Problems
I went to a Burns Night and did not wear tartan. I forgot.
Solutions
Now I have been invited to another Burns Night organized by a different group.
Costume
This time I have time to find a costume, such as tartan. One person says, 'I don't need to. I'm not a Scot.'
Which Tartan?
Which tartan? Tartan shops will sell you the tartan of your clan, going by your name or ancestors' names. But my complexion suits a different tartan. Some people object to your wearing tartans of a clan you don't belong to. You may think it's amusing, or homage, like wearing the country's flag even if you are not from that coutnry. But others think it's misleading, like wearing the old school tie of a school you never attended, or a policeman's uniform when you are not a policeman.
So which tartans can you wear?
You can have your own tartan made up, for a price, after applying for approval and receiving it. There's Jewish tartan. What will be next? Moslem tartans. Catholic tartans. Indian tartans? Japanese tartans? Chinese tartans. American tartans?
Burns Poems
Instead of or in addition to wearing a kilt, or tartan, I can also print out Burns' poems. And a picture of Burns. Alternatively, save paper by photographing the poems, the photo of Burns, and keeping them to hand on a laptop or mobile phone.
Burns Night Photos
If the people at the second event overlap with those at the first event (at least I am at both) I can show photos of the previous event as a nostalgic reminiscence. This time I will be ready to take a group photo at the start of the evening, a picture of the haggis, and a Scottish whisky.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
I went to a Burns Night and did not wear tartan. I forgot.
Solutions
Now I have been invited to another Burns Night organized by a different group.
Costume
This time I have time to find a costume, such as tartan. One person says, 'I don't need to. I'm not a Scot.'
Which Tartan?
Which tartan? Tartan shops will sell you the tartan of your clan, going by your name or ancestors' names. But my complexion suits a different tartan. Some people object to your wearing tartans of a clan you don't belong to. You may think it's amusing, or homage, like wearing the country's flag even if you are not from that coutnry. But others think it's misleading, like wearing the old school tie of a school you never attended, or a policeman's uniform when you are not a policeman.
So which tartans can you wear?
You can have your own tartan made up, for a price, after applying for approval and receiving it. There's Jewish tartan. What will be next? Moslem tartans. Catholic tartans. Indian tartans? Japanese tartans? Chinese tartans. American tartans?
Burns Poems
Instead of or in addition to wearing a kilt, or tartan, I can also print out Burns' poems. And a picture of Burns. Alternatively, save paper by photographing the poems, the photo of Burns, and keeping them to hand on a laptop or mobile phone.
Burns Night Photos
If the people at the second event overlap with those at the first event (at least I am at both) I can show photos of the previous event as a nostalgic reminiscence. This time I will be ready to take a group photo at the start of the evening, a picture of the haggis, and a Scottish whisky.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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