Guy Fawkes Night

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

If you’re looking for a reason to stoke up the fire pit, November 5 is the perfect night to sit by the fire and burn things. England’s “Guy Fawkes Night” (aka “Bonfire Night” or “Fireworks Night”) commemorates the day in 1605 when a group of Roman Catholics, including Guy Fawkes, were caught trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

According to Britannica.com, “The Gunpowder Plot conspirators, led by Robert Catesby, were zealous Roman Catholics enraged at King James I for refusing to grant greater religious tolerance to Catholics. They planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster) during the state opening of Parliament, intending to kill the king and members of Parliament in order to clear the way to reestablishing Catholic rule in England. The plan failed when the conspirators were betrayed. One of them, Guy Fawkes, was taken into custody the evening before the attack, in the cellar where the explosives to be used were stashed. The other conspirators were all either killed resisting capture or—like Fawkes—tried, convicted, and executed. In the aftermath, Parliament declared November 5 a national day of thanksgiving, and the first celebration of it took place in 1606.”

Over the centuries the celebrations have become bigger and brighter with fabulous firework displays throughout England on the night of November 5th. Ironically, in 2002, Guy Fawkes was voted the 30th greatest Brit of all time (www.officeholidays.com).

So go ahead and throw an effigy on the fire to celebrate the fifth of November. Or if you’re not into fires, grab a cozy blanket and curl up in front of the telly to watch V for Vendetta (2005) or Gunpowder (2017). Either way, don’t forget to remember the infamous Guy Fawkes.