Bonfire Night

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
Gunpowder treason and plot.
We see no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot

I know you celebrate Holloween in the States, but what about Bonfire Night on the 5th of November? The Gunpowder Plot occured in 1605, so way before the revolution. What about in Canada and Australia?

I used to work with some Americans who were very confused when they were offered bonfire toffee and parkin on the 5th and asked which bonfire party they were going to.

But talking of Halloween, the 4th of November is Mischief Night in Yorkshire - a night of humour and hooliganism - where doorbells are rung repeatedly, house numbers are unscrewed and interchanged with other houses, bins emptied in gardens etc etc. Very funny for the kids, but not for all the adults.....

Are there any strange regional traditional events like this in your area?

October 30th has traditionally been Mischief Night here in the States. It was common to set things on fire, and it got so bad in some cities (like Detroit), that the police have really been vigilant in making sure it doesn't happen any more.

We don't have mischief night in Berkshire. Is it a Yorkshire thang?

But we do have firewoks going off for about 2 weeks before, and 2 weeks after 5th November.

Last year, when Ferdy was still living rough I was worried sick about him. Thankfully this year he'll be tucked up on the sofa watching endless TV repeats with the rest of us.

Flimflam--is November 5th also known as Guy Fawkes day?

Mischief Night is sometimes called Hell Night, especially in Detroit as already mentioned. A few years ago I was living in that area, and there were a lot of news stories asking people to be on the lookout for suspicious activity around vacant buildings, or to watch for bags of paper and rags on porches. They really managed to cut down on fires that night.

Mostly, it's soaping windows, toilet papering trees, silly stuff.

Bren, yes, bonfire night is also Guy Fawkes - with children making a "guy" to be burnt on the bonfire. And also dragging around the guy, shouting "penny for the guy" for weeks beforehand.

It is also Diwali (Hindu festival of lights) on 4th of November this year, so extra extra fireworks going off. Oh joy! For you UK people of a certain age - I can't go near fireworks after the advert from the 70s with a firework being thrown around a corner and going BANG in a young girl's face.... URGH! Bonfire night has me and the cats hiding in bed.

Yola, yes Mischief night is a very Yorkshire thang - I'd never heard of it until I moved here.

Shout me down if you will - but I think there should only be organised firework displays allowed.

A. It's very scary for animals with all the loud noises
B. It does tend to drag on and on and on . . . infact, someone was letting off firecrackers today - cats freaked.
C. Its hellishly dangerous. Although sales are (allegedly) restricted to over 16s, unscrupulous shop keepers do sell to kids. A girl at school was horribly scarred on the face and arms by an unruly firework going of prematurely.

I love fireworks, they're very emotive and powerful - but en mass, not just the odd banger or rocket going off.

JMHO . . .

We walk around from door to door begging for candy!!!

How crazy are we?!?!

(teaching our children to dress up and beg)

Back home we never used to get any fright nights, or trick & treaters, I am not to sure what it will be like this year as there are a lot more kids on this street.

I agree with Yola about the fireworks, I do really enjoy them myself but where I live people always seems to be setting them off, all year round, so you never even know when it's best to keep your pets indoors.

As well as not being very strict re the age limit the shopkeepers fireworks don't give any warnings when you buy them if they are suitable for having in a samll garden unless you read the small print.

Marie

Whether fireworks are for sale to individuals is a State by State thing as to whether it's legal or not. Of course, you can just drive to a State where it is legal and buy them. Technically it's not legal to blow them off if you drive back home with them - but many people do. You'd probably get fined or something if you got caught. They're very dangerous!

We have this debate every year (around the 4th of July in the US). They are legal in Colorado (as long as they don't blow up or shoot off the ground), but illegal in the city limits of most towns/cities. This last year they were totally banned because of the fire danger. But like Laurie said, they are all legal in Wyoming, which is just a 2 hour drive from here. There is always some nut who blows his hand off. I used to like them, but I got over that after my wild teenage years. The thrill of blowing something up just to do it is long gone.

I don't really have strong feelings about it one way or another, I just wish people would be more safe about it.