Bonfire Night or Guy Fawke's Night

[Ishbel]

On 5 November in the UK, we traditionally remember the unsuccessful plot by Guy Fawkes and others to blow up the King and the Houses of Parliament.
This is nowadays usually at an organised bonfire and fireworks display, rather than in our own back gardens as it was when I was a child.

This year, I'll be celebrating with neighbours who still have younger children, so we'll be having a bonfire in their back garden, plus fireworks and food. I've been asked to bring along a supply of Scotch eggs and sausage rolls and we'll wrap potatoes in foil and cook them in the bonfire. I'm also going to make some traditional jam tarts and a couple of ginger cakes and there'll be mulled wine for the adults and warm apple cup for the children.

i did a quick google and came up with this website which has a little more history about the event we commemorate!
http://www.bonefire.org/guy/bonfire.php

 

[urmaniac13]

I first learned of Guy Fawkes day when I was still quite young from reading one of the Paddington bear stories.
Several years back I happened to be in Liverpool on this date visiting a chum of mine during my holiday, and I was curious and looking forward to seeing all the bonfire and fireworks. Unfortunately it rained heavily that night and all events cancelled out, what a bummer, but I would like to experience those events one day in the future.

 

[Alix]

My brother lives in Nanaimo and he and his wife have a HUGE Guy Fawkes party every year. (He will do anything for an excuse to build a fire and shoot off fireworks!) It is a big deal every year. Their focus is a little more adult though. More liquid libation and less food. LOL.

 

[Ishbel]

That sounds like a great party!

 

[GB]

Sounds like a lot of fun. I hope you have a blast Ishbel.

 

[amber]

My husband told me about this ( he's from England). He loved the fireworks, gathering with family, and partying Sounds like a great time. I wish fireworks were legal here, but sadly they are not

 

[JoAnn L.]

On 5 November in the UK, we traditionally remember the unsuccessful plot by Guy Fawkes and others to blow up the King and the Houses of Parliament.
This is nowadays usually at an organised bonfire and fireworks display, rather than in our own back gardens as it was when I was a child.

This year, I'll be celebrating with neighbours who still have younger children, so we'll be having a bonfire in their back garden, plus fireworks and food. I've been asked to bring along a supply of Scotch eggs and sausage rolls and we'll wrap potatoes in foil and cook them in the bonfire. I'm also going to make some traditional jam tarts and a couple of ginger cakes and there'll be mulled wine for the adults and warm apple cup for the children.

i did a quick google and came up with this website which has a little more history about the event we commemorate!
http://www.bonefire.org/guy/bonfire.php

I loved reading your post on how you celebrate Guy Fawkes Night. Thank you so much for sharing.

 

[Lynan]

Amber, I hope that very soon here in New Zealand, we too will have fireworks banned to the public. I am not against public displays etc, but fireworks have been on sale now for a week ( well before Guy Fawkes Night) and already I have two freaked out dogs, and one of them needs to be sedated on the actual night. The Fire Department have been called to hundreds of fires caused by fireworks over the country, people have had them let off in their letterboxes, thrown at them etc.
The problem seems to be some young people not really giving a **** and by their foolish actions they are jeopardising a well loved tradition in this country. If only people would celebrate as Ishbel describes, which is like it was when I was young, then all would be well.

The question of banning fireworks is before our Parliament this week because of the strain put onto our emergency services, and physical harm done to humans and animals. And after the last few years, Im glad to see something will most likely be done about it.

Spoilsport that I am!!!

 

[Ishbel]

Frankly, I'd be happy to ban fireworks for home displays (yes... I DID enjoy holding Bonfire parties when my family were young - but there were many fewer than nowadays!). With Britain now being a mult-cultural society, and incomers grafting 'their' celebrations onto our traditions, eg Eid (sp?), Diwali - all with our traditional Guy Fawkes' fireworks and bonfires - it means that bonfire night seens to stretch from mid-October to mid November.... When I was young, it was 5th December - and that was IT!

My lovely dog, who sadly died a few years ago, was PETRIFIED of fireworks.... even with sedatives from the vet he would try to 'tunnel' his way out of the house via the wooden floorboards or fitted carpets!

So, I'm ambivalent about fireworks. I love the traditions of Bonfire Night, but find a month long season of fireworks being set off by kids (usually male kids and LOUD fireworks, rather than pretty coloured ones!) is just a bit too much to bear! Fireworks used to be too expensive for kids to buy (I think there is a minimum age, but as with any rule, kids manage to get round it by asking older siblings to buy on their behalf).

 

[Lynan]

The latest incident here....some foolish young man threw a lit firecracker into a box containg MANY fireworks in a supermarket staffroom, ( he worked there) they all started to go off and the supermarket had to be evacuated!!
A combination of fireworks and gunpowder was discovered at a school and the Army experts were called in too destroy it. ( another school has already been firebombed with explosives taken from fireworks.)

Just plain dumb and some badly directed raging hormones.

 

[auntdot]

Actually I have respect for Guy Fawkes.

He was a man who, during the great conflict in England known as the the Reformation, tried, in a dramatic move, to reverse the Protestant movement.

Turns out that the coffers of James I, a Protestant, were very short of funds and someone figured out that cash could be obtained by renting out the cellar of the House of Lords.

Several Catholics realized that in one swell foop they could kill the king and both houses of parliament.

And so they rented the basement of the palace of Westminster and moved in barrel after barrel of gunpowder.

Unfortunately for the plotters, one had a Catholic relative in Parliament whom he warned not to be in the parimentary chamber.

As a result the plot was detected and Guy Fawkes was arrested, tried, and executed.

The Reformation was a time when there was considerable violence in England, and many folks died on both sides of the conflict.

Had Guy Fawkes succeeded he might be looked upon as a hero today.

But he was apparently a very ernest partisan during a time when many died for their religious convictions.

Sorry this has nothing to do with cooking, but one of my hobbies is history.

November 5th has become a day of fun for all in Britain.

Am just sorry that Guy Fawkes is considered the goat.

 

[YT2095]

as a Chemist, I naturaly enjoy fireworks and am not above making my own either (and have done).
However, having said that, I`m like some of you here also, I like the colors too
Bangs are Easy! a good Effect and color mix takes quite a bit of engineering and if done properly is well worth the effort

my personal faves are Catherine Wheels, esp done with a color mix propellant, mortars and rockets are good too if the payload is worthy!
I think what a good many of these "Idiots" (probably too generous a term) don`t realise is the Power behind these things, I think if they had some idea, they would even Dream of perpetrating half the Crimes and risk personaly injury to themselves and others as they do.
I dare say there will be a few candidates up for a Darwin Award this year too.

 

[lulu]

When I first moved to the west country I was amazed by how much more prevalent fireworks are here. Historically of course there were fewer Catholic churches here and Guy Fawkes sees to be remembered more than anywhere else, where frankly it is Bonfore night, or Fireworks night, rather than Guy Fawkes Night. Fireworks get set off here, for Bonfire Night, or hey, just because its a Tuesday. It makes it very hard if you have pets and livestock. I love fireworks, and luckily so do my cats and the family dog...but the other animals don't. I just wish, if they did not make them public only, they were notifyable and people in the surrounding areas were made aware in advance. I had a horrid night once in October when I was trying to bring in a dozen horses from a field where fireworks from a neighbours land were raining in. We have had fireworks around hee every night in the last fortnight certainly, and often through the year.

The most popular Bonfire night treat is, I think, toffee apples.