What is Bonfire night Actually for??

[Kukakkau]

Wait, we celebrate it because he died? I thought we were cheering for him.

Why would we cheer for a traitor? Why would we burn effigies of someone we like?
We celebrate the fact his treasonous arse was killed. At least, this is what i was taught. And it gives us an excuse to set shit on fire, set off fireworks and buy fireworks to extract the gunpowder to make hand grenades just in case of invasion, revolution or zombies throughout the rest of the year

Or if you're Scotish like me you celebrate it as "so close yet so far"

But in seriousness it's just a major event in history that we remember by burning guys and launching fireworks

 

[Sion_Barzahd]

I'm actually quite shocked that people don't remember the gunpowder treason plot.

Its a brilliant piece of British history.

 

[Ironic]

To celebrate the death of a man who decided to stand up to the british government....... Yeah ain't society just wonderful.

HE WAS WORKING AGAINST US FOR THE SPANISH!



[HEADING=1]THE SPANISH!!!![/HEADING]

 

[lolmynamewastaken]

its for burning shit and blowing other shit up.

 

[InvisibleMilk]

To drink, enjoy fire, and of course, cop some feels.

 

[cartzo]

looking at the stupid old traditionalist twats that run britian nowadays, i really wish that fawkes had succeeded and blown that pointless building to pieces. did you know it costs the tax payer 4 million pounds every year to maintain that building.

15 whole pence a year per person! O NOEZ!

So, let me get this straight, you actively support terrorism because a national monument wouldn't cost your mum and dad an extra 30p between them?

not only because of that, if he had succeeded the political system of this country would be alot more modern than it is now. at the moment its full of so much trditionalism it's embarrasing.

also back then the houses of parliment were not a major landmark, frankly they were barely a shed.

also did you bother to check why fawkes was planning to blow up parliment.

 

[Squarez]

looking at the stupid old traditionalist twats that run britian nowadays, i really wish that fawkes had succeeded and blown that pointless building to pieces. did you know it costs the tax payer 4 million pounds every year to maintain that building.

15 whole pence a year per person! O NOEZ!

So, let me get this straight, you actively support terrorism because a national monument wouldn't cost your mum and dad an extra 30p between them?

not only because of that, if he had succeeded the political system of this country would be alot more modern than it is now. at the moment its full of so much trditionalism it's embarrasing.

also back then the houses of parliment were not a major landmark, frankly they were barely a shed.

also did you bother to check why fawkes was planning to blow up parliment.

No, because your argument had nothing to do with it.

In your post you argued that he should have blown up that "pointless" building. But seeing as it's a national monument and a huge part of this country's heritage, not to mention that it's where Parliament meets, I'd hardly describe it as pointless.

But if you'd rather spend that 15p of a Freddo bar then be my guest, you clearly just have no rationality.

 

[cartzo]

looking at the stupid old traditionalist twats that run britian nowadays, i really wish that fawkes had succeeded and blown that pointless building to pieces. did you know it costs the tax payer 4 million pounds every year to maintain that building.

15 whole pence a year per person! O NOEZ!

So, let me get this straight, you actively support terrorism because a national monument wouldn't cost your mum and dad an extra 30p between them?

not only because of that, if he had succeeded the political system of this country would be alot more modern than it is now. at the moment its full of so much trditionalism it's embarrasing.

also back then the houses of parliment were not a major landmark, frankly they were barely a shed.

also did you bother to check why fawkes was planning to blow up parliment.

No, because your argument had nothing to do with it.

In your post you argued that he should have blown up that "pointless" building. But seeing as it's a national monument and a huge part of this country's heritage, not to mention that it's where Parliament meets, I'd hardly describe it as pointless.

But if you'd rather spend that 15p of a Freddo bar then be my guest, you clearly just have no rationality.

but you still can't dispute that if he had succeeded this countries political system would be far more modern, and we would be rid of the house of commons, a place poloticians shout at each other and solve nothing in the process.

you'r argument seems to stem o the benefit of heratige, which (other than a very small amount of tourism) does nothing for the people.

 

[Lord Mountbatten Reborn]

Thanks for damaging my eyesight OP. Those extra question marks helped me figure out you were asking a question.

Guy Fawkes is his name. Bonfire night is yet another holiday. We like holidays. Are you going to ask about Christmas too? (Jesus wasn't born on Christmas, before you inevitably get it wrong). You know the history of it I assume?

 

[Hosker]

OK. Let me get in here because I am from Lewes in the south of england which is a small town quite near brighton. We have possibly the largest bonfire night celebrations in the world relative to our size and our towns population more than triples on bonfire night.

