Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes's Day)

There is a special day in England which is called Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes's Day. On the fifth of November boys and girls got an old suit or maybe an old pair of dad's pants and an old jacket and stuffed them with straw or newspapers. Then they made a villainous-looking head (sometimes with a brightly coloured mask on it). If they could get a hat, they put that on too. The dummy was called a 'Guy'.

The children then marched their 'Guy' through the streets asking people for money: 'A penny for the Guy, mister?' If they collected enough money, they went and bought fireworks - rockets. and sparklers and the like.

As soon as it got dark, everyone, children and adults, made a huge bonfire and burnt the dummy on it. As the dummy burnt up, fireworks were set off and everyone chanted a rhyme:

Remember, remember

The fifth of November,

Gunpowder treason and plot.

We see no reason

Why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

But this practice has died out in recent years. The fear of strangers and the fact that children are not allowed to buy fireworks have put an end to it.

However, no one should still go hungry on this day, of course. Special foods go with the bonfire and the festivities - sweet chestnuts, bonfire toffee, roasted chicken and a parkin - a sweet, sticky cake.

Many people still hold bonfire parties and barbecues (even though it is usually really cold) and invite their friends to gather around the fire with them. However, because of the rising number of accidents that occur every year many communities hold professionally organised public displays. Parks, fields, and hills are chosen as places for these public bonfires .

One of the largest organised events in the UK is the Bridgwater Carnival in Bridgwater, Somerset. The procession is held each year on the Thursday nearest to November 5. It is an illuminated procession that takes about two hours to pass with over 130 entries made by various local carnival clubs. After the carnival, an annual squibbing display is held along the Bridgwater High Street when over 100 squibs (small fireworks) are set off at a time.

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