Celebrating the Scottish Poet with Burns Night

Today is Burns Night, an evening celebrating the life and works of Scotland’s national Bard, the famous poet Robert Burns. 

As bonafide naturalised British citizens, we have embraced every British holiday and traditions from Guy Fawkes Night to the Queen’s birthday. Every year on the 25th January, we also celebrate the Scottish poet, Robert Burns or “Rabbie Burns” for Burns Night. 

Our Scottish friends and Buddy’s bestie Hamish usually host a traditional Burns Night Supper at their gorgeous home. As guests, we are encouraged to wear the criss-crossed tartan, a small nod to their native Scotland. It is a fun evening with a hearty meal of haggis and neeps-and-tattle, all washed down with some fine Scotch whisky. Of course, the highlight of the evening is reciting poetry from the Bard, Robert Burns.

Standard Order of Burns Night Supper

At my first’s Burns Night Supper, I was surprised by how ceremonial the evening, starting with the hosts welcome their guests by saying the Selkirk Grace:

“Some hae meat and cannot eat.
Some cannot eat that want it:
But we hae meat and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.”

The first course is served with a type of soup such as cullen skink (smoked haddock soup). Then, there is the “parade of the haggis” where everyone stands and claps as the hosts bring in the haggis to the table. The hosts then recite Address to the Haggis before piercing a knife into the haggis at the lines: “His knife see rustic Labour dicht, An’ cut you up wi’ ready slicht”. 

What is Haggis?

The main course of haggis with neeps (swedes) and tatties (potatoes) is served. What is haggis you may ask? Haggis, the national dish of Scotland, is made of animal’s offal such as heart, lungs, liver which is then mixed with oats and warming peppery spices and cooked in a lamb’s stomach. Some people love it or loathe it. I don’t mind haggis as a once-a-year main dish, but haggis is definitely not part of my recipe rota. If you have never tried haggis, do try it!

For dessert, another traditional Scottish pudding is raspberry cranachan trifle. This heavenly dessert is made from cream, sugar, whiskey and topped with oats and raspberries. It’s the perfect pudding to finish off a rather hearty meal.  Of course, there is plenty of Scotch whiskey for more toasts and merriment. 

The evening ends with perhaps the most famous poem by Robert Burns – Auld Lang Syne.

So to celebrate on the Bard’s birthday, we had our very own Burns Night Supper. It was an all Scottish flare celebrating the life and works of Robert Burns.

Happy Burns Day!