family! Celebrate American Independence Day with a special collection of TARTAN TRIBUTES! 🎆🇺🇸 🎆

CURIOUS

Independence Day
Jul 4

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY UNITED STATES with a collection of tartans for all states with a designated one! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Visit an interactive map of the tartans of the United States on the Curious and Unusual Tartans website.

CURIOUS

Guinea Pig Day
Jul 16

July 16th is Guinea Pig Day! Wheek! When! Here is the traveling guinea pig, Gulliver, taking a "Hiking Holiday in the Highlands" from Playhour Magazine. Playhour was a British children's comics magazine published between 16 October 1954 and 15 August 1987, featuring Gulliver Guinea Pig.

CURIOUS

Guinea Pig Day
Jul 16

Jul 16 - It's Guinea Pig Day! Did you know there is an entire Facebook page devoted to guinea pigs in the fine arts? There are even rare instances of guinea pigs and tartan, such as this one, Children with kilt and guinea pig, American artist Marcus A. Waterman (1834 – 1914). For more guinea pigs from the old masters, see the Facebook page: Guinea Pigs in Art - A Pictorial Gallery

VINTAGE

Guinea Pig Day
Jul 16

Jul 16 - It's Guinea Pig Day! An extremely rare "Mad Men" find: Tartan, Designer Fashion, and a guinea pig. 1967, Guy LaRoche pink and gray jumpsuit - Note how the white and black (and pink feet) of the guinea pig accessory picks up subtle hues of the chosen tartan. With all the breeds available, there is a guinea pig to complement every tartan.

VINTAGE

Guinea Pig Day
Jul 16

Jul 16 - It's Guinea Pig Day! Did you know there is an entire Facebook page devoted to guinea pigs in the fine arts? There are even rare instances of guinea pigs and tartan, such as this one, Children with kilt and guinea pig, American artist Marcus A. Waterman (1834 – 1914). For more guinea pigs from the old masters, see the Facebook page: Guinea Pigs in Art - A Pictorial Gallery

VINTAGE

Disneyland's Birthday
Jul 17

Happy Birthday to the Happiest Place on Earth! Disneyland, which opened July 17, 1955, clothes their tour guides in tartan, usually Royal Stewart! Here are the tartaned tour guides (with riding crops) in 1965 with the caption from the Garden Grove newspaper: "Royal Send-off for Disneyland Senior Hostess Donna Jackson ... tour guides salute Grove girl before she leaves for Copenhagen, Denmark and "exchange" job at Tivoli Gardens Park."

CURIOUS

Lipstick Day
Jul 29

For July 29th, National Lipstick Day, painted tartan lips (and nails) From makeup artist Andrea Reed, from her album of Lip Art https://www.facebook.com/girlgreybeauty/

CURIOUS

Embroidery Day
Jul 30

For Jul 30, Emboridery Day, we have the Prestonpans Tapestry, a 104 metre long tapestry which tells the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie's journey to Prestonpans in 1745. Stitched entirely by volunteers, the tapestry celebrates the 'enduring triumph of youthful hope and ambition'. Through metre-wide embroidered panels, the tapestry depicts the journey 25 year old Bonnie Prince Charlie made from France through the Scottish Highlands to victory at Prestonpans in 1745.

CURIOUS

Festival of Lammas
Aug 1

Happy Lammas (Lughnasadh) from Curious and Unusual Tartans! "There was three kings into the east, Three kings both great and high, And they hae sworn a solemn oath John Barleycorn should die." ~Robert Burns, John Barleycorn "Lughnasadh," by Nadi Spencer

CURIOUS

Sandcastle Days
Aug 2

It's Sandcastle Day with tartan in sand! Shown here is  "Scots on the Rocks" sand sculpture from the Virginia Beach Neptune festival in 2009, featuring a bagpiper and Scotsman preparing to toss the caber, all in sandy kilts! Photo by kjwphotography

It's Sandcastle Sculpting Contest Season! Competitors from all over the world exhibit their professional skills during the summer season. For amateurs, however, there are generally two types of sandcastles - the "typical" sandcastle, consisting of some kind of base with some kind of tower, or towers, on top, and the "drip" sandcastle, created by using fine wet sand to drip on top of other wet sand. Which technique is your favourite?

