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.

Sorry, Ms Highwater.
Don't know why I thought you were MadamDeathstare

Perhaps it is more commonly celebrated in the central belt, though I can only speak of my area, in which there are several Burns related events planned,and people seem very enthusiastic about it,though perhaps they're just looking forward to a dram or two.

Definitely a big night on the west coast and central belt.
I love a bit of haggis, I don't get people who get squeamish about it especially as I bet most of them will have eaten chicken nuggets or cheap sausages at least once in their life and trust me what's in that crap is worse.

maya angelou teaches a burns class, or used to. she says that a man's a man for a' that etc is a remarkable plea for tolerance etc inc racial tolerance.

Stop talking about haggis.

I really want some now. Haggis n chips. Mmmmm.

There'll be haggis roond ma hoose the morn.

Loving the new year name change, Aitch

(sorry if I'm a bit slow of the mark - not been here much lately)

No harm at all humpty! I just can't engage with it - but then I'll always call Hogmanay New Year's Eve.

A couple of years ago I was all gung ho, embracing everything Scottish (except haggis). Then I went to a training course on Gaelic awareness and realised that I didn't understand half the Scottish words they referred to, let alone Gaelic ones (I'm in favour of Gaelic language plan etc. btw). Once English, always English I guess. No more fake Scottery for me.

why thank you, septimus.

oh lord i have been making an attempt to learn gaelic, it is IMPOSSIBLE.

Hello Aitch! I've namechanged, but we used to be on the same side in many a mixed feeding-type thread a couple of years back.

oh now you HAVE to tell me... i can't do clues.

I used to twinkle a bit... (does that help?)

oh YES.
lovely to see you, glad you're back.

don't get your point then gaelicsheep. I'm english fwiw but my birthday is tomorrow, burns night. When I lived in England I never saw any special attention payed to Burns night, certainly not when I was a kid. I reckon in england at least, it's just another theme night.
But where we live here in scotland, people are fiercely patriotic and proud of it. People flying saltires in the thier front gardens, eating haggis and chips for tea 3 nights a week, mad keen on highland dancing, pipes, ceilidghs etc...
TBH in England we aren't so openly patriotic IMO, except when england is in the world cup or similar. I respect the scots and tbh am sorry that I can't drum up half so much enthusiasm for my own heritage .

I didn't mean the Scots were fake about it. I just meant that me, not being Scottish, would feel very fake suddenly embracing it all when I don't feel it in my heart, so to speak. I totally agree there's nothing at all to be proud of being English, sadly. But I'm pg and feeling a bit homesick at the mo, if I'm being honest, and missing my family south of the border. No offence intended!

Glad someone remembers me Aitch! (Mind you I'm staying pretty much incognito - can't expect people to be psychic!)

and you're PREGNANT! congratulations! absolutely thrilled for you.

And there was no point at all really, other than being bored and genuinely wanting to know if it's a real thing or not.

Yep - it only took 3 years for those post-birth "forgetting" hormones to kick in. Due in June.

You had another didn't you? How are you and yours?

we are lovely, thanks. dd2 is a total laugh, they get on fantastically, it's love cubed.

Awww - I'm praying it'll be the same here.

Anyhow, I have to get to bed. I can't get up in the mornings at the mo and DH is giving me no sympathy - keeps blaming MN (can't think why? ) Nice to "see" you again!

Oh, gaelicsheep, there's nothing wrong with being English (although being Scottish is undoubtedly better ) especially as you have had the good sense to move to Scotland. I do understand what you say about it feeling fake to come over all Burnsian just because you happen to be in Scotland, though. I wouldn't worry about not knowing the Scots words you come across. Many of them are a mystery to me, too and I am born and bred (albeit a lowlander)

I can very much recommend going a touch deeper with Burns' writings. There are many real gems. One of my absolute favourites is "Holy Willie's Prayer".. It's as devastating swipe a at smug piety and "holier-than-thou"ness as you could hope to find - especially amusing as Burns was, more than once, brought before the Kirk Session (Parish Council?) for sundry misdemeanours.

I love it. We don't do an organised supper but on Sat 10 friends gathered to drink whisky, eat haggis etc and read poems. I like it as it's relaxed and not commerecialised (sp) too much. We do it every year and I do love Burns, his whole egalitarian outlook to,life is something to be admired I believe

We had a brilliant Burns Supper on Saturday.
I cooked prawns in whisky cream to start followed by the haggis, which was properly piped in and addressed, and a whisky/chocolate cheesecake thing. It was all washed down with scotch whisky and some whiskey from Japan! It's a chance for my husband to wear the kilt too!
We finished off the haggis for sunday breakfast.
We're in the Midlands of England, miles from anything Scottish

i always made an effort when i was living in london - a great excuse to get a haggis and get the scottish friends round...

but now i'm back in edinburgh we eat haggis at least once or twice a month and haven't had a burns supper with friends for years

We just had haggis, neeps and tatties for dinner tonight (except dd who had had it already at nursery for lunch). Yum

Burns suppers are a great excuse to gather friends, get sentimental and it's also the only time of the year that you can recite bawdy poetry in public - have a look at Cock up your Beaver and Twa Wives

Genius!