Burns Night

Burns night is January 25th. It is a ritual similar to Thanksgiving but with many differences. The first thing you will notice is the dress. Men wear kilts and woman in tartan dresses. The mood is extremely festive.

The haggis. It is the most important part of the night. It is going to be eaten and addressed (spoken of). You will not understand most of what is said, as the speeches are written in old Scottish tongue. But you will get the point.

Right now, Scotland is considering lobbying the United States to lift a ban on hagis, in hopes of boosting the sales of the sheep-stomach-based national dish. (click here for the full story)

I was lucky to be used as prop in the filming of how a proper "Burns Night Dinner" should be done. I was the "virgin American" and it was a great experience. The boys got in an argument on the pronouncation of one word. I can't quite remember what word although it was a fiery debate between the president of one Burns Club against the other. That's how serious it is.

"To the Haggis" is the first poem spoken and the one that cuts the haggis for the dinner to commence. Kind of like carving the turkey.

I went to an informal Burns night and the same poem is read but not one measures each word and action. It is said and dinner starts, however, part of their dinner was reading poetry about the guests and it was very fun.

The idea is to have fun. Burns loved to have fun and so to keep his spirit alive, Burns Nights should be exciting, with loud voices, good drink and food plus dancing.

More on Robbie Burns, tomorrow.