The fabulous RC did this last week and I liked it so much I thought I’d steal her idea have a go.
This week’s Fun Monday is hosted by Deborah The Humble Housewife who says:
With the holidays coming up I thought it would be fun to get an insight into holiday traditions in peoples homes. I want you to share a tradition, event, recipe or quirk that you or your family does or aspires to do during the holidays, whether those holidays be Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, or whatever you celebrate! Given that this is a food blog I am especially interested in recipes, but anything will do! Pictures are a plus! Bonus points for Thanksgiving, as I need all the help I can get with that one – as this year my American mother-in-law, brother’s girlfriend and her mother are coming!!!
And I was thinking, oooo what shall I pick?
Then I looked at the date…
5th November, Guy Fawkes Night, otherwise known as Bonfire night.
It celebrates the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot in which a group of Catholic conspirators, led by one Robert Catesby, and including Guy Fawkes, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in Westminster on the evening of 5 November 1605, when the Protestant James I of England (James IV of Scotland), his eldest sons, and the majority of the English Parliament were within its walls. The conspirators were later tortured and executed. (Wikipedia.com)
I know, cheerful bunch aren’t we?
But in many ways it has lost its political connections and become more a nod towards the past, a celebration of heritage/tradition…
In fact,
well,
..it’s kind of just an excuse for a bonfire, fireworks, sparklers and nice food.
As a small child I was taught some of the 18th Century poem,
Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot.
But to be honest, we were more interested in the fireworks and the nice food then as well.
My Dad used to do a small display in our garden when we were too young to be trusted anywhere near a real bonfire…
I think he had visions of one of us being mistaken for the guy, which was an effigy of failed plotter, Guy Fawkes that was burnt on top of the bonfire.
I think they probably originally looked like this…
But all the ones I’ve ever seen looked more like this…
Including one I made for the church bonfire when I was probably about 10 years old.
I remember thinking, ‘we never have a Guy at the church bonfire. I’ll make one.’
Of course now I realise why they never had one…
It was a Catholic Church…
…I blame the teachers.
But anyway, Bonfire Night. It was always cold and dark and past our bedtime, and we were wrapped up in hats, scarves and gloves, waving sparklers and marveling at my dad’s display. (Hmm, by itself, that sounds a bit odd doesn’t it.)
And when we were older, we went to enormous communal displays where I’d plan to meet at least one of my friends by writing my name up in the air with my sparkler so they’d be able to find me.
Ingenious plan right?
It never worked.
As an adult and a dog owner I got kind of turned off by bonfires during my late teens and early twenties, in that it was more of a ‘turn the music up as loud as you can and see if you can get your dog to wear ear muffs’ kind of night, but this year, as it’s happening anyway, and we have young kids who might appreciate it now, we are having a small bonfire party.
(Sorry Napoleon, but we won’t have many fireworks and we won’t go on late. I promise)
And I’ll be putting on the following munchies…
Bonfire Toffee
Toffee Apples
and
Jacket/Baked Potatoes
For all of these, and more Fireworks Party Recipes have a look here .
And remember, all of these are best served by the heat of the bonfire, when your breath hangs in the night air like a veil, your eyes are coloured by myriad patterns of exploding light, and the words ‘Ooooo’ and ‘ahhhh’ are spoken at least once by all those you have chosen to share the night with.
Happy Bonfire Night Everybody.
November 5th, 2007 at 1:48 am
ooh Jo, we’re soo in tune today ;o) But I guess that’s inevitable given the date …! Loved the bit about your Guy for your catholic church, you’ll be pleased to know that my protestant church had no such qualms!
November 5th, 2007 at 2:53 am
Have a great Fun Monday.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:43 am
BAN ALL FIREWORKS!
November 5th, 2007 at 4:49 am
Obviously living over here, we don’t celebrate this, but I’ve at least heard of it. But the bonfire and fireworks makes me think of Canada Day celebrations I used to go to in the tiny town my gran lived in. I’m still catching up on everyone’s posts yet…give me time, I’ll comment!
November 5th, 2007 at 5:22 am
lmao. You brought a Guy to a Catholic church? lol Oh, I’d have loved to see the look on the priest’s face for that. *snicker*
November 5th, 2007 at 5:22 am
Hi Jo Beaufoix,
Welcome to Fun Monday. Your first entry is not only fun; it is educational. Although I have heard of the holiday, I did not know much about the celebration. How wonderful to learn about Guy Fawkes Day on November 5th. Happy Guy Fawkes Day to you. I like your festive plans.
