Monday, 09 November 2009
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Crazy British Traditions: Guy Fawkes Night
I just spent half my evening trying to explain Guy Fawkes Night to some non-British colleagues.
"Why are there lots of fireworks tonight?" French boy had innocently asked.
"It's November 5th!" I'd answered.
"Ok....?"I realized that stating the date hadn't helped. "Every November 5th the British celebrate Guy Fawkes Night."
"GAY FORKS NIGHT!?" he exclaimed, looking as shocked as I was amused.
I could see there would be more explaining necessary!
"Not quite ... You see, there was this dude, Guy Fawkes. He was a Catholic conspirator who tried to blow up the King and Parliament on November 5th, 1605. He got caught just in time. Ever since we've had celebrations that night every year. We have fireworks. Buy sparklers. Light bonfires. Throw Guy Fawkes effigy's to the flames...""What is this? An effigy?"
"Like... a doll. You make a big life size dolls of Guy Fawkes, with old clothes and rags and you bung it on a bonfire..."
It was at this point that one of our Australian colleagues interjected: "My mum told me the British do that... and I thought she was shi*tting me!"And I realized that OK it might be slightly odd that thousands of British kids make bodies to bung on bonfires. Every year. And sometimes for monetary gain.
"But Why!? WHY DO YOU DO THAT!?" Frenchie was getting very confused.
"Who knows. Fills the cold void of early November I suppose?" was all the explanation I could give.And for the first time in the history of the world, the Aussies and the French came to a unanimous agreement. And it was that the British are strange. And not to be trusted with dolls.
Did you remember Guy Fawkes night? Do you know anyone who celebrated it?
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Comments (25)
Yeah, we celebrate it here too, I know the story and all that jazz.
Everyone buys them around this time of year because it's the only time they'll sell them.
cos fireworks are pretty. it's like 4th of july for brits.
I celebrated Guy Fawkes Night when I studied in England. It was so much fun. :)
gay forks night
LOL !
very witty post (:
As cool of a story as it is, does anyone else think the whole idea behind Guy Fawkes Night is a little... sadistic? Ridiculous? Unnecessary?
Don't get me wrong, it's a great story to remember remember on the 5th of november, but recreating, and even celebrating the murder of a murderer is a little weird. I didn't celebrate this year. I learned about it last year, and celebrated with everyone else (americanized), but this year, I decided not to...
I saw the fireworks and played with sparklers. It's a fun thing living in London haha.
Maybe..i should have wore my V mask..
Guy Fawkes night is one of the best nights of they year for me. Love the chaos it brings to our streets...
If it weren't for V for Vendetta, I wouldn't know anything about it.
But, really? You throw doll-bodies on the fire? That seems kind of...creepy...
Is it like, "Haha! You failed! We're gonna burn you up now!"? Or something else?
We like throwing mock-ups of people onto fires and using fireworks. Don't judge. :) Shows how great our celebrations are...
Well, after I saw V for Vendetta, I researched the holiday in-depth (because I'm crazy with the internet like that), and I learned all about November 5th, as well as the fact that we supposedly owe the slang word "guy" to Mr. Fawkes. But in all my research, I never came across the word "bung." What the heck does that mean??
I just know it from V for Vendetta.
Although I didn't realize people actually celebrate it like this, or at all to be honest.
i know what it is.. thanks to paddington [the bear].. there was an entire chapter dedicated to guy fawkes.
oh and very amusing post - the bit about the british being strange and not trusting them with dolls made me snicker quite loudly. :)
heyyyy theres a story behind it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
haha i'm in nz and we have guy fawkes here... they never say anything about history...
only how many times the firefighters were called the previous years -.- the rules are so strict its becoming a sad day.. and always in the middle of exams..
haha. Wow, sounds like fun.
Im English and celebrate Guy Fawkes night with fireworks & sparklers all that jazz but never herd of the effigy part nor seen it.
*laughs* Wish I lived in England! Bonfires to burn people- I mean effigies- uh.... ANYWAYS fire=fun ^^
NOT AN ARSONIST, just someone who thinks flames are pretty ^^
bonfire night is one of my favourite times of the year! :)
i went to a huge bonfire with loads of pretty fireworks. there was a state fair in, food stands, all that jazz. awesomeeeee.
You guys are crazier than us stupid Americans. Lol, just kidding.
^_^ what a festivity!
i always make a huge deal about it, but living in the usa...
no one knows what im talking about.
Remember, Remember,
The Fifth of November,
Gunpowder, Treason, and Plot.
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Haha yes i went to a big bonfire to watch a fireworks display with some friends, then we got some chips and then we went to the pub asnd consumed quite a lot of beer. How British i sound, haha. :-p
Chips = fries, just incase any American folk got confused. (FAT chips wrapped in paper just how we likes it!)
I live in Newfoundland, Canada. Every year my town has a huuge bonfire on November 5th, for Guy Fawkes night.
haha. it's cool that there's tradition. who cares if it doesn't really make sense? ;D