Scottish food, drink, and verse are celebrated on January 25, the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns. Burns is regarded as Scotland’s national bard. He composed hundreds of songs and poems in both Scottish and English.
Burns Night celebrations run the gamut from simple gatherings of friends to elaborate ceremonies. A piper may signal the start of proceedings, which soon give way to the Burns Supper. The star of the meal is haggis, Scotland’s national dish. Burns’s ode To a Haggis is recited before the haggis is carved and served to guests. Whisky, wine, and ale have prominent roles in the meal, and alcohol can play a role in easing the transition to the entertainment to come.
The evening then proceeds to the performance of the songs and poems of Burns, often with a hearty mixture of seriousness and humor. The toast to Burns himself is perhaps the most prominent expression of the former, while the Toast to the Lassies, in honor of women both present and absent, is a lighthearted affair. A Reply from the Lassies is often presented as a witty rejoinder that sarcastically spells out the “strengths” of the gentlemen in attendance. The event traditionally closes with a group rendition of Auld Lang Syne, perhaps the most-famous work attributed to Burns.