Burns Night 2025

[Pipemajor]

January 25th is almost upon us! Who else will be celebrating Burns Night? More pertinently will you be playing accordion and what are you going to play?

We are celebrating as usual - though I have to trace my father's family back 200+ years via Ireland to get to our Scottish ancestors. I've volunteered to 'pipe' the arrival of the haggis on accordion. I was thinking to play "Scotland the Brave", but I'm now thinking of learning "A Man's a Man For a' That" - a new tune for me, but apparently very traditional.

Edit: I note that Burns Night is the day before @Tom's next Zoom chat, so that's me sorted for what tune to play!

I'll be piping the haggis in at a local resaurant on Burns night.
Obviously playing "A Man's a Man" and whatever comes to mind at the time, mainly depending on the mood of the diners and the supply of whisky. Free food and drink supplied

 

[Ffingers]

my apologies, but the best i can do to support your feast
in spirit is to dunk some Shortbread cookies in my cup..

not very Brave of me, i know, but i fear the Haggis

Fear the Haggis you should...



Fearsome beasties!

 

[Ffingers]

Come on down for some venison jerky, deep fried butter and cheddar brats Ffingers old bean!

Kangaroo tail, wild bush turkey and witchetty grubs are more local

 

[Tom]

Kangaroo tail, wild bush turkey and witchetty grubs are more local

I’m thinking wild coulee dwelling haggis pasties with swede.

 

[JeffJetton]

Oh, and I ordered a box of something called "Millionaire's Shortbread". Not sure what I'm in store for there. Trying to wait until the 25th to crack it open.

 

[JEBrown]

I'm playing a Burns' Night gig today! We'll play some Burns' songs, including A Man's A Man (I'll sing a couple) and then play Scotland The Brave while the haggis is paraded around the room (no piper available tonight). Our lead fiddler will do the address to the haggis, then after the meal we'll play for a ceilidh.

This is the first of 4 Burns Night gigs I'm doing this year - the band is doing 6 but I can't make 2 for various reasons. This is a normal season for us. Last year I think we did 8 events in 2 weeks and it was a bit much. Normally for Burns it's just music, but we like to squeeze in a ceilidh if they can clear away the tables after the meal.

Enjoy your Burns' Nights!

 

[Caps]

Wow, long time since I ate haggis. Like 1981. I was stationed in Berlin Germany and a sergeant in the British liaison office was of Scottish decent and invited us to dinner. Haggis was ok but would have been better without the liver in it. I hate the taste of liver. Feels like it swells up in my throat and won't go down! Actually haggis was similar to a dish my Lithuanian grandparents used to make so it was not completely unfamiliar.

 

[Walker]

Oh, and I ordered a box of something called "Millionaire's Shortbread". Not sure what I'm in store for there. Trying to wait until the 25th to crack it open.

Millionaires shortbread is simply delightful... but my absolute favourite tray bake is the traditional Scottish Fly Cemetery.

I found this YouTube video showing you how to make it:

 

[Rosie C]

Millionaires shortbread is simply delightful... but my absolute favourite tray bake is the traditional Scottish Fly Cemetery.

I found this YouTube video showing you how to make it:

Tunnock's caramel wafer for me, though their teacakes aren't bad either. My gran used to have them for Saturday afternoon tea when we were kids.

 

[Ventura]

funny how those simple pleasures are remembered so fondly they
end up becoming traditions passed down..

my Wife's Gram unfailingly had "Red Rose Tea" and
"Lorna Doone" Shortbread cookies to share..

i suppose those American Lorna Doone's are to true Walker Shortbread
cookies as our French Dressing is to what the French drizzle on Salads..

but we love them

 

[OuijaBoard]

Munching shortbread with Barry's Gold Irish tea blend right this minute. A stalwart of the Irish scene in my megalopolis hosted an all-night Burns session and bacchanale at his home annually for many years, complete with haggis and soused renditions of the Burns ode. Funnily enough I perform with a large Scottish trad ensemble that isn't marking the occasion, though we are suspended at the moment due to wildfire disruption. (OTOH, on Monday 1/20, starting at noon US Pacific Standard Time, I'll be joining at the worldwide invitation of the Lynch family, in ten minutes of meditation and reflection to radiate global positivity and love in honor of the irreplaceable David Lynch! In the spirit of Agent Cooper---hop on board, accordion in one hand, donut in the other!)


For Burns and pudding recipes loaded with hemoglobin, here's Tannahill Weavers doing a set that starts off with one of the several dozen Scottish tunes we're working on to perform this season, the awesome 4-part pipe march "Cullen Bay."

 

[Jibberin]

My vote goes to Tunnock’s teacakes and caramel logs. Apparently the teacakes were a regular in the butty boxes of the RAF V force bomber crews until it was discovered they exploded at altitude. Boyd Tunnock, grandson of the company founder, donated a Rolls Royce to Glasgow City Council in 2018 as a chariot fit for council dignitaries.

 

[Tom]

My favorite cookie growing up was my mother’s what she called “Scottish Shortbread.” Probably from the famous Joy of Cooking cookbook. Seems like mostly butter, eggs and flour. Mmmmmm.

 

[JEBrown]

funny how those simple pleasures are remembered so fondly they
end up becoming traditions passed down..

my Wife's Gram unfailingly had "Red Rose Tea" and
"Lorna Doone" Shortbread cookies to share..

i suppose those American Lorna Doone's are to true Walker Shortbread
cookies as our French Dressing is to what the French drizzle on Salads..

but we love them

That's funny - the Lorna Doone story is set on Exmoor, which is the opposite end of the UK to Scotland

 

[JEBrown]

I have another Burns' Night gig this evening - more Burns songs (I'll be singing!), then a short ceilidh (as it's a work night...)