Adventures in Anything & Everything: Guy Fawkes burns away my troubles!

So I celebrated a little early Guy Fawkes Day! It is traditional celebrated on November 5th, but that falls on a Tuesday this year making it a little difficult to celebrate during the week.

What is the hype of Guy Fawkes Day you might wonder... it started with a plot to blow up the House of Parliament on November 5, 1605. The plot was thwarted and Guy Fawkes was tortured to give up the names of the others who were involved. There is a poem about the Gunpowder Plot, I found this version of the English Folk Verse (c.1870) at a poem of the week website.

The Fifth of November

Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!
Guy Fawkes and his companions
Did the scheme contrive,
To blow the King and Parliament
All up alive.
Threescore barrels, laid below,
To prove old England's overthrow.
But, by God's providence, him they catch,
With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
A stick and a stake
For King James's sake!
If you won't give me one,
I'll take two,
The better for me,
And the worse for you.
A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
A penn'orth of cheese to choke him,
A pint of beer to wash it down,
And a jolly good fire to burn him.
Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

Today people burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes (or the Pope) and anyone else that is deemed to be an enemy of the people that year. This is a British holiday, but I think it should be celebrated in the United States. It is a chance to sit around a bonfire eating hot foods and talking with friends! What a great way to spend an evening!