Burns night

To the laddies or to the ladies?

I was asked to address the haggis last year, because I am the only obviously Scottish person in our tiny village (OH is also Scottish but lived part of his childhood in England so has picked up an English accent).

I was very nervous as I am not a natural performer but apparently I made I good job of it, so much so that I am having to do it again this year to an even larger gathering - Oh dear!!

I'm just puzzled as there is always a toast to the lassies (not ladies). One of the ladies then replies to that toast but it is not normally called the toast to the laddies. Hence the confusion!
It really depends on how well your audience "knows" Burns.
I did one based on the views of Kate o' Shanter but that's not much use if your audience isn't familiar with the poem.
Another was wider-ranging and based loosely on the "battle of the sexes" with frequent references to current tv soaps.
At an informal Burns' supper, pretty well anything goes!

My DH proposed after a Burns Supper - don't remember any of the speeches.