What Is Burns Night? 25 January, Explained
What is Burns Night? The date, the supper and the poetry
Burns Night falls on 25 January, the birthday of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, born in 1759. It has been marked since shortly after his death, when friends held a supper in his memory, and the format has barely changed since.
It is celebrated well beyond Scotland, including across England and by Scottish communities worldwide. It is not a bank holiday, but the supper is a real fixture — booked out weeks ahead in a lot of places.
Here is what happens on the night, in the order it usually happens.
Cards for the people you'd invite
Designed in house, printed in the UK and posted with a kraft envelope.
You Old Bastard (Funny Birthday Card)
£3.87
Sixty Looks Pretty Good On You (60th Birthday Card)
£3.87
Top Trumps 60th Birthday Card for Dad
£3.87
Fifty & Even More Fabulous Than Ever (50th Birthday Card)
£3.87
Top Trumps 90th Birthday Card for Dad
£3.87
Happy Birthday Bab (Happy Birthday Card) (Multiple designs)
£3.87
Happy Birthday Papa (Happy Birthday Card) (Multiple designs)
£3.87
Top Trumps 80th Birthday Card for Dad
£3.87
The date and the man
- 25 January, the birthday of Robert Burns. Shop this card
- Burns was born in Alloway, Ayrshire, in 1759 and died in 1796. Shop this card
- He wrote Auld Lang Syne, Tam o' Shanter and Address to a Haggis. Shop this card
- The first Burns supper was held by his friends a few years after his death. Shop this card
How a Burns supper runs
- Guests are piped in and the host welcomes everyone. Shop this card
- The Selkirk Grace is read before the meal. Shop this card
- The haggis is carried in to bagpipes and the Address to a Haggis is performed. Shop this card
- Haggis, neeps and tatties are served, usually with a whisky. Shop this card
- Speeches: the Immortal Memory, the Toast to the Lassies and the reply. Shop this card
- The night finishes with Auld Lang Syne. Shop this card
If you're hosting at home
- Vegetarian haggis is widely available and genuinely good. Shop this card
- You don't need a piper — a recording does the job. Shop this card
- Print the Selkirk Grace and the Address so guests can join in. Shop this card
- Whisky to taste, but water on the table too. Shop this card
Funny cards for friends
For the guest who always gives the speech.
You Old Bastard (Funny Birthday Card)
£3.87
That's What I Call Old (Funny Dad Happy Birthday Card)
£3.87
Funny 30th Birthday Card (Frying Pan)
£3.87
See You Later, Alligator (Funny Good Luck Card)
£3.75
Only The Best Dads Get Promoted To Grandad (Friends Themed Cards)
£3.87
Only The Best Mums Get Promoted To Nanny (Friends Themed Cards)
£3.87
Only The Best Friends Get Promoted To Aunty (Friends Themed Cards)
£3.87
Every Birthday With Me Is A Gift (Funny Husband Happy Birthday Card)
£3.87
Whose a Clever Girl (Funny Graduation Card)
£3.75
Only The Best Friends Get Promoted To Uncle (Friends Themed Cards)
£3.87
Only The Best Sisters Get Promoted To Aunty (Friends Themed Cards)
£3.87
Only The Best Friends Get Promoted To Aunty (Floral Pregnancy Announcement Card)
£3.87
How to write it so it lands
- Invite people a good three weeks ahead; the date fills up.
- Assign the speeches early so nobody has to improvise.
- Keep the Address short if your guests are new to it.
Where to shop next
Frequently asked questions
When is Burns Night?
25 January every year, the birthday of Robert Burns.
What is served at a Burns supper?
Haggis with neeps and tatties, usually with a whisky, often after cock-a-leekie soup and followed by cranachan.
Do you send Burns Night cards?
Not typically — it is a supper rather than a card occasion. Most people send an invitation instead.