Relight Your Fire! It’s Bonfire Night!
Written by Casey
Guy Fawkes: Is this the Great British Anti-Hero?
Tonight’s the night when the people of Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand commemorate (nay, celebrate) the failed attempt by Guy Fawkes and his cohorts to assassinate King James I.
Not having attended school in this country, I always believed Bonfire Night celebrated the actual attempt at destroying the House of Lords and murdering the king, not the infamous Gunpowder Plot’s failure. I’m not sure what this may say about your humble author; that’s for psychologists to determine once they’ve captured me…but I digress…
People choose to celebrate Mr Fawkes’ and company’s doomed murder plot in different ways. Some ceremonially burn effigies of Guy on huge flaming pyres in the night, while children have been known to request a “penny for the guy” in order to fund the purchase of fireworks (this is a rare practice these days, as most people tend to view it as ‘begging’).
Speaking of huge flaming pyres, Lewes in East Sussex really knows how to do a bonfire right:
In addition to having bonfire parties, no Guy Fawkes Night is complete without a fireworks display. This ranges from lighting off a few bottle rockets in the back garden, to full-on pyrotechnic pageants presented by local councils.
Just check out this display from last year’s celebrations in London:
No matter where or how you choose to celebrate the survival of King James I and the subsequent torture and execution of Mr Fawkes, remember to stay safe tonight. In other words, make sure that’s an effigy you’re throwing on the flames and not your drunk uncle Dave.
Tags: bonfire night, fireworks, guy fawkes, guy fawkes night
