We are no strangers to donning the maple leaf and red & white around here. If fact, Canada Day is second only to Christmas on my family’s list of favourite holidays. But did you know there are other ways to wear your national pride?
The Maple Leaf Tartan was created by David Weiser in 1964 in preparation for the 100th anniversary of confederation in 1967 and became an official symbol of Canada on March 9, 2011.
The Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages at the time, the Honourable James Moore, summed it up best: "Our national symbols express our identity and define our history. The Maple Leaf Tartan represents the contributions that the more than four million Canadians of Scottish heritage continue to make to our country,".[1]
The colours of the tartan are inspired by the colours of the maple leaf through the seasons: the green of summer leaves, the gold of early autumn, the red of the first frost and finally, the brown tones of the fallen leaves before winter.
And so today, as we celebrate the opening of the 2018, Olympic games, it is fitting to note that along with the traditional read and white and maple leaf motif, the Maple Leaf Tartan was included in the closing ceremonies of the 2010 games in Vancouver.
Another way to spruce up your fan-wear! Go Canada!!
Endnote: In Canada, April 6 is Tartan Day.
[1] www. cassoc.ca
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