Burns night is a highlight of the calendar for many, but for the uninitiated, it can seem a little baffling. Celebrating the life and works of Scotland's favourite son, the poet Robert Burns, here are 10 reasons to enjoy this Scottish tradition - time to dig out your tartan and go the whole haggis!
The whisky!
The Foods
With any Burns Night Celebration, the food takes centre stage. The traditional Menu includes a starter of Cockaleekie soup, a main course of Haggis with Neeps and Tatties (mashed swede and potato) and a dessert of Cranachan (a mixture of raspberries, whipped cream and oatmeal soaked in whiskey).
The Whisky
Only slightly secondary to the food is the whisky, wherein many a 'wee dram' will be quaffed to lubricate proceedings. The name whisky comes from the Gaelic phrase 'Uisce Beatha' which means 'water of life'!
The Spectacle
A Burns night dinner follows a time-honoured formula, with unique traditions to be observed, from the reading of the Selkirk Grace, to the piping of the Haggis, and the many toasts and speeches, Burns Night is an event full of spectacle and laughter.
The Poetry
Examples of Burn's hundreds of poems will be read throughout the evening, including favourites Tam O'Shanter, about a man who stayed too long in the pub, and romantic classics My Luve is like a Red Red Rose, and Ae Fond Kiss. Not for nothing is Burns hailed as one of the greatest ever - indeed, after Queen Victoria and Christopher Columbus, there are more statues of Robert Burns worldwide than any other non-religious figure!
The Speeches
Burns night is full of speeches and toasts, with highlight's being the reading of Burn's Address to a Haggis ("Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the pudding-race!") over the main course, to the teasing 'Toast to the Lassies', traditionally thanking the cooks for the dinner and musing on the mysteries of the fairer sex, replete with helpful insights from Burns' poetry, which is rebuffed by the 'Reply to the Laddies', an equally teasing response musing on the male sex, also guided by Burns' poems - the night should be full of wit and laughter.
The Outfits
Burns Night is a singularly Scottish affair - there aren't many social occasions where men are encouraged to wear kilts, and tartan is very flattering!
The Dancing
After the dinner it's time to kick up your heels with a traditional ceilidh, where hours of reeling and jigging are the perfect antidote to the feasting before, helping you to burn off the haggis!
You might finally learn the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne
Whilst many associate Auld Lang Syne with New Year's Eve celebrations, a rousing rendition of this classic song is also the traditional end to Burns Night festivities, in honour of its author… Robert Burns! Burns Night is the perfect opportunity to finally discover the words to those mysterious later verses.
Traditional entertainment - put down your phone
In a world where social media is blamed for everything from increasing anxiety and insecurity to the loss of manners and social skills, Burns Night offers the perfect chance to escape the modern world, indulge in traditional forms of entertainment and connect with people in a time-honoured fashion of witty conversation.
It's easier than ever before
Whilst Burns night can take a lot of preparation, with the 25th of January falling this year on a Monday, luckily there are helpful timesavers at hand, including ready-made Haggis, and Mash Direct's Neeps and Tatties, available from Ocado. Made with heritage vegetable varieties bursting with flavour, they simply need heating through - so you can spend less time peeling vegetables, and more time enjoying the music, poetry and food!
