To not "get" Burns Night at all, despite living in Scotland?

[gaelicsheep]

Would any real Scots (as opposed to incomers like me) like to explain to me what's so special about Rabbie Burns and haggis? Thanks.

i think it's incase hogmanay and st andrews day weren't enough. some people need more excuses to get the bagpipes out and to eat haggis and to start spouting incomprehendable lamenting nonsense.
tbh, i'm in scotland too and haven't seen any sign on burns night. is it tonight?

I'm beginning to think maybe burns night is a bigger thing in england.

I was brought up in Aberdeen and TBH most people didn't really bother with Burns night. I think we got haggis for school dinner. Also my dad and the other university lecturers, almost all of whom were English, used to use it as an excuse for a gathering and do the whole address to the haggis bit.

Not much help for you.

Its 25 Jan - DS was born on Burn's Night and it seems to be the reason DH and FIL were drinking smuggled-in whiskey in the delivery room 30 minutes after he was born. (With me BF DS, still on blood-stained bed!)

I am not sure that is the only reason it was invented though... Still I am quite pleased that DS will have a ready-made party night when hes older (assuming he moves to Scotland or finds a scottish pub)

I think it's tomorrow, isn't it? Everyone at work seems to have been buying haggis in readiness.

I suppose the winter up here's so cold and endless that all the entertainment was needed in the past. I think February and March need something as well. Perhaps we'll have a "Wordsworth" night in our house to honour the first daffodil we see (mind you, that'd be more like May where we are).

Lol Fimblehobbs!

I must say I'm quite disappointed at the lack of patriotism on display here . I thought I'd get flamed!

I don't get it (but am foreign & veggie) - never seen the appeal either in a meal that does not require any teeth to consume

Just heard a funny story from a friend who'd been invited to the local burns supper (apparently that meant he had 'arrived' in the village ) - he reported back that it was the most tedious 6 (six!) hours ever. And can you believe it was an all male event - bringing in just a token woman to do the response to the toast to the lassies! Sad

Traditionally, Burns Suppers were always all-male events (apart from the servants, of course) following on from the Bachelors Club in Tarbolton. They were really just an excuse to get wellied with yer (male) mates. Now it's an excuse to get wellied celebrate the achievements of an internationally-admired poet.

Whose poetry nobody can understand... (or is that just me?)

Oh, I don't know, it could be the fact that a humble ploughman from an impoverished background, in a pitifully short life (died at 37) wrote a huge amount of incredible poetry and gathered, rearranged and rewrote lyrics for many traditional Scottish songs, including possibly the most famous song and most sugn song in the world - Auld Lang Syne.

Although his personal life would raise eyebrows even now (it certainly did in the 1780s and 90s) he wrote about humanitarian ideas that are relevant today and were startling at the time he wrote them.

No other poet is celebrated the world over in so many languages and by so many diverse communities. There is, after all, no Shakespeare Day or Wordsworth Day.

If you don't "get" Burns, why not try reading some of it (I assume you haven't). Most books have a glossary of the more obscure terms to assist the reader (heaven knows, I need it and I live in Ayrshire).

Try this site for an English translation of another of his most famous works along with an explanation of what it's about.

(With thanks to my dh, the Burns aficionado/fanatic)

Our butcher does a lovely haggis, and will happily eat it tomorrow nite if that helps?

Quite enjoyed the St Andrews Days fireworks over teh castle too..

OldLady - you seem to know your stuff; so why bother with the lassies at all then? Or was that just an excuse to have something else than beards to look at?

Oh, and I LOVE haggis!

Proud Scot here. I love Burns Night.

Haggis is delicious. I love Burns' works and it is nice to see some patriotism even if it is of the tartan and shortbread tin variety.

Which part of Scotland are you in OP?

I just discovered vegetarian haggis (I was amazed such a thing existed) and I found it a whole lot more palatable than the real thing. I still wouldn't buy it though.

Oh, and the all-male Burns Supper is relatively rare and getting more so.

Burns night is to celebrate the life of our county greatest poet that has shared the our fine county with the world and whom wrote Auld lang syne a song/versus that the whole world sings on new years eve and rejoices in each others company whilst linking hands.

He was a right ole shagger too that flouted societies norms, such as going against the kirk and led a very interesting life which I quite like myself.

I LOVE Burns Night and have read the Selkirk Grace at a few

Having been in scotland 10yrs now, I agree that its probably celebrated more in England by people pretending they are scottish! We will be having haggis, neeps & tatties (as we sometimes do) and DH will probably have a wee dram (as he more frequently does).

Rabbie Burns is part of our national heritage fwiw - what else would we sing at hogmaney?

North LetThereBeRock - is it mostly a central belt thing? (Mind you, as I said, many of my colleagues up here seem pretty enthusiastic).

Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against Scottishness - I chose to live here after all - I love hearing the pipes and ceilidhs and stuff. I just don't get the whole "To a Haggis" business. You're right MsHighwater, I probably do need to read a bit more Burns (with translator at the ready). I do like a lot of the songs. I don't think I'll be eating haggis in his honour though.

I think any one who coins a phrase like 'Wherever ye be let yer wind blow free' deserves his or her own 'day'.

{where's the 'fart' emoticon?)

Agree with MadamDeathstare re. his brilliance but apparently Burns himself said that he didn't write the words to Auld Lang Syne - he just transcribed them after hearing an old man singing it. Was apparently written in the fifteenth century.

we are west coast scotland and it seems big here. Butchers selling haggis left right and centre. Several big Burns supper type events this weekend plus a big ceilidgh (sp)
what's the harm in it? bugger all else to celebrate in january!!