Whether you’re hosting a full-on Highlander extravaganza or just having a few friends over for dinner, you need to set the mood. Big events will have a bagpiper merrily playing traditional Scottish melodies, but for most celebrations at home this might prove a tad over the top. Put on a CD or playlist of traditional Scottish music for the same effect, and ask your guests to add a little tartan to their outfit.

On Burns night, the host is known as The Chair, and once everyone has assembled at the dinner table he or she will introduce the guests one by one and talk about the evening to follow. Before any food or drink is served, The Selkirk Grace is spoken:

Some have meat and cannot eat,

Some cannot eat that want it;

But we have meat, and we can eat,

Sae let the Lord be thankit

Afterwards, the starter (if you’re serving one) should be brought to the table, then the plates cleared in anticipation for the main event. The haggis is traditionally brought to the table on a platter by the chef and The Chair, with more bagpipe music in the background. Everyone should have a large dram of whisky to hand, before the evening’s festivities truly begin.

The Chair (or a nominated reader) now recites Burns’ most famous poem, Address to a Haggis. As they speak the line ‘His knife see rustic Labour dight’, they should cut the haggis open and spoon out some of the filling. During the final line (‘Gie her a haggis!’), the platter should be raised high and applauded, before being toasted.

Once the toast is completed, the haggis can be eaten alongside neeps, tatties and whisky sauce. Serve dessert afterwards, then clear the table, ensure everyone’s drinks are topped up and invite your guests to recite Burns’ other poems or sing Scottish songs. Once everyone is well fed, entertained and possibly well-oiled, the night ends with everyone joining together to sing Auld Lang Syne. Make sure to call your guests a taxi home, before crawling to bed and sleeping off the numerous glasses of whisky consumed throughout the night.