Burns night

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flandango

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Went to celebrate burns night last night with two of my scottish friends (couldn't make next week so we done it last night)

It was really good. Haggis, tatties and nips. I play poker with them and haggis has become one of my fav meals!!

Loads of alcohol, loads of dodgy music and a few poem readings.

I also had to dress up in a kilt and a shirt that looked pretty cool actually. Not sure what the actual name for things are so the scots on here will have to forgive my ignorance.

As an englishman I was happy to be involved of some scottish history!!!
 
I can remember this event one year where I got a stern look of disapproval from my ex father in law, twas in Glasgow and when I came out with "Gathered for this poetic scene it seems,Di ya ken Robbie Burns, or do you use vaseline?" he just never saw the poetic inflection I guess? :D
 
When I go to our head office in Sheffield I take along a Scottish hamper containing Plain Loaf x4, Oatcakes, Haggis x6, Irn Bru in a glass bottle x3,Tunnocks teacakes x6 and Strathaven Toffee. It all started last year when a colleague who is a jock was off long term sick and I thought she would appreciate a taste of home so I nowe get e-mails leading up to meetings requesting allsorts.
 
I'm off to Scotland this Friday for a long weekend, and to take in a Burns night party on Sunday, which also just happens to be my birthday :)

I will be waering the kilt and other gear, which I do have at home, I'm not Scotish myself but my grandparents did come from Scotland so we do have our colours and with a surname like mine ( Callender ) they all make me very welcome indeed.

Del

P.s Forgot to say the party is in Callender.
 
Being a Phillestine Englishman, I never saw the point of Burns Night.
Out of ignorance I know very little of it's relevance/importance.
I do understand it appears to be a rather Scottish calendar event though.

A work colleague of mine (English) occasionally visits a friend in Scotland and often takes up a shopping list of Scottish fayre required by others at work.
 
Being a Phillestine Englishman, I never saw the point of Burns Night.
Out of ignorance I know very little of it's relevance/importance.
I do understand it appears to be a rather Scottish calendar event though.

A work colleague of mine (English) occasionally visits a friend in Scotland and often takes up a shopping list of Scottish fayre required by others at work.
Click to expand...

Burns was/is the greatest poet of all time and Burns Night is a Celebration of his birth.
 
It's just an excuse for a feed and a piss up interspersed with a few recitals.

Has to follow a certain order of events so that all attending fall over incapacitated at the same time !
 
I'm not a massive poetry man but to hear the poems read by a scotts man who understands the meaning and how it should be read is really nice to see.

I had to read two. To a mouse?? An a that??

Hard for me to read but sound totally different when they read it.

Had an awsome night. I got absolutly bladdered and started shouting lines from braveheart. I AM WILLIAM WALLACE!!!
 
Working for the MOD years ago we stayed a night in Portpatrick and they dished up Haggis. Never tasted it before and wasn't really looking forward to it.

It was like nectar of the Gods - the most beautiful creation known to man.
 
When I go to our head office in Sheffield I take along a Scottish hamper containing Plain Loaf x4, Oatcakes, Haggis x6, Irn Bru in a glass bottle x3,Tunnocks teacakes x6 and Strathaven Toffee. It all started last year when a colleague who is a jock was off long term sick and I thought she would appreciate a taste of home so I nowe get e-mails leading up to meetings requesting allsorts.
Click to expand...

As an Englishman, I'll go the Loaf, the Oatcakes, Haggis, teacakes & toffee. But I've never yet fathomed the attraction of Irn Bru - glass bottle or no. Your other national drink is the better option...
 
It's just an excuse for a feed and a piss up interspersed with a few recitals.

Has to follow a certain order of events so that all attending fall over incapacitated at the same time !
Click to expand...

DCB's quote above is a brief yet entirely accurate summary of the average Burn's Night

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.

or

Some hae meat and canna eat,
But that does not make sense, sir;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
Thanks to Marks And Spencer.
 
My first Burn's Night was a very formal affair, the full fig for those that had it and were entitled, mess undress or No.1's and bow ties for those that didn't.

Lots of malt before the dinner, pipe in the haggis, lots of malt with the dinner, lots more afterward.

Though we sassenachs took the p (a bit - you know the one; the Scots sold all the edible stuff and what was left was a haggis), it was wonderful.

Haven't had haggis and neeps (and nips) for ages.
 
Aren't neeps turnips/swede?
I grew up amongst a community of Scots (in Yorkshire)
My Dad was a founder member of SYD WMC, which was Scottish,Yorkshire & Durham..

They used to have a massive turn out for burns night every Jan.
As an adopted "Jock" for the night I indulged in the tradition and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Alas neither my dad or the club are here anymore but the "locals" stil have a do.
I always found haggis a bit gritty but it tasted ok and better still after a skinful.
 
It may not be the traditional way of cooking it (boiling!) but I'm convinced that haggis tastes 1000% better this way as it prevents it ending up soggy and grey;-

Preheat an oven to 180 degrees, remove the outer packaging from the haggis, prick all over with a fork, wrap in foil like a baked potato and bake in the oven for 1 hour. To serve spilt open the haggis and spoon over the neeps and tatties.

Marvelous!
 
You can just stick the haggis in the microwave, absolutely delicious. How come nobody has mentioned square sausage? again another favourite in our house.
 
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