Burns supper

A Burns Supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns, the author of many Scots poems. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, 25 January, commonly known as Burns Night, although they may in principle be held at any time of the year. Burns Suppers are most common in Scotland and among the Scottish diaspora around the world.

The first Burns Supper was held in July 1801 when nine of Burns's close friends gathered to mark the fifth anniversary of their friend's death. It took place in Burns Cottage in Alloway, Ayrshire, and included a meal of haggis (a traditional Scottish dish celebrated by Burns in "Address to a Haggis"), performances of Burns's work, and a speech in honor of the great bard known as the "Immortal Memory".

Today, the format of Burns Suppers has not changed much. The evening begins with a general welcome and announcements, followed by the Selkirk Grace, a thanksgiving said before meals that is attributed to Burns. The supper starts with a soup course, traditionally a Scotch broth, Cullen skink, or cock-a-leekie soup. The highlight of the dinner is the haggis, which is brought in with great ceremony. Upon its entrance, Burns's poem "Address to a Haggis" is recited, and the haggis is then ceremonially sliced open.

Following the haggis, guests partake of the main meal, which includes the haggis, neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes). Dessert often consists of a Scottish delicacy such as Cranachan or Tipsy Laird, followed by cheese and biscuits, and finished with coffee. The meal is accompanied by various speeches and toasts, including the "Immortal Memory", an address to the ladies, and a reply on their behalf. The evening concludes with the singing of Auld Lang Syne, a Scots poem written by Burns.

Burns Suppers vary greatly in size and pomp from very formal gatherings of aesthetes and scholars to uproariously informal rave-ups of drunks and louts. Most Burns Suppers fall in the middle of this spectrum, combining serious appreciation of Burns's work with a few drinks and a convivial atmosphere.