National Celebrations! Scottish Burns Night

[Steven65]

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!).   

[Steven65]

@Cathie19 Fair enough, LOL. Vegetarian and vegan haggis is also available! 

[Cathie19]

Hmmmmmm....

I’ll think about that one @Steven65, whilst walking the Portuguese Camino! Lol...

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@Cathie19 Is there any brand in particular of wee drams on your mind?

[Steven65]

The Macallan 18 year old (sherry cask) is my personal favourite. But there are hundreds to choose from. 

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@Steven65 My favorite is the Glenfiddich Reserve Cask single malt whisky which is also sherry cask.Indeed there are too many to mention 🙂

[Cathie19]

Not specifically @Oomesh-Kumarsingh, just willing to enjoy the “warmth” when I’m there in spring! after all, I’m use to the tropics..... 😁

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@Cathie19 Nothing can beat the warmness of the tropics!

[Fiona256]

What on earth is “Slange Var” ? It's "slainte mhath." Not that Burns spoke Gaelic.

[Steven65]

Gaelic spelling was never my strong point, LOL!

[Helen350]

@Steven65 Great stuff! I sometimes wish I was more Scottish than only having a Great Grandfather  from Galashiels!

- I'm about 48 miles south of the border, and the little rural theatre-with-restaurant one field away is having a Burns supper & song night.... If only I had some guests to send there.....!

[Helen350]

..... Curious! - I've just edited my description of our local theatre to read 'theatre-with-restaurant', after the original Latin version of 'with' was edited out with a '**bleep**!!! You're not the only one who has trouble with foreign words, @Steven65 !

[Quincy]

@Steven65, this is the only one I can find at the grocery stores in my street. 

 

[Steven65]

@Quincy McSweens is one of the best!  My favourite!

[Βασίλης-and-Ann0]

Oh @Steven65    I'm so glad you brought up Burns Night. 

We will also be celebrating tomorrow night on our small Greek island... but with a twist.

The Glasgow Mob in Syros  ( as we affectionately call them) have been hosting the full works for nigh on 7 years now in Efi's taverna.

 Vassilis is Greek, I'm a Sassenach, although  a slight % Scottish and half Irish so all's forgiven as long as I sing for my supper along with a Danish pal who's a retired opera singer.

After the cultural rituals you spoke of,  including the address to the Lassies and so on,  the haggis, neeps and tatties have been demolished, the tone is lowered  , I'm afraid, as it tends to descend into rather a raucous evening.

We sing : 

The Skye Boat Song

The Song of The Clyde

Westering Home

Donald, where's ya trewsers (  no, only joking ! )

Red, Red Rose  and many more.

Weepy Greek songs

Danish Sagas ( the short versions not the 2 day ones)

Our Greek friends join in, sometimes with a look of bemusement, and the evening always ends with Scottish, Greek, English and Danish dancing !!  

 Great fun  will be had by all !  

  Slange Var !   to all you in Edinburgh and  around the world celebrating tomorrow.

[Robin4]

@Steven65 

I have always contended that any country whose national dish is 'Haggis and Neeps' (Haggis and boiled turnips)  must have lost the use of their taste buds somewhere along the path of history!

However, to each his own.

A good friend of mine is Scottish and years ago on his 40th birthday his wife staged a sit down dinner for.....40 people! It was all very traditionally done, and for main course from outside the building came the sound of bagpipes, the door opened and this Haggis was brought in sitting aloft on the shoulder held poles of two tartan clad couriers,  lead by a piper and was piped around the room before being presented to the birthday recipient. In that moment most of the room felt we would like to have been Scottish to have truly appreciated the pageantry of it! It was just beautiful, one of my forever moments.

As lovely as the dinner was, the kindest thing I can say, Haggis is an acquired taste.....but maybe that is mind over matter!

Thanks Steven for such a wonderful description.

*

Tomorrow 26th January is Australia day, and each Australia day I host a street dinner/lunch for the residents of our street in our garden. It starts out looking like this.......one of 2 tables

But ends up looking like this........

Being summer time here, I have given away the hot chop on the barbie and now settle for an entree of prawn cocktails, followed by cold meats and a cold vegetable salad....

topped off with Ade's pavlovas for desert!

And for the truly diet conscious........ there will always be one in every group. I do have their needs covered too.......

Happy 'Burns Night' tonight Steven....and think of us tomorrow!

Cheers.......Rob