Burns Night

Today is January 25, Robert Burns Birthday. If you are of, or partly of, Scottish descent this means something to you. Even if you only wish you were of Scottish descent because you think a man in a kilt is sexy then you know about Burns Night celebrations that occur all over the world tonight. For Burns Night celebrations Haggis is the official dish served up with Scotch and Burns "Address to a Haggis" is recited. For the uninitiated Haggis is a bit off setting since it is a "sausage" made of sheep liver and other organ meats, combined with oatmeal, onion, and spices stuffed in a sheep's stomach and boiled. A Burns night celebration usually has a dinner, recitation of Burns' poetry and may include a more formal dance. While writing this I have been surfing around and found this lovely page that I just have to throw in. it is so inviting and fits the subject.

A less formal party is called a Ceilidh. A ceilidh is a sort of party, involving traditional music, dancing, and alcohol, which is found in Scotland, Ireland and some parts of northern England and world wide where there are folks celebrating things Scottish. Those attending provide part or most of the entertainment.

A while back we received our usual invitation to the Flint Scottish Pipe Band's annual Ceilidh, but for the first time decided not to go. It is more fun if you go with a group of people and in the past few years we have seen fewer and fewer people we know at the event. Long ago when we were still doing Scottish Country Dance - not Highland dance - our teacher would gather a group of the more experienced dancers from Detroit and Lapeer and we would do a dance demonstration. The Flint ceilidh usually invites several pipe bands from around the state, and the Highland Dance schools and their students to perform. Recently the dance schools have been doing Irish Step dancing too. They also hire a Celtic band to provide most of the entertainment between the amateurs.

Some of us with Scottish names have a passion for celebrating all things Scottish. We might join a clan society or read Scottish Blogs or go to Highland games and urge our men wear their kilt whenever the chance allows.