Photo courtesy of JustinLing
Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot.
Some might say that November, particularly Thanksgiving is the beginning of the holiday season. The leaves are falling, and morning frost appears more often as winter approaches. I have an admiration for the Thanksgiving Holiday and everything that it represents, from gratitude to family and a genuine appreciation for the harvest and everything that it represents. In fact, I am annually, fully invested.
November 1947: The staff and children of the Aldersbrook Children’s Home, Wanstead, celebrating Guy Fawkes Day. (Photo by Ron Burton/Keystone/Getty Images)
Thanksgiving has not been a part of my yearly celebrations for my whole life however. Although I live in the USA and my wife and daughters are born and raised in the USA, I was born a British citizen. When asked to write a piece about the Thanksgiving holiday, I frankly find myself unqualified. So here is my British take on a holiday, celebrated in the UK every year on the fifth of November. Here is its story.
Also known as Bonfire night, as well as Guy Fawkes night, the fifth of November has a somewhat dark origin.
It all began on what was most likely a dreary, grey day in London (although the sun shines occasionally in London, it rarely happens in November). The British Government, AKA, Parliament was meeting in the House of Lords along with King James the 1st on the fifth of November 1605. At some time that morning, a man by the name of Guy Fawkes was found underneath the House of Lords with nothing but some matches, a clock and 36 barrels of Gun powder. Discovered by Sir Thomas Knyvett and Edmund Doubleday, Mr Fawkes was the trigger man for a conspiracy that intended to blow King James and his entire Parliament to kingdom come in one fell swoop. The plot failed, and Guy Fawkes was executed and sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered.
The Bonfire night celebration is now represented by Fireworks, cooking something over an open flame, and burning a large wood fueled bonfire. As a child we would gather old clothing, stuff it full of newspaper and mount it on a pole to represent the effigy of Guy Fawkes. Then, in all the festiveness that this holiday brings, the “Guy” is cheerily hurled onto to the fire to burn while onlookers reflect and ponder the origin of this celebrated holiday amid bursts of colorful fireworks.
Here is a great Smoked Cocktail recipe that can be appreciated around any bonfire, with or without a life size effigy representing the demise of the conspirator/holiday maker, Guy Fawkes.
Written by Matt Curmi who is British-born and grew up traveling extensively by sailboat for 11 years with his family. Oh ya, he’s also Wildwood Grilling’s Master Chef!