CURIOUS

Romance Novel Month
Aug 3

"Mad, Bad, and Dangerous in Plaid!"

As if tartan isn't tantalizing enough, August is Romance Novel Month, and there are plenty of these with a tartan twist! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ❤️ 📚

Sure, you've heard of the Tartan Noir book genre, but Tartan Romance has been in play long before Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series elevated the genre.

Whether swoon-worthy or cringe-making, have a laugh over the warped and the wefted flights of fancy with some of the more egregiously titled novellas with their equally inspired cover art at Curious and Unusual Tartans . Just for fun, folks!

CURIOUS

Romance Novel Month
Aug 3

CURIOUS

Owl Day
Aug 4

Aug 4 - It's Owl Day and there is one key question ... WHO's the well-dressed owl that's a tartan magnet for all the ladies? This owl, that's WHO! Happy Owl Day! Hoot! Hoot! Woot! W00t!

Owls are generally solitary, but when seen together the group is called a “parliament” as they have long been considered to be of a wise disposition.

CURIOUS

Lion Day
Aug 4

Aug 10 - For World Lion Day, we have Sean Lander's painting of a tartaned Mountain Lion and cub, titled "F**k Y'all", from 2013. Spelling redacted for facebook.

CURIOUS

Cat Day
Aug 8

Aug 8 - It's International Cat Day! Bobcat Kitten by artist Sean Landers, from his collection of tartan-furred animals, 2015

Happy Cat Day! #meowfortartan

CURIOUS

Cat Day
Aug 8

Aug 8 - It's International Cat Day!

Cats just LOVE tartan! #meowfortartan

CURIOUS

Cat Day
Aug 8

Aug 8 - It's International Cat Day! Do you dress up your pet for holidays, special days, or just because? You're not alone.

"You're never fully dressed without a Tam o' shanter!" And that cat-size sporran is just the right size for the odd mouse! #meowfortartan

VINTAGE

Cat Day
Aug 8

Aug 8 - Happy Cat Day! Vintage trading card, 1880-1890, Birn Brothers, London

Happy Cat Day! #meowfortartan "Bagpipes sound like a cat fight on autotune." ~Gisele Noel

CURIOUS

Book Lovers Day
Aug 9

Aug 9 - It's Book Lovers Day! There are books on tartan and books OF tartan! Bibilotartanphiles take note! A collection of vintage tartan miniature books, popular in the heyday of Tartan and Mauchline Ware, 1840s - 1930s

CURIOUS

Romance Novel Month
Aug 9

MAD, BAD, AND DANGEROUS IN PLAID! Even though it's Boring and Dull Day, one can still enliven things with a bit of "Plaid Romance" for the hot month of August, Romance Novel Month! 🗓️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 📚 ❤️

Given the multitude of categories for those enjoy the formulaic in formulas, is it any wonder that many thrill to the idea of a kilted hero and romantic adventure in modern or historical Scotland?

While the Outlander series is thought by some to be the pinnacle of the genre, there are plenty of lesser efforts for your secret delectation or outright cringe. Not to disparage the well-intentioned writers of these modern day bodice-rippers, nor their audience, one does feel justified in critiques of the cover art and titillating titling.

For a bit of a laugh and startling exhibition of how you can create an entire wardrobe with a bit of leftover Royal Stewart, here you go with just the smallest of sampling of titles including the word "tartan" or "plaid". Don't forget to read the subtitles. 😜

VINTAGE

Book Lovers Day
Aug 9

Aug 9 - It's Book Lovers Day! There are books on tartan and books OF tartan! Bibilotartanphiles take note! A collection of vintage tartan miniature books, popular in the heyday of Tartan and Mauchline Ware, 1840s - 1930s

CURIOUS

The Dog Days of Summer
Aug 11

Aug 11 - We can all breathe easier, the end of the Dog Days of Summer is here, a period of time during which the ancient Greeks believed that people and especially dogs might become crazed. No worries, though, dogs are still MAD FOR PLAID!

A very dignified kit - complete with portable pipes carrier!

