Burns Night

The 25th January 2013 is Robert Burns' 254 birthday. Of course he isn't still alive, he died in 1796 but the Scots like to celebrate their favourite sons birthday each year with a good feast, singing and reciting of some of the poets best loved romantic works.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Robert_burns.jpg/220px-Robert_burns.jpg

 

In looking up information about Burns night I have found that there is a special supper that accompanies the night. It runs something like this;

http://professorwhisky.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/haggis.jpg

  1. Welcome your guests by accompanying their entrance with some traditional bagpipe music
  2. Recite the Selkirk grace, which includes the line, "But we hae meat, and we can eat"
  3. Pipe in the haggis
  4. Recite Burns' Address to a Haggis, stab the haggis with a knife whilst apologising to it, finishing with the line, "Gie her a Haggis!"
  5. Toast the haggis
  6. Eat the haggis accompanied by neeps and tatties
  7. Entertainment
  8. A biography of Burns followed by more toasting and entertainment.
  9. Finally complete the evening with a rendition of Auld Lang Syne.

I love that the Scots celebrate the birth of there most famous bard with this unique feast. Its a shame that the English don't do the same for Shakespeare seeing that his works are so revered.

Comments

  1. Anonymous25 January 2013 at 21:07

    Shakespeare's birthday is a good date to celebrate Ed!

    ReplyDelete

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