6. It is a call to remember old friends as time marches on

We might be concentrating on New Year’s Resolutions, but Auld Lang Syne is a reminder to remember and cherish old friendships, good deeds and toast health and good will for the year ahead. That toast, of course, is better when accompanied by a glass/bottle of champagne.

7. “For Auld Lang Syne” means “for the sake of old times”

That’s a rough translation. More literally, Auld Lang Syne means “old long since” or “long long time”. Burns didn’t invent this particular phrase, however. An anonymous lyric, Auld Kindnes Foryett, has been dated back to the 15th century. Then Auld Lang Syne was used by Burns’s poetic predecessors Robert Ayton in the late 16th century, Allan Ramsay in the 17th and James Watson around the same time. More recently, contemporary Scottish poet Matthew Fitt used the phrase as a replacement for “once upon a time”. All of which means…

8. You shouldn’t sing “for the sake of”

Granted, you probably won’t care by this point in the evening, and it will certainly mark you out as a party pooper if you do correct your fellow revellers, but: the final line of the chorus isn’t “For the sake of Auld Lang Syne”. It’s just “For auld lang syne.” This is because, as mentioned above, Auld Lang Syne already means “for the sake of old times.” But it does fit pleasingly with the tune.

What are the lyrics of Auld Land Syne?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 

And never brought to mind? 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 

And auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear, 

For auld lang syne. 

We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, 

For auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp! 

And surely I’ll be mine! 

And we’ll tak a cup o’kindness yet, 

For auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes, 

And pou’d the gowans fine;

But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit, 

Sin’ auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn, 

Frae morning sun till dine; 

But seas between us braid hae roar’d 

Sin’ auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand, my trusty fere! 

And gie’s a hand o’ thine! 

And we’ll tak a right gude-willie waught, 

For auld lang syne.

Useful terms to know

Pint-stowp: Half an imperial gallon, a generous amount when you’re buying a round of drinks.

Braes: Hills

Pou’d: Picked/plucked

Gowans: Daisies

Burn: Brook

Fit: Foot

Fere: Friend

Gude-willie waught: A good-spirited gulp or swig