From www.mutopiaproject.org

Part of Horetzky's "60 National Airs of Different Nations"

"Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots-language poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world, its traditional use being to bid farewell to the old year at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. By extension, it is also sung at funerals, graduations, and as a farewell or ending to other occasions. The international Scouting movement in many countries uses it to close jamborees and other functions.
The above text from the Wikipedia article "Auld Lang Syne" text is available under CC BY-SA 3.0.