Why do Burns Night celebrations often end with “Auld Lang Syne”?

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Engraved portrait of Robert Burns, shown from the waist up wearing a dark jacket and cravat, facing slightly to the left. — Robert Burns Robert Burns, engraving from *A Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen*, 1870.

Burns Night celebrations traditionally conclude with a group rendition of "Auld Lang Syne" because it is the most famous work attributed to Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet, whose birth is the focus of the event.1

While the song is globally recognized for its association with Hogmanay and New Year’s Eve—where celebrants traditionally sing it while standing in a circle holding hands—its inclusion at the end of a Burns Supper serves as a fitting tribute to the poet. The lyrics, which translate to "old long since" or "for old times' sake," reflect on friendship and memories, themes that align with the celebratory yet reflective nature of honoring Burns's legacy.2314