is guy fawkes day like burning man?

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or what is guy fawkes day exactly? i've just heard of it. (american.) thanks.

― nein Socken (nein Socken), Saturday, 22 October 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

Guy Fawkes was a Catholic convert who conspired with other Catholics in a plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament - including the King and all of the government. He was caught beneath the buildings with lots of gunpowder on November 5th 1605, and was convicted and executed. Although this was by hanging, the tradition grew up to burn him in effigy each year on the same date, accompanied by fireworks. How much we are celebrating foiling an evil plot, and how much we are celebrating a good try, is open to debate. Mostly we're just playing with fireworks.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 22 October 2005 17:45 (twenty years ago)

is it a big party day? do people really have bonfires?

― nein Socken (nein Socken), Saturday, 22 October 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

he looked a little like this:

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0930289528.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

― kingfish neopolitan sundae (kingfish 2.0), Saturday, 22 October 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

Not many people have their own bonfires - I'm in a second floor flat, so it would be a risky move here - but there are big communal things, with lots of expensive fireworks and all that. We should organise an ILX fireworks party, except I don't know of any London ILXers with large gardens.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 22 October 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

Its like if a few years in the future Americans had Mohammed Atta day which they celebrated by constructing wooden models of the WTC from bits of wood they borrowed or stole from skips etc and firing firework rockets at them.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Saturday, 22 October 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

Correct, except it is obviously the complete opposite of it, in that the official reason has always been the crushing of an evil terrorist plot.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 22 October 2005 20:36 (twenty years ago)

However, some Catholic communities (especially those in the North of England, if memory serves) use Guy Fawkes as a day to pay tribute to a "martyr" to the Catholic cause.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 22 October 2005 20:41 (twenty years ago)

Okay Richard Reid

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Saturday, 22 October 2005 20:49 (twenty years ago)

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