Burns Night

For the people of Scotland, and anyone of Scottish heritage Burns Night, held on or around 25th January is one of the most important (and fun) events of the year. The day celebrates the life and works of the poet Robert Burns, often called Rabbie Burns, and a celebration meal and poetry reading would be a lovely way to celebrate and add a bit of culture to your day.

Burns was thought to have been born on 25th January 1759, the son of a farmer. He tried to follow his father into a career in farming but his literary talent and political tendencies soon began to show. He wrote much of his best work whilst still farming and the publication of his first book brought enough money for him to move to Edinburgh and produce a second book of poetry. The income from this and a job as a tax collector allowed him to marry and settle down. He continued to write over 200 songs, the best known of which is ‘Auld Lang Syne’, and poetry, most famously ‘Tam O’Shanter’. He died in 1796 and is revered as a national poet of Scotland.

A traditional celebration of Burns Night consists of a special meal and readings of his works. If you want to include your children you may wish to miss out on the traditional whisky! The meal should of course be of Haggis. In case you don’t know, haggis is a kind of sausage made from a sheep’s heart, liver and lungs.

If you can’t face haggis, then you could have the traditional starter of Cock-A-Leekie soup or some traditional deserts. The meal can be informal or formal; a formal meal includes much ceremonial poetry reading, whisky drinking and bagpipe playing. An informal meal can be exactly what you want it to be.

Here are some great links with more information, recipes, and the poetry of the great man himself.

• Burns Night Information from BBC Scotland
• Wikipedia Burns supper format and information about the man himself from the encyclopaedia of the web.
• How to organise a Burns Night Supper from Rampant Scotland, huge site for Scotland enthusiasts.
• Rabbie Burns.com This Robert Burns tribute site gives you the complete guide to Robert Burns the man, his poems, haggis and much more ...
• Burns Country with information, his works, even send a Robert Burns e-card.
• PartyBox have a selection of Burns Night party items to make your celebration go with a swing!
• Get a huge 180.0cm x 90.0cm Scotland Flag at Otherland Toys

And by the way, if any Scotsman tries to tell you about a little furry animal called a haggis it’s a joke OK!

About the Author:
Jacqui O'Brien is the Editor of eParenting.

Scottish Colouring Pictures

Online Grocery Shopping
Most of the major supermarkets offer a delivery service now, but is it a gimmick or a genuinely helpful service for parents? I had thought it was a bit of a luxury, until, stuck at home with a very poorly child, I realised I had no food in the house and no way of getting out to a shop.

The UK’s Favourite Film Food Moment
A new survey has revealed that the nation’s all-time favourite food moment in film is the ‘Le Big Mac’ scene from Pulp Fiction.

Why Not Try A Tie Dye?!
Q: What do you get is you cross two rather greying PE T-shirts with a rainy afternoon, a pot of clothes dye and some rubber bands. A: An afternoon’s worth of entertainment for the kids!