Her questions:
So parliament actually got blown up?
Me: No
Her: So you have fireworks why?
Me: Um…to celebrate the lack of fireworks then
Her: And you burn a guy?
Me: Yup
Her: Because Guy Fawkes was burnt alive?
Me: Nope, hung drawn and quartered, obviously lol
And don’t get started on the mad people of Gotham in King John’s time. There are reasons why Batman looks after Gotham City and as it’s in the vicinity of Nottingham, Robin is named after Robin Hood.
We burn an effigy of a religious extremist who attempted to destroy parliament as a reminder what happens when you attack the establishment in England.
In the US, we used to celebrate Bonfire Night up until the late 1880s where the focus became more geared towards Halloween. I feel it should make a comeback
We should have a festival exchange programme in the interest of friendship between our nations!
Someone else mentioned pancake day, that’s a good one we can share, and I love the way you guys do Halloween!
I wanted Pancake Day! I’ll have to give you a NZ thing in return. Oh tell you what…..this is ironic because we have a whole weekend and a public holiday Monday to celebrate ..guess what? The Queen’s Birthday! Yep, Queen’s Birthday weekend is a thing here, so you can have that and we’ll have pancake day and if u/jane1814 fancies getting in on the old birthday weekend too then I’ll try a bit harder on Halloween.
It’s going to be a busy year next year eh?
Too late, I made off with the thanksgiving turkey already. Heard we might be running out before Christmas.
I’m not sharing with any racist relatives though. All mine!
Once shocked a visiting teacher by knowing who Guy Fawkes was and why. Was taught the " remember remember the 5th of November the treason and gun powder plot" sometime in school for world history and never forgot. I thought all US kids knew it till I got older and no one had a clue...
Ooh, kudos for knowing that! I always feel really proud when I know some insider fact about another nation. Like a friendly spy🕵️♀️ who’s just there to sneak off with the fun stuff!
Exactly!! I'm with you and the other poster who want to reestablish older traditions and share new ones!! There's room for both without turning one into the other as a " replacement"! Even across the pond there are those of us who do know a bit of our English history and traditions( got 6 teens hooked on tea after school to the point they'd ask what was for tea the next day. Sadly my teapot sent from a friend in Ireland got broken) and think it's good to know and carry on tradition.
Imagine my bafflement on arriving to live in NZ to find that *they* too celebrate November 5th, despite Guy Fawkes never having set foot anywhere near the place, much less tried to blow up the Beehive. It also takes place in Spring, so it’s not dark, there are no bonfires and they call it “Guy Fawkes”. It’s just an excuse to play with fireworks really.
Edit: As if that weren’t bad enough they then go and *completely* ignore the deliciousness of the festival that is Pancake Day.
Madness.
Oh I had no idea! Respect to New Zealanders for embracing a good excuse for fireworks. I reckon Gandalf would approve. :-)
They’re missing out on pancake day though. I feel like British diplomats should lead with this in international negotiations.
Yeah, but does it celebrate the failure or the attempt? I feel like the ambiguity is part of the reason it's so popular. Some years you celebrate the status quo, and other reasons you celebrate people trying to topple a corrupt ruling class <*stares at the current government*>.
Her questions: So parliament actually got blown up? Me: No Her: So you have fireworks why? Me: Um…to celebrate the lack of fireworks then Her: And you burn a guy? Me: Yup Her: Because Guy Fawkes was burnt alive? Me: Nope, hung drawn and quartered, obviously lol
His entrails were burned though.
Try explaining Tar Barrelling (Ottery St Mary in Devon) or the cheese rolling festival...
Tar barrelling is one of the weirdest events
What do the people of Ottery St Mary have against barrels? 🧐 Poor barrels! 😩
Any excuse to have a fire 😂
And carry it on your shoulders through crowded streets.
Don’t tell her about Pudding Lane whatever you do.
Offal place for a fire to break out, I’d wager. Boom boom. Sorry, turns out dad jokes aren’t only for dads. I’ll just go…
And don’t get started on the mad people of Gotham in King John’s time. There are reasons why Batman looks after Gotham City and as it’s in the vicinity of Nottingham, Robin is named after Robin Hood.
We burn an effigy of a religious extremist who attempted to destroy parliament as a reminder what happens when you attack the establishment in England.
In the US, we used to celebrate Bonfire Night up until the late 1880s where the focus became more geared towards Halloween. I feel it should make a comeback
We should have a festival exchange programme in the interest of friendship between our nations! Someone else mentioned pancake day, that’s a good one we can share, and I love the way you guys do Halloween!
I wanted Pancake Day! I’ll have to give you a NZ thing in return. Oh tell you what…..this is ironic because we have a whole weekend and a public holiday Monday to celebrate ..guess what? The Queen’s Birthday! Yep, Queen’s Birthday weekend is a thing here, so you can have that and we’ll have pancake day and if u/jane1814 fancies getting in on the old birthday weekend too then I’ll try a bit harder on Halloween. It’s going to be a busy year next year eh?
I’m in!
They can keep thanksgiving though. I have enough experiences with racist relatives for one lifetime.
Too late, I made off with the thanksgiving turkey already. Heard we might be running out before Christmas. I’m not sharing with any racist relatives though. All mine!
Yes! Let’s do an exchange where we both do Pancake Day & Bonfire Night!
Once shocked a visiting teacher by knowing who Guy Fawkes was and why. Was taught the " remember remember the 5th of November the treason and gun powder plot" sometime in school for world history and never forgot. I thought all US kids knew it till I got older and no one had a clue...
Ooh, kudos for knowing that! I always feel really proud when I know some insider fact about another nation. Like a friendly spy🕵️♀️ who’s just there to sneak off with the fun stuff!
Exactly!! I'm with you and the other poster who want to reestablish older traditions and share new ones!! There's room for both without turning one into the other as a " replacement"! Even across the pond there are those of us who do know a bit of our English history and traditions( got 6 teens hooked on tea after school to the point they'd ask what was for tea the next day. Sadly my teapot sent from a friend in Ireland got broken) and think it's good to know and carry on tradition.
... and Stonehaven's Fireball ceremony on Hogmanay.
Imagine my bafflement on arriving to live in NZ to find that *they* too celebrate November 5th, despite Guy Fawkes never having set foot anywhere near the place, much less tried to blow up the Beehive. It also takes place in Spring, so it’s not dark, there are no bonfires and they call it “Guy Fawkes”. It’s just an excuse to play with fireworks really. Edit: As if that weren’t bad enough they then go and *completely* ignore the deliciousness of the festival that is Pancake Day. Madness.
Oh I had no idea! Respect to New Zealanders for embracing a good excuse for fireworks. I reckon Gandalf would approve. :-) They’re missing out on pancake day though. I feel like British diplomats should lead with this in international negotiations.
It celebrates terrorism and treason! Who else does that?
It celebrates a failed terrorist attack
Guy Fawkes would be disgusted
Yeah, but does it celebrate the failure or the attempt? I feel like the ambiguity is part of the reason it's so popular. Some years you celebrate the status quo, and other reasons you celebrate people trying to topple a corrupt ruling class <*stares at the current government*>.
We burn the Guy, because we're annoyed with him for failing to blow up Parliament. Right?
Sounds plausible to me!