air 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 o' a grace
As lang's my arm.
A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns, author of many Scots poems including "Auld Lang Syne," which is generally sung as a folk song at Hogmanay and other New Year celebrations around the world. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, January 25, sometimes known as 'Burns night', although they may in principle be held at any time of the year.
Burns suppers are most common in Scotland, but they occur wherever there are Burns clubs, Scottish Societies, expatriate Scots, or lovers of Burns' poetry.
The first suppers were held in Ayrshire at the end of the 18th century by his friends on the anniversary of his death, July 21, In Memoriam and, although the date has changed to 25 January since then, they have been a regular occurrence ever since.
They may be formal or informal but they should always be entertaining. The only items which the informal suppers have in common are haggis, Scotch whisky and perhaps a poem or two. Formal dinners given by organisations such as the Freemasons or St. Andrews Societies often do not allow ladies to be present. Those that do may occasionally end in a céilidh. However whether they are single sex or not, the formal suppers follow a standard format which is as follows.
St.Edmundsbury Male Voice Choir will be joining their great friends, TUBE, the unusual brass ensemble to celebrate Burns Night on Saturday 24th January 2009 at Kedington Village Hall
Click here to download the poster
The concert will be in aid of St Peter and St Pauls, Kedington, an absolutely beautiful church.
