From Wikipedia:
“On long, dark winter nights it is still the custom in small villages for friends to collect in a house and hold what they call a "ceilidh" (pronounced kay'lee). Young and old are entertained by the reciters of old poems and legendary stories which deal with ancient beliefs, the doings of traditional heroes and heroines, and so on. Some sing old and new songs set to old music or new music composed in the manner of the old.”

— Mackenzie, Donald A., Wonder tales from Scottish myth and legend, 1917, p. 14.[3]

This is what happened in Scotland back in the day.

Times change. The word Ceilidh now refers to a night of a particular kind of Scottish Dancing. Quite formal. Can be fun.

Now there are new words for what a Ceilidh used to be. I choose the word Homesong.

And they are not just for long, dark winter nights. Nor only for small villages.