POETS across the country poets have been writing about Christmas in their own local language as supermarket chain Lidl champions the “daft days”, a term originally used to describe the Christmas and Hogmanay holidays and made famous by Scottish 18th-century poet Robert Fergusson.

Stuart Paterson, recently awarded Scots Writer of the Year’at the 2020 Scots Language Awards, has penned his own “daft days” poem in Southern Scots as an ode to his home region, Dumfries and Galloway.

To help discover Southern Scots, Paterson will host a virtual poetry workshop with pupils from Dumfries Academy, where the next generation of bards will pen their own poems celebrating the “daft days”.

Paterson said: “Whit an awfy braw wey tae mind Scots o oor ain culture! We shouldnae let geed Scots traditions be forgot aboot like sae mony are stertin tae be.

“Robert Fergusson’s The Daft Days fae 1772 wis written afore the famous carol The Twelve Days o Christmas sae it aw stertit here! Fae Stranraer tae Sanquhar, ma poem’s fir Dumfries an Gallowa itsel an whit this time o the year means tae me an tae us aw here – faimily, freens an haein fun, especially noo.”

Ross Millar, Lidl’s regional director for Scotland, said: “This project has certainly been an education for us all; uncovering the origins of ‘daft days’– the original, Scottish Twelve Days of Christmas.

“‘Daft days’ really is at the heart of Scotland’s festive season and we’re incredibly proud to celebrate this.”

From December 10, shoppers can pick up a Lidl Book of Big Adventures, in partnership with the National Trust for Scotland, from any one of Lidl’s Scottish stores. Here is Paterson’s poem:

The auld year’s near by noo, the Daft Days are here, Fae Stranraer tae Sanquhar, Thornhill tae Troqueer, Fae Lockerbie, Lochfit, Lochmaben, Lincluden — Get aw yer messages, prezzies an food in!

There’s D&G salmon ye’ll pit in yer poke, It’s aw the mair braw cos it’s locally smoked, There’s loads mair , Ah’m gey shair ye’ll ken aw the patter Sae buy in fir Christmas afore ye get hattered!

The auld year’s near by noo, the Twelve Days o Advent Are openin up an ye’ll think “Where has that went?” Fae Lochside, Leswalt, Locharbriggs an Lincluden, Get aw yer messages, prezzies an food in!

Oor weather is dreich, the nights fair drawin in, There’s still a long while afore winter is din So gie a wee thought when yer buyin yer feed Tae the yins on their ain wha might no feel sae geed.

The auld year’s near by noo, the Daft Days tae come When aw get thegither tae make their ain fun —Fae Lochans tae Langholm, Lock Ken tae Lincluden, Get aw yer messages, prezzies an food in!

An then Handsel Monday’s the first o the year Fir giein a gift tae the yins ye haud dear An tryin no tae think o the dark days aheid, Get stocked up on whit sees ye through them insteid!

The auld year’s near by noo, oor Daft Days are here The Twelve D&G Days o Christmas appear —Fae Loaningfit, Laurieston, Loreburn, Lincluden, Get aw yer messages, prezzies an food in!