From my experience obvs. Before SATW, Polandball, and all of that, I knew Scandinavia like this: Denmark had legos, Sweden had IKEA and Notch (+Minecraft in general), and Norway had Tord Eddsworld
The thistle is the emblem of Scotland as a barefoot viking raider cried out in pain as he stood on one, alerting the Scottish army encampment that the Norse army were sneaking up on.