November 5th, 2007 at 5:43 am
oh my gosh i LOVED this post!
i never understood what the celebration of guy fawkes was all about, since it involved revolution that failed. i guess everyone is celebrating the failure? but how odd. it’s almost irish!
you really made me laugh out loud about bringing the guy to the catholic church. that was hilarious.
November 5th, 2007 at 5:53 am
Fireworks and bonfires are fun.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:49 am
Oh I love Bonfire Night I can’t believe I’m missing it this year! Last year I was in Mexico and the British Society held a Bonfire and invited loads of Mexicans – try explaining what your doing burning a guy in a very catholic country!
November 5th, 2007 at 8:20 am
Welcome to Fun Monday! And I love blowing stuff up – this sounds like a great holiday tradition. We usually buy a crapload of fireworks for New Year’s, but I totally forgot about that tradition.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:47 am
Hi,
I wonder why Guy Fawkes got all the blame? Sounds like a good reason to celebrate. The only bonfire we have in this town is the football team plays another team across the river and they have a bonfire the night before the game to celebrate and they burn rats (effigies) in honor (or dishonor) of the river rat team which by the way are really tigers!
November 5th, 2007 at 9:34 am
This post makes me feel very homesick. Boo hoo. Have fun and take care.
Mya x
November 5th, 2007 at 9:47 am
I once read a historical romance novel and learned all about this. I like your post better than I liked the book though. =)
November 5th, 2007 at 9:58 am
“I remember thinking, ‘we never have a Guy at the church bonfire. I’ll make one.’
Of course now I realise why they never had one…
It was a Catholic Church…”
Laughing out loud! I would also blame the teachers. Have a great time tonight!
November 5th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Bonfires and fireworks? You all are even nuttier than we are with the 4th of July!
I really have to laugh at making a dummy for the church…that didn’t really want one. Thanks for the education, great post!
November 5th, 2007 at 11:13 am
very interetesting…….I learn something new everyday.
November 5th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Sounds like you really are going to have a fun Monday. Enjoy!
November 5th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
I wrote this to another Brit, but I’ve always thought Guy Fawkes was a bit premature. I mean, he wanted to kill James I & then fast forward about sixty years & James II was Catholic! Silly Scots those Stuarts!
November 5th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Don’t forget the parkin – I love parkin!
November 5th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Fun!! I think I need to have a Guy Fawkes Bonfire tonight to melt some snow.
November 5th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Oh, people burned in effigy on my birthday? Next year, I’ll be burning George Bush. Thanks for giving me a new party theme!
November 5th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
I’ve heard of Guy Fawkes but didn’t realize it was actually celebrated anywhere. Sounds fun!
November 5th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Interesting…
November 5th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Wow! I never knew about this. Very interesting. Have a great time!
November 5th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Hi I really enjoyed this post ~ well being English I would. I have just been watching my neighbour’s fireworks from my window and I didn’t even have to stand out in the cold!
November 5th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Oooh– I have always loved a good bonfire. We’d have them at camp every summer, either on the beach or in a big clearing in the woods.
Also, I like that “V For Vendetta” movie—they say that little “Remember, Remember,” rhyme at the beginning of it.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
I looove bonfire night! Unfortunately there are so few bonfires now at the organised fireworks displays (specially round here). Health and safety rules really suck sometimes. It’s never so much fun if you aren’t peering through clouds of choking smoke to try to see the fireworks! They even banned sparklers at the display I went to on Saturday! Pah!
November 5th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
I’m not English (well, not in the last 300 years anyway!), but this sounds like so much fun. I wonder if I could get away with this celebrations here?
Maybe I could send the letter I get from the neighborhood association to you? You started it, after all!
Oh, and welcome to Fun Monday! This was a great first post.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
No one needs an excuse for fireworks. The toffee pics just gave me a cavity.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
I’ve never heard of this before. Like someone else said “you learn something new everyday!”
Welcome to Fun Monday!
November 5th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
I learned something new by reading – Thanks
November 6th, 2007 at 2:36 am
i totally *love* try to get your dog to wear earmuffs night. seriously how are you making such cute posts and having such an awesome bert word count?
November 6th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Thanks for joining. Guy Fawkes is still lightly celebrated here… but for um… different reasons!
November 6th, 2007 at 8:16 am
Oooo, I meant to tell you, I LOVE YOUR BLOG TITLE/HEADER…
Originality is a plus when there are 50 million blogs out there…;)!
November 6th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
I loved fireworks night as a kid! We didn’t have the connection to Guy Fawkes over in Australia but got the fireworks part transferred over. I was so sad when they banned fireworks.
I also love your blog header!
November 7th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Wow, thanks or all the comments.
I’m visiting you all to say hi rather than replying here.
I usually would but Nanowrimo is killing me and I’m so short of time.
Thanks again.
