Writing about another country’s holiday can always be a bit of a dicey thing…in an attempt to explain the tradition and custom of a particular celebration, the visitor to another country can sometimes “get it wrong”. Apologies in advance if this Yank does just that.
Last Sunday’s trip back to Bristol afforded me a rare opportunity to learn of a UK British holiday known as Guy Fawkes Day. The reason I even learned about it is that as I flew into the Bristol International Airport, I could see a fireworks display from below my plane. A first, to be sure, as I have never looked down on a fireworks show. Curious as to what all of the hullabaloo was all about, I politely inquired of my fellow passenger sitting beside me, “What gives?”
Short answer: it’s “Guy Fawkes Day”. OK, that really did not clue me in. A few days and one Google later, the full story was revealed.
November 5th marks the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, a conspiracy to blow up the English Parliament and King James I on the day set for the king to open Parliament in 1605. The anniversary of this day is named after Guy Fawkes, the most famous of these conspirators.
As so many things of this day and time, religious differences were at the heart of this matter. Apparently, the English Catholics were distressed by the increased severity of penal laws against the practice of their religion. Several conspirators, including a soldier of the British army by the name Guy Fawkes, conceived of the plan to blow-up Parliament to make their grievances known.
The plot consisted of 36 barrels of gunpowder which were overlaid with iron bars and firewood, and were secretly stored in one of the cellars of Parliament. Sadly, too many people were involved in the plot, and a mysterious letter spilled the beans regarding the conspiracy. Guy Fawkes was captured as he entered the cellar where the materials were located. Other conspirators, overtaken in flight or seized afterward, were killed outright, imprisoned, or executed.
While the plot was the work of a small number of men, it provoked hostility against all English Catholics and led to an increase in the harshness of laws against them. Guy Fawkes Day, November 5, is still celebrated in England with fireworks and bonfires, on which "guys", or dummies, representing Guy Fawkes, the most infamous of the conspirators, are traditionally burnt.
By the way, fireworks set off by local hooligans continued through the night, until, at last count, 3:30 AM, when I finally fell asleep. OK…moving on…
The next morning, as I joined my UK colleagues and clients in meeting, I began to see people donning boutonnières of red poppies on the lapels. Again, after some inquiry, I learned that this custom relates to Remembrance Day (in the UK), but is also known around the world in other Commonwealth countries as Poppy Day or Armistice Day. Poppy Day is the original name of the holiday to commemorate the sacrifice of veterans and civilians in World War I and other wars. Traditionally, it is observed on November 11 to recall the end of World War I on that date and is specifically dedicated to members of the armed forces who were killed during this war. In the US, we know this as Veteran’s Day.
In the UK, although two minutes' silence is observed on November 11 itself, the main observance is on the second Sunday of November, also known as Remembrance Sunday. Ceremonies are held at local communities', poppy wreaths are laid by local organizations at military cemeteries and war memorials, and the “Last Post” is played by a trumpeter or bugler, followed by two minutes' of silence. So, while Remembrance Day will officially be held this coming Sunday, people began wearing the red poppy buttons a few days before the actual holiday . A nice touch….
Hope this lesson in UK November Holidays 101 has been interesting as well as accurate. Revision and corrections are welcome!
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