The bagpiper is an essential part of a true Scotsman. You can’t mistake the sound of this wind instrument. The shawm pipes hang on a leather windbag which is blown up through a mouth pipe. Only one pipe has finger holes for the melancholy tune. The other 2 or 3 Pipes each give only a tuning or droning tone. Colourful ribbons and all kinds of decoration make a traditional dress out of the bagpipe which is an essential part of the kilt. This national men’s dress is a costume for festivals, sport and military events made of tartan. It is a colourful brightly checked material with special patterns which the still very distinctive clans there have reserved for themselves. Military parades with Scottish pipers are a great spectacle and very popular in Germany.

 According to countless Scottish jokes the Scots are said to count the pennies rather carefully! But they have always bought our nutcracker. He is after all a magnificent specimen — and if we didn’t need the money we wouldn’t sell him at all!