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Why we celebrate the 5th of November?
If you’re from England, you are expected to know the significance of November 5th. It’s Guy Fawkes Night, but most people don’t really know who Guy Fawkes is or the story of this man. Sparklers and Roman candles are used by most houses on this day, but the concept of having bonfires and fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night is also equally unknown to them.
The story
1605 was the year when Guy Fawkes and his team engaged in an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, England. For this purpose, they obtained 36 barrels of fire powder and stored them in the Parliament’s basement. The motive of the destruction was to kill King James because he had proclaimed some laws against the Roman Catholics in England. Robert Catesby had formed a small group of people who were all of the opinion that they were being discriminated against by the monarchy.
The plan was set in motion by their purchase of a house right next to the Parliament. The night before November 5, they entered the Parliament through the cellar and set the barrels in such a way that it would explode right when the door was opened. Some people got cold feet in the middle of implementation and the plan leaked out in time for the King to foil it.
The role of Guy Fawkes
The responsibility of lighting the charge was given to a person called Guy Fawkes – on the morning of the specified date, soldiers marched into the house and arrested Guy in the cellar. He was tortured and executed. The survival of the King lead people to have bonfires on Guy Fawkes Night to celebrate the rebirth of the government. Whether it was because the King survived or because it was the first attempt to overthrow the government, this night is still being considered a reason for celebration.
Irrespective of what you are celebrating for, there would be a lot of fireworks available for your pleasure. From cheap fireworks to Christmas crackers and wedding fireworks, you’ll have a wide choice of fireworks and even indoor fireworks for children. If you’re more of a watcher than a person who sets off his own fireworks, there are public displays at various locations around London like the Bishops Park and the Crystal Palace. It doesn’t matter if you’re religious or not – you can go over to one of these locations to enjoy watching rockets shoot into the sky and exploding into beautiful patterns.
