Remember, Remember, The 5th of November

Remember, Remember, The 5th of November

I lived in England for five years while I went to graduate school and my eldest son, Ryan, was born there.  We embraced the culture there and to this day we still celebrate things that are part of our heritage.

November 5 will forever be celebrated as Guy Fawkes Day and Bonfire night and Fireworks Night!  Its history dates back to November 5, 1605, when Guy Fawkes, who was a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding explosives that the plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords.  The Catholic Plotters had planned to assassinate King James I and his parliament.  To celebrate the survival of King James I the people lit bonfires around London.  Some months later it was mandated that the day be observed as a public day of thanksgiving for the failure of the plot.

In modern times Guy Fawkes Day is often celebrated with an effigy of Guy Fawkes burned in a fire, and marshmallows roasted and there are many public celebrations.  We lived on Hartlepool Close in Manchester and there was a public park at the bottom of our street, everyone from the neighborhood gathered there with firewood, sparklers, and fireworks to celebrate.