To a haggis: The guide to the Ultimate Burns Night Supper. The 25th of January, Burns Night
Bill O' Fare
Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Haggis with neeps and tatties
Typsy Laird
Coffee, Cheese and biscuits
The Order of Ceremony
Selkirk Grace
Starter
Address to the Haggis
Main Course
The Immortal Memory
Pudding
Toast to the Lassies
Lassies Reply
Auld Lang Syne
The Selkirk Grace
As the guests arrive it is customary for the host to make a short welcoming speech
Following this, the starter is served and a spokesperson will recite “The Selkirk Grace”
“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.”
Address to the Haggis
Custom dictates that the haggis is delivered on a silver platter in a procession of the chef, the piper
and he who will address the haggis. The guest delegated to address the haggis should then recite:
"FAIR fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o’ the Puddin-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang’s my arm.
His knife see Rustic-labour dight,
An’ cut you up wi’ ready slight, (slice the Haggis)
Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!
Ye Pow’rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o’ fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if you wish her gratefu’ pray’r,
Gie her a Haggis!"
Prompted by the speaker, the guests now raise their glasses of whisky and toast ‘The Haggis’
The main meal is now served.
The Immortal Memory
The host traditionally delivers the immortal Memory address. This is the more formal part of the evening
where time is taken to reflect on the life and works of Rabbie Burns. It could be a more general overview
of his life or it may address a specific poem or song, which is relevant to the party guests.
The address should not be so long as to send them to sleep, but it should be long enough to remind guests
that there is a genuine and serious reason for the gathering. The speech always ends with a toast to the
immortal memory of the Bard of Ayr.
The Toast to the Lassies
This is a humorous highlight of any Burns night and made by a male guest after the pudding is served.
Originally designed to thank the ladies for preparing the food and to toast the lassies in Burns’ life (and he had a few).
Today’s audiences will expect to hear a witty speech about the fairer sex, with a few nudges and sly digs about their habits
and idiosyncrasies. The toast should be light hearted and inoffensive.
The toast concludes by raising a glass ‘To the Lassies’
The Lassies’ Reply
The ladies have the right to reply to the men’s toast!
As difficult as it may be, the lady speaker must begin by thanking the toastmaster for his kind words.
This is, however, shortly followed by the opportunity to upstage the men, pointing out their imperfections
in a humorous manner.
The toast concludes by raising a glass ‘To the men’
The traditional finale of the evening is to have a hearty rendition of Auld Lang Syne.