To all my Airbnb Friends, I would like to wish you a very Happy Burns Nicht (25th Jan). To celebrate the birthday of our National Poet, Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796) we gather to eat, dance, recite poetry and perhaps drink a wee dram (whisky) or two.
We start dinner with Selkirk Grace.
Some hae meat an canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.
Then Address (toast) to the Haggis (spiced meat and offal served in sheep stomach– delicious!)
With ceremonial cutting of the Haggis, perhaps accompanied by Bagpipes and: -
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 airm
Followed swiftly by dinner of haggis, neeps and tatties (haggis, turnips and potato) and speeches (toasts).
A telling of Tam o’ Shanter or other works may follow. "But pleasures are like poppies spread, You seize the flower, its bloom is shed; Or like the snow falls in the river, A moment white--then melts for ever". Warning us of drunken and lusty behaviour, to which Burns was very partial, the epic tale closes:
Now, wha this tale o' truth shall read,
Ilk man and mother's son, take heed,
Whene'er to drink you are inclin'd,
Or cutty-sarks run in your mind,
Think, ye may buy the joys o'er dear,
Remember Tam o' Shanter's mear
And before the night is over, traditional dancing (Ceilidh - pronounced Kay-ley) with reels and jigs. Available in village halls and hotels all across Scotland.
“Slange Var” (cheers!).