The Scottish Government has accused opposition parties of attempting to "hijack" St Andrew's Day for unionist purposes.
Conservative MSP Annabel Goldie said the patron saint's feast day should be used to celebrate "Scotland's place in and shared history, identity and culture with the UK" during a debate in Holyrood.
But Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said she was "bemused" by Miss Goldie's amendment to the Government's debate ahead of the celebrations on November 30.
"It looks as if it's some kind of crude attempt to hijack what should be a celebratory debate by hijacking it for unionist purposes," she said.
Miss Goldie said: "I believe in the UK, and I believe in Scotland's place in that union. You don't have to be a member of the SNP to be proud of Scotland and her achievements. No one in this chamber has a monopoly on patriotism."
She listed things Scotland had achieved as part of the UK such as fighting slavery and fascism, setting up a common market and founding the NHS.
Labour MSP Patricia Ferguson said her party "does not have the same difficulties with the Conservative amendment as others seem to do", and suggested people could wear a saltire and union jack badge as a universal symbol of St Andrew's Day.
Meanwhile, a former Labour councillor and a leading figure in the pro-independence campaign set a more conciliatory tone by urging the whole of Scotland to celebrate St Andrew's Day whatever their views may be on the future constitution of Scotland.
Former Edinburgh Lord Provost Eric Milligan wants Scotland to remain in the UK whereas ex-Labour MP and MSP-turned-independence campaigner Dennis Canavan chairs the advisory board of Yes Scotland. In a joint statement, they said: "We may disagree on the question of Scotland's constitutional future but we absolutely agree that the celebration of St Andrew's Day should be as inclusive as possible, embracing all the people of Scotland, irrespective of their politics, their faith or their ethnic origin."
But Scottish Secretary Michael Moore will use an inaugural St Andrew's Day speech to say that Scottish identity has flourished within the UK and does not need to become a separate state. He is establishing an annual St Andrew's Day address at the Scotland Office in Whitehall to encourage prominent individuals to tell a London audience what Scotland means to them.
