Quote:
Originally Posted by Lady Valkyrie
Yes, Bonfire Night as it is now called was originally Guy Fawkes' Night. Guy Fawkes was one of a group who formed "The Gunpowder Plot" to blow up the Houses of Parliament at the time of King James I. They were opposed to the Protestant monarchy and wished to restore a Catholic to the throne of England. On 5th November 1605 he was caught in the act guarding the explosives and imprisoned, and was tried and executed the following January.
Fawkes was to be hung, but he jumped from the scaffold and broke his neck avoiding a drawn-out painful death. However in the modern commemoration of the day, there is often a "guy" - an effigy of Guy Fawkes - burnt on a bonfire. The bonfire symbolism came about because those loyal to the king were encouraged to burn bonfires on November 5 1605 to celebrate the king's escape from assassination. Fireworks became part of the festivities in 1650, and the burning of the guy from 1673. Kids sometimes make a guy and sit outside shops or on the street begging "penny for the guy" - however this is on the decline in recent years, probably as most UK children now trick or treat and it would be asking for money again in such close proximity to Hallowe'en.
Our family doesn't do anything for Bonfire Night at present as Daniel gets upset and scared around fireworks, but in the past we've had little get togethers with a small bonfire and garden fireworks and a buffet supper including treacle toffee and parkin - traditional Bonfire Night sweets.
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I love hearing backstories! Thank you for sharing!