Every Jan. 25 , proud Scots from Edinburgh to Shanghai celebrate the life and literary genius of the 18th - century Scottish poet Robert Burns through a beloved custom called Burns Night . Ranging from formal ceremonies with kiltedbagpipersto modest gatherings of old champion , a good Burns Night has three things in common : a bottle of effective Scotchwhisky , readings of classic Burns poems and vocal , and a avoirdupois and juicyhaggis .
It ’s hard to overstate the heroic status of Burns in Scotch cultural mind . tolerate Jan. 25 , 1759 , not only was Burns the author 550 songs and poem — including " Auld Lang Syne " ( the 2nd most - sung song in the universe after " Happy Birthday " ) , and favorites like " My Luve is Like a Red , Red Rose , " and " To a Mouse " — but he was a man of the the great unwashed , a womb-to-tomb James Leonard Farmer known as the " promised land - taught ploughman " or " Ploughman Poet . "
Alistair Braidwood , creator and host of theScots Whay Hae!podcast , say that Burns ' poem are some of the first teach in Scottish chief schools and that his frighten away portrait is plastered on posters nationwide , like Che Guevara or John F. Kennedy .
" The fact that we can project different aspects of a interior identity operator onto this figure has allowed him to wear , " says Braidwood . " You could say , ' Scotland is a unvoiced - drinking country ' and Burns did that . Or ' Scotland is a socially freehanded body politic ' and he was that . There ’s something about him , the serviceman and his poetry , that people can tip into . "
The cultus of Burns is celebrated all year in Scotland , but a exceptional cultism is reserve for his birthday . It started just a few age after Burns ' untimely death at just 37 years old from rheumy fever , when his close-fitting friends gathered for a memorial supper in his honor , toasting their beloved " Rabbie . " From there , the tradition propagate across Scotland and finally the world . Wherever you recover a Scot on Jan. 25 , you ’ll belike find a Burns Night . Formal suppers are held at the250 prescribed Burns Clubs worldwide , and various restaurants and private mortal host Burns suppers too .
The Star of the Supper
The main magnet of Burns Night is theBurns Supperand the genius of the supper is undeniably the haggis , the traditional Scotch " pudding " of boiled sheepskin satiate with a savoury blend of sheep ’s heart , liver and lung , plus Allium cepa , oatmeal and spices . After opening remark by the host and the recitation of the traditionalSelkirk Grace , ( see tweet below ) the haggis is brought out with great fanfare , sometimes accompanied by a parade of bagpipes .
Which impart us to everyone ’s best-loved part of the dark , the reciting of " Address to a Haggis . " compose in the Scots linguistic communication , like many of Burns ' greatest work , " Address to a Haggis " is a humorous paean to the iconic Scotch dish , in which Burns scoffs at the high culinary art of France and Italy ( which would " make a pig bed vomit " ) and praise the strength and manliness of the haggis - fed man .
The verse form is meant to be enumerate with gusto , over with dramatic ( and sometimes significative ) hand gesture . At the uttering of the words , " His knife see rustic Labour dight , / An ' cut you up wi ' ready sleight , / Trenching your gushing entrails bright , " the rhetorician slits afford the haggis from top to bottom , discover its steaming spiced delights .
" It ’s just a majuscule , fun poem apart from anything else , " says Braidwood . " I ’ve seen the great unwashed really give it their all when they ’re doing the ' savoir-faire to a Haggis ' and you ’ve got the cutting open of the haggis mightily there in the verse form . It almost tells you how to relish a good Burns Night . "
The party does n’t stop with the haggis . After everyone has stuffed themselves with boiled sheep core and the traditional side of meat of " neeps and tatties " ( mashed rutabaga and potatoes ) , it ’s time for the performance of famous Burns songs , after which come the traditional toast and speeches . These are usually accompanied by wine , ale or , of line , Scotch whiskey .
To The Immortal Memory and the Lassies
When Braidwood gets together with his protagonist ( some of whom are Burns scholars ) for a Burns Supper , the eve includes a rousing discussion of the with child humans and his study , but at a more schematic assemblage , someone will be assigned ( or rent ) to give the prescribed " Immortal Memory " speech .
This is n’t an off - the - cuff toast , but a well - research talk reference Burns ' life , his literary achievements , his politics , his rural root word and his very embodiment of Scottish pride . Alisdair Hutton , a seasoned Burns Supper verbalizer , advocate reading at least two Burns biographiesto prepare for the speech , which ends with the pledge : " To the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns ! "
And that ’s not the only words . Burns famously appreciated the fairer sexual urge — hefathered 12 children(only nine with his wife , Jean Armour ) — and the " Toast to the Lassies " is a chance for one intrepid invitee to use some snippets of Burns verse to extolment ( and poke playfulness at ) the ladies in attending . The men have to be measured , though , because it ’s the women who get the last laugh with the " Reply to the Toast to the Lassies . "
The evening ends with everyone holding hands and spill the beans " Auld Lang Syne . " If your only experience with the song is mumble and botch through the chorus line on New Year ’s Eve , it ’s worth learning more about this nostalgic lay to the endowment of friendship , include the words . That way , you ’ll be able to take " a loving cup o ' kindness yet " to come together out a memorable even .
