Burns supper

A Burns supper is a ceremonial event to celebrate the birth of Robert Burns on the evening of January 25th, known as Burns Night. The ritual was begun by friends of Burns soonafter his death in 1796, and the basic format has remained unchanged since. During the supper Burns' poems and songs are performed, and the haggis is addressed with a recital of Burns' poem, Address to a Haggis. A typical meal for Burns Night would include Cock-a-Leekie, Haggis with Tatties-an'-Neeps, Cranachan and whisky.

Piping in the guests

A piper or other traditional music welcome the guests.

Welcome

A short welcome to the guests.

The Selkirk Grace

The Selkirk Grace is recited to usher in the food. Often attributed to Robert Burns, the Selkirk Grace is a traditional blessing in use long before his time. As well as being an original poet, Burns was also a notable "collector" of traditional Scottish songs and verse). While touring Galloway in 1794 with his friend John Syme, Burns stayed with the Earl of Selkirk at St Mary's Isle in Kirkcudbright. There, one evening he recited a modified version of the Galloway Grace (also known as the Covenanter's Grace) a traditional Scottish grace. In its best known form, the Galloway Grace reads

Some hae meat and canna eat,

and some wad eat that want it,

but we hae meat and we can eat,

and sae the Lord be thankit.

Burns' version as he gave it at Selkirk was

Some have meat and cannot eat,

Some cannot eat that want it;

But we have meat and we can eat,

So let the Lord be thankit

Piping in the haggis

The company are asked to stand to receive the haggis. The haggis enters the room accompanied by a piper, the cook and the person who will address the haggis, while the guests accompany them with a slow handclap.

Traditionally, a haggis was made by boiling the liver, lungs and heart of a sheep, then mincing them and mixing with chopped onions, toasted oatmeal, salt, pepper, and spices. This mixture was stuffed inside a sheep's stomach, which was then sewed up and boiled. Modern haggises use better cuts of meat and use a synthetic skin; vegetarian haggises are also sold, and may even be eaten, but not at Burns suppers.

Address to the haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,

Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!

Aboon them a' ye tak your place,

Painch, tripe, or thairm:

Weel are ye wordy o' a grace

As lang's my arm

(First verse of Burns' Address to a haggis).

The reader of "To a Haggis" also holds a knife which is used to cut open the haggis dramatically with the line "His knife see Rustic-labour dight". In the process the reader ensures that the contents spill out and is synchronized with the reading of "trenching its gushing entrails". Finally the haggis is raised for the appreciation of the audience with the reading of the final line "Gie her a Haggis!".

Toast to the haggis

The guests toast the haggis (with whisky) shouting "The Haggis!"

The meal

Usually starts with Cock-a-Leekie soup (leek and chicken stock). The main course consists of the haggis along with neeps (turnip/rutabaga/swede) and tatties (potatoes). The dessert is often cranachan (whipped cream, whisky, honey, and toasted oatmeal).

The first entertainment

A performance of a Burns song or a recital of a Burns poem. The entertainments will be chosen to display a range of Burns' moods and talents, but particular favourites include Tam O' Shanter, Address to the Unco Guid, To A Mouse and Holy Willie's Prayer. Tam O'Shanter is a long and colourful picture of the drinking classes in late 18th century Ayr, and contains some of his most gentle lines ("But pleasures are like poppies spread, You sieze the flower, its bloom is shed; Or like the snow falls in the river, A moment white--then melts for ever".) By contrast, Address to the Unco Guid is a bitter attack on the self righteousness of the Presbyterian clergy and their congregations of the time. It begins:

O ye, wha are sae guid yoursel,

Sae pious and sae holy,

Ye’ve nought to do but mark and tell

Your neebours’ fauts and folly ;

and ends

Who made the heart, ’tis He alone

Decidedly can try us :

He knows each chord, its various tone,

Each spring, its various bias :

Then at the balance let’s be mute,

We never can adjust it ;

What’s done we partly may compute,

But know not what’s resisted.

The Immortal Memory

The Immortal Memory is a speech to commemorate the achievements of Robert Burns, and to highlight his continuing relevance. Common themes include his literary genius, his humanity and his nationalism. Burns has been described as "a poet of the poor, an advocate for political and social change, and an opponent of slavery, pomposity and greed." , and it has been said (by Jack McConnell, then First Minister of Scotland) that "No political philosopher, has written more powerfully about class and politics as the ploughman poet". A common theme is one of Burns's most famous lines - "a Man's a Man for a' That", and especially his plea, in the same poem, that "Man to Man, the world o'er, Shall brothers be for a' that".

The speech concludes with a toast: "To the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns!"

The second entertainment

A performance of one of Burns’s songs or poems.

The toast to the lassies

This is usually a humorous toast to praise women, often using quotations from Burns's works. It concludes with a toast: "To the Lassies!".

The third entertainment

A performance of one of Burns’s songs or poems.

The reply to the toast to the lassies

This reply to the men's toast is usually a witty response also citing from Burns's works. Often viewed as a competitive chance for the women to upstage the men with a more clever or humourous toast.

Final entertainment

A performance of one of Burns’s songs or poems.

Vote of thanks

This brings the supper to an end followed by a rendition of Auld Lang Syne by all the guests. Auld Lang Syne was first written down by Robert Burns, but he probably modified it only slightly from a traditional song, itself based on earlier poems The first verse of Auld Lang Syne reads

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And auld lang syne!