Scottish Celebrations for Burns Night and St Andrew’s Night

Around the world, people take the opportunity to celebrate Scottish music and culture in these events as well as enjoy traditional Scottish food.



St Andrew's Night



St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and St Andrew's Day is celebrated on the 30th November. He is also the patron saint of Russia and Greece.



St Andrew's Day on the 30th of November has become an important date in the Scottish calendar and is celebrated not just in Scotland, but all around the world by groups of ex-patriots and other Scottish Societies.



There have been debates for a long time as to whether St Andrew's Day should be a public holiday in Scotland, but this has never yet come to fruition.



For many of the overseas Scottish organisations, St Andrew's Night is a great chance to revel in their Scottish heritage and put on their kilts for a good ceilidh. Dances and Balls are held in all major cities around the globe, and they bring out Ceilidh Bands from Scotland to play at the events.



The Meal



The meal will usually include popular favourites such as Stovies, Haggis, Cullen Skink, Clootie Dumpling and Crannachan.



Many of these societies are long established with The St. Andrew's Society in Boston, in the USA, being set up in 1657. Branches of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society also host their own events for St. Andrew's night.



Burns Night



The other major date in the calendar for these societies is Burn's Night. This is celebrated on the 25th of January, which was his birthday. Robert Burns is probably the most famous Scottish bard and is regarded as the national poet of Scotland. He collected folk songs from across Scotland as well as writing many of his own songs and sonnets. Some of his most famous poems are Tam O' Shanter, Ae Fond Kiss, To a Mouse, and A Man's a Man for A' That.



Music, entertainment and Scottish Ceilidh Dancing



Almost every Burns night will contain a rendition of Tam O' Shanter as well as a Toast to the Lasses and a Toast to the Laddies. At the start of the meal, the Haggis is piped in and Burn's famous "Address to a Haggis" is performed. An overview of the bard's life and work is also given and this is called the Immortal Memory"



The meal will often then be followed by Scottish Ceilidh Dancing with traditional Scottish ceilidh music and some of the songs written by Robert Burns may be sung. Ceilidh Bands can certainly play a major part in setting the scene at these events.



Both Burns Night and St Andrew's Night are regular events in the calendar of many a Scottish ex-pat and they take the opportunity to celebrate their Scottish roots and heritage as well as being popular with local people abroad.