Robbie Burns Nights

[The Wizard of BC]

As we have a few new members who may never have attended a Robbie Burns Dinner, would some of our experienced members describe the event.

I have only been to one and it was a very small one. Only ten people. So I don't think I can properly describe everything.

Bobbie and I plan to attend our local dinner put on by the Victoria Police Pipe Band. This is the largest dinner in our area. I know Bobbie is worried about proper dress for ladies. She does not have a formal gown and is afraid she will look out of place next to me in my new Tewksbury Highland Granite/ Charcoal Argyle Jacket and waistcoat.

Someone please take the mystery out of this evening for those who are afraid to ask.

[way2fractious]

There are lots of websites regarding Burns Suppers, but I still enjoy this one:

http://www.auldlangsyne.org/index.html

The front page speaks to the fact that the gatherings vary across the spectrum of formality. Click into the "Itinerary" page to get a flavor for the order of the evening. I'm hoping our local XMarks dinner is only semi-serious and slightly less than full-on formal.

That said, your pipe band's "largest dinner in the area" is likely to be highly formal. I'll let others fill you in on that aspect, especially on what ladies should wear.

[macwilkin]

The aforementioned "My Supper with Robbie" is a good site; here are a few more worth perusing:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/histor...rs/index.shtml

http://www.macsween.co.uk/burnsnight/index.asp

http://www.worldburnsclub.com/supper/burns_supper_1.htm

These web sites give a good basic "bill o' fare" for a Burns Supper, although each Burns Supper is unique in its own way; some are formal, black-tie affairs, some are pot-luck in the parish hall of the local Presbyterian or Anglican church.

The key element to a successful Burns Supper, according to late noted Burnsian Hugh Douglas, is earnestness or sincerity -- and sincere love and tribute to Robert Burns, whilst at the same time, having a wee bit o' fun -- Burns and his works deserve our respect as well as our enjoyment.

Too often, the larger Burns Suppers turn out to be more of a St. Andrew's or Scottish supper, with only lip service paid to Burns and his works -- The Burns Supper should be about Burns -- gie the bard his due -- and save other authors, songs, etc. for afterwards or another night.

Some of the best Burns Suppers I have been to have been intimate affairs of only 15-20 people, although 90-100 seems to be the perfect number for a larger one.

As far as dress for the ladies, it again, as mentioned, depends on the supper. You will see everything from formal wear to cocktail dresses and tartan skirts; my wife usually wears a nice pant-skirt type affair with a nice blouse and her Louisiana tartan sash. Check with the organisers on what is "proper"; usually they will provide some guidelines on dress with the literature, but best to "call ahead".

I have a brief article I did up for some of our members that I sent via e-mail; let me see if I can find it and I will post it in this thread.

Yours aye,

Todd

[Warlock]

Burns Night here in Memphis is ungodly exspensive and VERY formal. I also believe that they are by invitation only.

[Pour1Malt]

ai gae tae 3-4 e'ery Burns Nicht season (Jan 5-Feb 15)...

an host a' least yin e'ery year mysel (weel, wi' Emma!)

the links abin arr guid yins- try them....

tae many Burns Suppers arr o'erly stuffy an pretentious....

ai like the yins that arr a bit maire light hearted....

PM me oiny specific queries ya have an ai'll give them a gae...

[macwilkin]

Burns Night here in Memphis is ungodly exspensive and VERY formal. I also believe that they are by invitation only.

Some Burns Suppers are by invitation only; I attend two smaller Burns Suppers that are essentially groups of friends & are by invitation only -- but remember, the first Burns Suppers were that way as well -- the first ones were small gatherings of the poets friends and a gathering of NCOs from the Argyll militia -- the large Burns Supper in the hotel ballroom or other large venue really didn't begin until the mid -19th century.

As far as expense goes, remember that Burns Suppers are generally not a cheap undertaking; besides the obvious expense of the dinner, bar, hotel waitstaff, etc. the club/society also has to pay for entertainment, especially a piper, as well as an honourarium for your Immortal Memory speaker, etc. All of this adds up, and some of the cost has to be covered in the price of tickets -- other societies use their proceeds from Burns Supper ticket sales for a local charity or a donation to the World Burns Federation or a similar "Burns cause". I've been on the organising committee of two Burns Suppers, one since 1999, and I can tell many people do not know all of the planning that goes into such an event.

In fact, I am going to our venue today for a meeting with the hotel staff to finalize preparations for our local Burns Supper on the 13th.

P1M, I'm going to 5 Burns Suppers this year, and giving the Immortal Memory at 3 of them!

Yours aye,

Todd

[Macman]

Hi, Steve. Anna and I are going to this event as well. Last year there was a wide variety of dress, from formal doublets to Jacobite shirts, pantsuits to formal gowns. I saw at least one T-shirt. The band itself was dressed in their black short-sleeved buttoned shirts, open-necked. The PM considers Burns to have been for the "common man", and so doesn't see the need for formality of dress at the supper. Anna will give Bobbie a phone call.

[cessna152towser]

I used to enjoy the annual Burns suppers around this area. they were often held in village halls, usually attended by between fifty and a hundred people, with tickets sold in advance, and there was always a piper to pipe in the haggis. Ann and I used to attend one or two each year. Sadly these stopped a few years back after several attendees at a local Burns Supper fell ill with Ecoli157 afterwards. The infection was traced to sheep dung in the burn which fed the water supply to the village hall but this led to a tightening up of the hygiene regulations which meant professional caterers and better kitchen facilities would be needed, which effectively ended most of our local Burns suppers. I haven't been to one for the past few years so really looking forward to attending the event which P1M will be hosting in Dumfries.

[macwilkin]

The PM considers Burns to have been for the "common man", and so doesn't see the need for formality of dress at the supper.

True, Burns was for the "common man", but what is never mentioned was that Burns could go between the Ayrshire farming community and the high society of Edinburgh wi' no problems. Burns did not dress like a ploughman when in Edinburgh.

Regards,

Todd

[Cawdorian]

The Burns Supper we attend is black tie. Most of the ladies wear a long dress along with a tartan sash. Be prepared to drink a lot of toasts!