Burns night is an institution of Scottish life, a night to celebrate the life and works of the bard, Robert Burns or to us Scots Rabbie Burns.

On the 25^th January, the anniversary of his birth,  Scots gather together for a burns night dinner which consists of traditional Scottish fare (food). One important ‘guest’ at the dinner will always be the Haggis which was immortalized in Robbie Burns’ poem Address to a Haggis.

So what do we eat on burns night?

A classic starter will be a soup more than likely cock-a- leekie (barley, chicken and leek). Then the haggis which is served with neeps (swede) and tatties (potatoes) and to finish off a tipsy laird, (trifle) and of course all washed down with a LOT of whisky!

The host of the evening welcomes his guest by saying the Selkirk Grace:

“Some hae meat and cannot eat.
Some cannot eat that want it:
But we hae meat and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.’

Then follows the Parade of the Haggis and someone will recite the traditional Address to the Haggis:

‘His knife, see rustic labour dicht

An’ cut ye up wi’ ready slight’

(The excerpt above is said before the knife is plunged into the Haggis and eating begins).

Throughout the night many speeches are made in praise of Rabbie Burns and there is a traditional “Toast to the Lassies’ made by a male guest as thanks to the women in their lives.

If you are in luck there might even be some ceilidh dancing to finish off the evening, Scottish style!

Sorry we couldn’t resist designing customised leavers hoodies based on the haggis theme…….!