National Tartan Day

On April 6, 2016 the US celebrates National Tartan Day, established by Congress in 1997 as a way to recognize Scottish-American citizens. Thirty four states have their own official tartan. Like official flowers and birds, the patterns in have been adopted by legislators as legitimate state symbols.

Plaid vs. Tartan

Tartan is the specific pattern unique to each Scottish clan or region. The term plaid comes from the Gaelic word, plaide, which referred to the actual blanket or outer layer the Scots wore during harsh weather. The terms are now often used interchangeably, even though they are different. There are many plaid designs that are not tartan. All tartans are plaid, but not all plaids are tartans.