Rebekah's Insights

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Monday’s Memoir

Last evening we experienced our first fireworks display in the cold. Yes, the explosions of light and color we usually associate with the celebration of United States Independence on a blistering hot day in July were seen in various areas of England this weekend. For our little family it was a “neighborhood” effort as the men folk from our little “farm community” set off the fireworks display for the enjoyment of the rest of us. Preceding the fireworks was a delicious potluck dinner of the following: assortment of pork pies and pasties, British “hot dogs” (I thought they were sausages with an unusual flavoring,) twice-baked potatoes, broccoli salad, mini pizzas, vegetarian sausages, dips, snacks, mulled wine, and other beverages. Directly following the dinner and accompanying socializing, most of our crowd headed outdoors for the fireworks where a sumptuous assortment of desserts and hot drinks were served out in the cold! (Liam had had QUITE enough fireworks the evening before, when they kept him from going to sleep at bedtime, so he came back into our friends’ house to play with toys. Aine is not one to keep a hat on her head for long, so she and I stayed indoors, as well, while I sipped Peppermint Tea and chased her around.)

Why, you may be asking? Why fireworks in November? The answer is that today, November 5th, is known as Guy Fawkes Day around here. Traditionally, it has been the celebration of the execution of Guy Fawkes, who is notorious for having been among those who plotted to blow up Parliament and King James I on the fifth of November in 1605. This was referred to as the Gunpowder Plot. While other traditions for celebrating this “holiday” are quite gruesome and morbid, in my humble opinion (as I said it was originally in celebration of the execution of a terrorist) not a word was mentioned about Fawkes at all at our little child-friendly gathering! :) (In British schools, Guy Fawkes and his death are taught about as early as Pre-school. We learned this because one of our neighbors was horrified during her child’s first year of school when he came home retelling her all the gory details!)

So we have experienced our first “holiday” British-style now. Many of the other “holidays,” here referred to as Bank Holidays, are simply a Monday when banks and some businesses are closed, but there is no name for it and nothing is celebrated. Interestingly enough, THIS holiday IS celebrated, yet no one gets a day off. It is fascinating to note the differences, small and great between here and home.