CURIOUS

Elephant Day
Aug 12

Aug 12 - World Elephant Day! "Elephantine Performances" by George Cruikshank, 1854. Aug 12 - World Elephant Day! "Elephantine Performances" by George Cruikshank, 1854. A 'Highland Fling' in a Scotch Reel" "After seeing (at Astleys) the Elephants, Antony and Cleopatra, performing the Feats of Tumblers, one naturally associates the idea of these sagacious animals - in their time, playing many parts & therefore we should not be surprised to find a Company of Elephants, acting Harlequin, Columbne, Pantaloon & Clown, or dancing, not certainly upon "The light fantastic toe" but upon the Tight-rope - or rather tight Cable - doing the "Highland fling" in a Scotch reel - or even by hearing some Grimaldi Elephant, singing - "Hot Codlings"!

CURIOUS

Left-Handers Day
Aug 13

Happy Left-Handers Day from Curious and Unusual Tartans!

CURIOUS

Lizard Day
Aug 14

Aug 14 - It's Lizard Day! Pringle the Bearded Dragon is a lizard of many moods and interests. Here he is preparing for Tartan Day. #tartanmylizard And did you hear the one about the chameleon on a tartan rug? He exploded! #terriblelizardhumour

VINTAGE

Lemon Day
Aug 14

Happy Lemon Meringue Pie Day with vintage California Crate Label Art from the 1930s. Many produce growers, packers, and distributors in California used Scottish names and motifs as nods to ancestral heritage. From The Scottish Historical Review, read a short preview of "Scots in Hispanic California" by Martha Voght, October 1973, an interesting account of early Scots influence in the timber trade, trapping community, community leadership, and agricultural communities in pre-American California before the Mexican War (1846), and prior to the gold rush of 1848. Click for overview of article here: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25529017?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

CURIOUS

Tell a Joke Day
Aug 16

Aug 16 - Happy "Tell a Joke Day" from Curious and Unusual Tartans!

CURIOUS

Rollercoaster Day
Aug 16

Aug 16th - Happy Roller Coaster Day from Curious and Unusual Tartans! Vancouver Police Pipes and Drums take to the roller coaster at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) in Vancouver. Photo by a Vancouver Police P&D member.

CURIOUS

Dog Day
Aug 26

Aug 26 - It's International Dog Day! Even Irish Wolfhounds can't resist sporting some tartan!

Happy Dog Day! #woofwooffortartan

VINTAGE

Dog Day
Aug 26

Aug 26 - It's International Dog Day! "He Who Pays the Piper Calls the Tune" John Hayes (1786–1866)

Happy Dog Day! #woofwooffortartan

CURIOUS

Star Trek Day
Sep 8

Sep 8 - For Star Trek Day, a rare image of the young Montgomery Scott, dancing the highland fling at the school dance, trying to best his rival and impress a girl , from DC Comics Annual feature issue "Retrospect" Vol 1, #3, September 1988. In one of the flashbacks to Scotty's earlier life, set in various periods in Glasgow, Beta Nirobi II, and Space Station K-12, fifteen-year-old Montgomery Scott attends a dance. He exchanges words with his rival Angus McFarlane and reunites with Glynnis Campbell, whom he has not seen since he was a child. The two dance together and a budding romance blossoms between them.

CURIOUS

Teddy Bear Day
Sep 9

Sep 9 - It's Teddy Bear Day! Fancy a tartan Teddy Bear's picnic near the Standing Stones? The Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall Outlander Bears from the North American Bear Company - in authentic Outlander tartan too! #tartanmyteddy

CURIOUS

Teddy Bear Day
Sep 9

Sep 9 - It's Teddy Bear Day! Kilt up your bear in style! #tartanmyteddy

CURIOUS

Rabbit Day
Sep 28

It's World Rabbit Day! How do you like your rabbit?

CURIOUS, BEASTIES

Rabbit Day
Sep 28

Happy Rabbit Day! 🐇🐇🐇 Sean Landers, The Promiscuity of Art (Hare), 2013 - from his North American Mammals series

DANCE

Rabbit Day
Sep 28

It's World Rabbit Day! All that shedding and hopping ... bunnies are made for the Highland Fling!

CURIOUS

Artist's Day
Oct 25

For Oct 5th, International Artist's Day, we examine the intricate art of tartan painting. With a little instruction, you too can liven up your interiors!

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Officially registered tartan graphics on this site courtesy of The Scottish Tartans Authority.  Other tartans from talented tartan artists may also be featured.

2022

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