Fireworks Fiesta and Bonfire Night-bit of history lesson

So for the last couple of weeks we've been watching lots of fireworks in the area and Nicholas has been lulled to sleep by the popping noises of fireworks (I'm sure a lot of new parent's will be happy when the night noise stops--thankfully Nic isn't bothered by it (might have something to do with going to his first 4th July event when he was only 10 months old?).

Soon, on the 5th November, it's the official Guy Fawkes day or Bonfire night--I'm still learning about it. But apparently it goes like this:

Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated in Britain annually on November 5th. The event is accompanied by firework displays, the lighting of bonfires and the ceremonial effigy-burning of one Guy Fawkes. The origin of this celebration stems from events which took place in 1605 and was a conspiracy known as "The Gunpowder Plot," intended to take place on November 5th of that year (the day set for the opening of Parliament). The object of The Gunpowder Plot was to blow up English Parliament along with the ruling monarch, King James I. It was hoped that such a disaster would initiate a great uprising of English Catholics, who were distressed by the increased severity of penal laws against the practice of their religion. However, the conspirators group was so big, that secrecy became a problem and the plot leaked out by way of a mysterious letter. In the cellar under the House of Lords was 36 barrels (2 tonnes) of gunpowder and one Guy Fawkes who was arrested and then executed.

To this day it is a tradition when opening of a new session of Parliament is to search the basement by the Yeoman of the Guard. The actual cellar employed for the storage of the gunpowder in 1605 by the conspirators was damaged by fire in 1834 and totally destroyed during the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster in the Nineteenth Century.

On the very night of the thwarted Gunpowder Plot, it is said that the populace of London celebrated the defeat by lighting fires and engaging in street festivities. It would appear that similar celebrations took place on each anniversary and, over the years, became a tradition. This is also celebrated in New England States as Pope Day and in New Zealand and parts of Canada.

I'm unclear whether tonight was celebrating the above, or just the fact that it's legal at the moment to light off fireworks? In any case, it was a great night out..was sad not to have Daddy with us tonight as I think he would have enjoyed it! Nic and I rugged up in our scarves and we headed to Nic's school where they were using the playing field for the event. There was the biggest bonfire I had ever seen alight--before we got there, we could see the flames over the tops of trees! This picture is not very good and it was taken probably after the fire had been burning for a couple of hours--but it definitely lit up the playing field!

Not sure if he's looking impressed or not :) There was 30 mins of fireworks--and towards the end I think Nic was getting bored. But we stayed till the end and it was a good show!!