Burns Night was first held in 1801 — over 220 years ago. Since then, new traditions have been added with the celebration now an iconic and important Scottish tradition and part of the national identity.
The famous poetry of the evening's celebrated subject, Robert Burns, is still thought to provide £200 million per year for the Scottish economy.
Burns Night is different to the celebration of a patron saint - in the case of Scotland, St Andrew - and instead focuses on a man whose success came through the arts rather than military excellence or religion (or killing dragons).
