Guy Fawkes Day!

Sorry, I think I was high when I suggested the Moon Festival as my next holiday (maybe later this week). What I really meant was:
HAPPY GUY FAWKES DAY!!

For those of you not familiar with Guy Fawkes, he's known to have conspired to blow up Parliament in London! Here's what Brittania.com's got to say (oops, too boring) Wikipedia's got to say (ugh, too boring too!) Somehow, I thought this was a sexier holiday, mostly because people celebrate by BURNING THINGS IN EFFIGY!! Firefirefirefire!

Okay, continuing: In 1605, Guy Fawkes et. al. tried to blow up Parliament and King James I of England by setting up a room in the basement and filling it with gunpowder. This attempt was foiled on November 5, 1605, and Mr. Fawkes and conspiritors were subsequently hanged, drawn, and quartered (and their heads were put on pikes).

And of course, the CELEBRATION! What do people do on Guy Fawkes Day?

From Wikipedia:

"In the United Kingdom, celebrations take place in towns and villages across the country in the form of both private and civic events. They involve fireworks displays and the building of bonfires on which traditionally "guys" are burnt, although this practice is not always observed in modern times. These "guys" are traditionally effigies of Guy Fawkes, the most famous of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators. Although the night is celebrated in York (Fawkes' hometown) some there do not burn his effigy, most notably those from his old school. Before the fifth, children traditionally use the "guys" to request a "penny for the guy" in order to raise funds with which to buy fireworks.

In the United Kingdom, there are several foods that are traditionally consumed on Guy Fawkes Night:

• black treacle goods such as bonfire toffee and parkin,
• toffee apples
• baked potatoes, more commonly and traditonally referred to as jacket potatoes in the UK, which are wrapped in foil and cooked in the bonfire or its embers
• black peas with vinegar"

Awesome! So, to you all, go and light a fire tonight in the spirit of Guy Fawkes, or just toast to him, "The only man who entered Parliament with honest intent." If the spirits call, chant this verse:

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I can think of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!