Burns Night
Burns Night is the celebration of the birth of Robert burns.
This is an evening of poetry and song with guest performing. On the 25th of January 1759 Robert Burns was born, this was the beginning of a legend in Scottish history.  
The burns supper was started by close friends of Burns a few years after his death in 1796 as a tribute to his memory.
The basic format for the evening has remained unchanged since that time and begins when the chairman invites the company to receive the haggis.    

The chairperson's opening address  welcoming words start the evening and the meal commences with the Selkirk grace, Some hae meat and cannot eat.
Some cannot eat that want it:But we hae meat and we can eat,Sae let the Lord be thankit.  It's customary for the company to applaud the speaker then stand and toast the haggis with a glass of whisky.  
A piper then leads the chef, carrying the haggis to the top table, while the guests accompany them with a slow handclap. The chairman or invited guest then recites Burns' famous poem to a Haggis with enthusiasm.   Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain 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.
The groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin wad help to mend a mill In time o need, While thro your pores the dews distil Like amber bead. His knife see rustic Labour dight, An cut you up wi ready slight, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like onie ditch; And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm-reekin, rich! Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive: Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive, Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve Are bent like drums; The auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 'Bethankit' hums. Is there that owre his French ragout, Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi perfect sconner, Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view On sic a dinner Poor devil! see him owre his trash, As feckless as a wither'd rash, His spindle shank a guid whip-lash, His nieve a nit:
Thro bloody flood or field to dash, O how unfit! But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed, The trembling earth resounds his tread, Clap in his walie nieve a blade, He'll make it whissle; An legs an arms, an heads will sned, Like taps o thrissle. 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 ye wish her gratefu prayer, Gie her a Haggis!    

When he reaches the line 'an cut you up wi' ready slight', he cuts open the haggis with a sharp knife.
The company will then dine. A typical Bill o' Fare would be: Cock-a-leekie soup*Haggis warm reeking, rich wi' Champit Tatties,Bashed Neeps*Tyspy Laird (sherry trifle)*A Tassie o' Coffee One of the central features of the evening. An invited guest is asked to give a short speech on Burns.

There are many different types of Immortal Memory speeches, from light-hearted to literary, Toast To The Lasses.
The main speech is followed by a more light-hearted address to the women in the audience. Originally this was a thank you to the ladies for preparing the food and a time to toast the 'lasses' in Burns' life. The turn of the lasses to detail men's foibles. Again, should be humorous but not insulting. Poem and Songs Once the speeches are complete the evening continues with songs and poems. These should be a good variety to fully show the different moods of Burns muse.  
The evening will culminate with the company standing, linking hands and singing Auld Lang Syne to conclude the programme            

• For auld lang syne, my dear
• For auld lang syne
• We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
• For auld lang syne!
• Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
• And never brought to mind
• Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne
• And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
• And surely I'll be mine,
• And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
• For auld lang syne!
  We twa hae run about the braes,
•  And pou'd the gowans fine,
• But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
• Sin auld lang syne.
  We twa hae paidl'd in the burn Frae morning sun till dine,
  But seas between us braid hae roar'd Sin auld lang syne.
  And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
• And gie's a hand o thine,
• And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
• For auld lang syne.