When is Burns Night 2027?
Burns Night is always 25 January, the birthday of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, who was born on that day in 1759. The only thing that changes from year to year is which weekday it falls on, and in 2027 that's Monday, 25 January 2027. If the 25th lands on a weeknight, plenty of folk simply shift the supper to the nearest Friday or Saturday so there's time to linger over the food and the verse without an early start the next morning.
Who was Robert Burns?
Robert Burns (1759–1796) is Scotland's national poet, and few writers are so warmly remembered more than two hundred years after their death. He grew up on a farm in Ayrshire, worked the land for much of his life, and still managed to produce a remarkable body of poems and songs in the Scots tongue before he died at just 37.
You almost certainly know one of his works already, even if you've never opened a book of his poetry. 'Auld Lang Syne', sung the world over as the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, came from his pen. Add to that 'A Red, Red Rose', 'To a Mouse' and 'Tam o' Shanter', and you start to see why an entire night each January is given over to his memory. He wrote about love, friendship, ordinary working folk and the odd field mouse, all with a warmth and humour that have never really gone out of fashion.
The Burns Supper and its traditions
The Burns Supper is the heart of the evening, and it follows a lovely, time-honoured order. Guests gather, someone says a few words of welcome, and then the famous Selkirk Grace is spoken before anyone lifts a fork.
The star of the table is the haggis, traditionally carried in to the sound of bagpipes. Before it's cut, someone stands up and performs Burns's 'Address to a Haggis', a poem written to that very dish, and at the right moment the haggis is dramatically sliced open. It's served with neeps and tatties, which is to say mashed swede and mashed potato, and it's far tastier than the squeamish ever expect.
Once everyone has eaten, the speeches and toasts begin. There's the 'Immortal Memory', a heartfelt nod to Burns himself, followed by the 'Toast to the Lassies' and a witty reply, the 'Reply to the Toast to the Lassies'. More of his poems are read aloud through the night, a dram of whisky is raised, and the whole thing usually ends with everyone joining hands for 'Auld Lang Syne'. It's part feast, part poetry reading and part party, all rolled into one cosy January evening.
Celebrating Burns Night
You don't need to be Scottish, or even own a set of bagpipes, to host your own Burns Night. A haggis from the supermarket, a pot of mashed swede and potato, and a few of Burns's poems printed out are honestly all you really need to get going. Add a bottle of something warming for the toasts and you've got the makings of a grand evening.
Half the charm is leaning into the cosiness of it all. Late January is dark and cold, so this is exactly the night to light some candles, put on a bit of fiddle music, and gather your friends or family round the table. Have a go at reading the 'Address to a Haggis' aloud, even if you stumble over the Scots words. Nobody minds, and it's all part of the fun.
However you mark it, the spirit of Burns Night is simple: good food, good company and a few lines of poetry that have outlasted the centuries. Now you know when it falls and how the evening tends to unfold, so all that's left is to round up your guests and warm up the haggis.
