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On Saturday it was St. Andrew's Day, celebrated in Scotland as their patron saint. On the same day in Slovakia it is the name's day of Ondrej, which is the central European version of Andrew. Both refer to the St Andrew apostle who was crucified on an X shaped cross. He never made it to Scotland, but his bones were carried there by other missionaries. And St Andrew's cross has been the national symbol of the country long before whisky, kilts and the deep fried Mars Bar appeared.

In Slovakia, St Ondrej was associated with folk customs. Girls used to pour hot iron into water and the shape of the solidification determined the profession of their future husband. If it was a gun, he would be a soldier, a hammer stands for a smith and so on. There were more traditions, like preparing the cattle for the winter and starting the Christmas cooking and decorating. With the confectionary and trees on display from October in Slovakia, we can raise a glass with our friends, being a few weeks ahead with the Christmas preparations.

However, the traditions are surviving only in regions where folklore is more resistant to alcohol intoxication than commerce. Let me explain. Having a beer in a Scottish pub in central Bratislava on the 30th, I was one of the few who took any notice of St Andrew's Day. Most of folks were looking forward to St Nicholas Day, six days later than St Andrew's (which I wrote about last year).

One of Britain's biggest sports stars Tom Daley revealed yesterday that he is in a relationship with a man. In a YouTube video, the London 2012 bronze medallist said: "In spring this year my life changed massively when I met someone, and they make me feel so happy, so safe and everything just feels great. That someone is a guy".

In the personal video, which has already had more than 4.5million views, the diving star goes on to explain:

"It did take me by surprise a little bit. It was always in the back of my head that something like that could happen. But it wasn't until spring this year that something just clicked. It felt right and I thought 'OK'. And my whole world changed there and then."

You can watch the whole moving video below.

People in the Middle Ages were of the same nature as people today; only the form of life was different.

In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, all the characters are common people. The tales are the same escapades people tell each other in pubs or at parties nowadays. Sometimes, they share their experiences or the experiences of their friends in order to point out to an injustice in the society ("the old man was lying on the street for two hours, but no one would help him, some kids stole his watch and wallet though, of course").

Sometimes they ponder over money and ways to cash in. In the Middle Ages, people were obsessed with gold, as clear in the story about an alchemist. It reminds me of bitcoin - open source electronic money. Modern alchemists spend their days behind computers, trying to discover the secret formula.

It's that time of year when open days are starting to crop up, and if you're interested in postgraduate study, such as an MBA course, it's a good idea to get a couple of them in your diary. Manchester Business School's postgraduate open day, for example, takes place on the 27th November and provides visitors with an opening to speak to staff and current students, giving them more information about the postgraduate courses on offer. It also means that prospective students can get a feel for the area that they'd be living and studying in.

So, if you plan to attend, what should you expect on the day? And, is there anything you can do to prepare? Take a look at this short guide to postgraduate open days...

What you can expect

Register - During your registration or welcome session, you should be given a schedule, so that you can be aware of where you need to be and at what time. It's helpful to plan out your day when you get this schedule. There will be a number of different talks and presentations, so make a note of the ones you're interested in and find out where they will be held.

With Christmas now less than a month away, the Festive season is in full swing in London. Lights are going up, ice rinks are appearing and loads of special events are going on all over the Capital.

We've gathered together seven of the best Christmassy things happening in London over the next month to get you in the mood.