Guy Fawkes or Bonfire Night

     
           Guy Fawkes or  Bonfire Night

La Noche de Guy Fawkes (en inglés: Guy Fawkes Night), también conocida como Bonfire Night (la noche de las hogueras), Cracker Night o Fireworks Night (la noche de los fuegos artificiales), es una celebración que se realiza principalmente en el Reino Unido la noche del 5 de noviembre, para conmemorar el fracaso del atentado del 5 de noviembre de 1605, conocido como la conspiración de la pólvora, con el que una facción de católicos, entre los que se encontraba Guy Fawkes, intentaron destruir el palacio de Westminster, la sede del parlamento en Londres.

Historia de la fiesta de Guy Fawkes:


En la parte este de Inglaterra, desde 1605 era obligatorio por decreto celebrar la salvación del rey, una celebración que incluía espectáculos pirotécnicos y la construcción de hogueras sobre las que se quemaban los guys, unos muñecos con la efigie de Guy Fawkes, el más conocido de todos los conspiradores de 1605. La víspera del 5 de noviembre, los niños usaban los guys para pedir dinero al grito de penny for the guy. Tradicionalmente, el "penny" (penique) servía para comprar pirotecnia. Las celebraciones tienen en algunos casos peculiaridades específicas. En Lewes, Sussex, la celebración se mezcla con la conmemoración de la cremación de 17 mártires protestantes de la localidad, ocurrida durante la persecución de María Tudor. En Scotton, localidad de la que procedía Guy Fawkes, no se quemaban los muñecos, y hasta muy recientemente la escuela católica Stonyhurst College no hacía ninguna celebración, ya que entre sus alumnos se contaron tres de los conspiradores de 1605. En Ottery St Mary, Devon, se pasean por las calles barriles de brea ardiendo. En Irlanda del Norte, la celebración de fuegos artificiales y hogueras se asocia más con la noche del 31 de octubre, la noche de brujas (Halloween).

On the evening of 5 November, you may see lots of bonfires and fireworks in England, but why?

In England in 1605, Guy Fawkes was part of a band of 13 people who plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament with a large amount of gunpowder that they had concealed beneath the House of Lords. The Gunpowder Plot was foiled and Fawkes including his co-conspirators were caught before they could light the gun powder. They were charged with treason and executed the following January.

On 5 November 1605 Londoners were encouraged to celebrate the King’s escape from assassination by lighting bonfires. This custom has continued, and 5 November is often referred to as “Guy Fawkes day” or “Bonfire Night”.


Bonfires are often accompanied by fireworks. It was the custom to burn an effigy or a “guy” on the fire. This figure would usually be created by children from old clothes, newspapers and a mask.

We also celebrated Guy Fawkes Day in class!

HALLOWEEN

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Halloween History

The tangled origins of the October 31 holiday Halloween is known and loved today as a time to wear costumes, go door to door asking for candy, and watch monster movies. But the holiday’s origins go back centuries to the enactment of All Saints’ Day, a Christian holiday. Along the way, it has also picked up traditions from Samhain, a Celtic festival celebrating the start of winter.

All Saints’ Day

The name “Halloween” began as “All Hallows Eve.” This became “All Hallow E’en,” leading to “Hallowe’en,” or Halloween. It was the evening before All Hallows Day, which was later called All Saints’ Day. (In this case, “hallows” meant “saints.

All Saints’ Day, a feast for all martyrs and saints, was celebrated on November 1st for the first time during the 8th century, but customs varied regarding its observance. This date was officially established for all Catholic churches in 837 by Pope Gregory IV.

Starting in the 10th century, this feast was the eve of All Souls’ Day, which soon came to overshadow it.

Trick or Treat!

The general practice of going door-to-door for treats is clearly similar to a much older practice, “souling,” in which the poor would go from house to house begging for alms or food. However, the specific practice of “trick-or-treating” dates to around the 1930s. It is possible—though by no means certain—that it evolved as an antidote for the increasingly rowdy and costly Halloween pranks. It provided a healthier activity for the young and gave them an incentive not to play tricks.

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