We celebrate it because we, historically speaking, are a very protestant town and of course bonfire night is specifically about the plot by catholics, Guy Fawkes e.t.c., to blow up our government and king. However as you who know history will be aware there was a lot of "toing and froing" between a national catholic religion and a national protestant religion during the Tudor period. During this time it switched between protestants and catholics being oppressed and punished for their religion. During one period of protestant oppression, in Lewes there were twenty protestants burnt at the stake for their beliefs and we celebrate these protestant martyrs in lewes and of course celebrate the death of catholics, Guy Fawkes, and we call for the Pope to be burnt.

Now I know what you're thinking, "steady on daveman, that can't be true in this politically correct present day we live in." However I assure you it is. Of course it is just as most holidays are nowadays, all the fun of the celebration without any of the thought behind it, i.e. nobody really wants to kill the pope. In fact it is much more a celebration of the power of the people as everyone takes over the streets and parades with flaming torches.

Any way, if you want to know more do feel free to look us up.

P.S. I would like to say I do not want any catholics dead. I promise.

Most people probably don't know the motivation behind it; they just celebrate it as it's tradition. Your saying your town celebrates it because it was a Protestant victory over Catholics?

 

[Hosker]

looking at the stupid old traditionalist twats that run britian nowadays, i really wish that fawkes had succeeded and blown that pointless building to pieces. did you know it costs the tax payer 4 million pounds every year to maintain that building.

15 whole pence a year per person! O NOEZ!

So, let me get this straight, you actively support terrorism because a national monument wouldn't cost your mum and dad an extra 30p between them?

not only because of that, if he had succeeded the political system of this country would be alot more modern than it is now. at the moment its full of so much trditionalism it's embarrasing.

also back then the houses of parliment were not a major landmark, frankly they were barely a shed.

also did you bother to check why fawkes was planning to blow up parliment.

No, because your argument had nothing to do with it.

In your post you argued that he should have blown up that "pointless" building. But seeing as it's a national monument and a huge part of this country's heritage, not to mention that it's where Parliament meets, I'd hardly describe it as pointless.

But if you'd rather spend that 15p of a Freddo bar then be my guest, you clearly just have no rationality.

but you still can't dispute that if he had succeeded this countries political system would be far more modern, and we would be rid of the house of commons, a place poloticians shout at each other and solve nothing in the process.

you'r argument seems to stem o the benefit of heratige, which (other than a very small amount of tourism) does nothing for the people.

These "poloticians" are the people who run the country. Even if Guy Fawkes did succeed, a new parliament almost certainly would have been elected anyway.

 

[Sir-jackington]

In Northern Ireland we don't really bother wiht bonfire night but theres always the 12th but even that just seems to be a reason to get drunk by a big fire.....well nowadays thats all it is for most people

 

[IRaithI]

UK only pretty much, though some ex-pats still celebrate it in other places.

Effectively its an excuse to light a big fire, blow up a few thousand pounds worth of fireworks and make toffee apples.

Of course, there is the rhyme:
"Remember, remember, the 5th of November, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot. I know of no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot."

So there you go, we keep burning effgies of Guy Faulks because the 1700s tell us to. And sod it, if the Yanks can have 4th of July as an excuse to launch fireworks into the air, then we are keeping 5th of November.

Your comment is full of epic win...nuff said.

 

[punkrocker27]

Yeah I never really got it either seeing as the guy FAILED and absolutely nothing happened. That's like celebrating tyranny.

 

[llew]

UK only pretty much, though some ex-pats still celebrate it in other places.

Effectively its an excuse to light a big fire, blow up a few thousand pounds worth of fireworks and make toffee apples.

Of course, there is the rhyme:
"Remember, remember, the 5th of November, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot. I know of no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot."
seconded, we celebrate someone's failed attempt at blowing shit up, by blowing shit up every year
So there you go, we keep burning effgies of Guy Faulks because the 1700s tell us to. And sod it, if the Yanks can have 4th of July as an excuse to launch fireworks into the air, then we are keeping 5th of November.

 

[punkrocker27]

What the hell anyone else getting this posting lag...

 

[Hoplon]

We often burn hated figures of the day in effigy rather than always Fawkes, Like thatcher in the 80's or Tony Blair in the early 2000's

plus it's fun and we get to burn big fires and set off fireworks.

 

[Eagle Est1986]

Jesus wasn't really the son of God, we still celebrate Christmas and Easter. Why not celebrate the failure of an idealist? It's a decidedly British thing to do after all.

 

[Varrdy]

Hell why not? It's not every day you can light a bonfire, scoff jacket potatoes and launch explosive rockets into the air without being called odd! For some reason, some people can't tell the difference between Halloween and Bonfire Night because, round here at least, the fireworks started several days ago.

I am totally disinterested in Halloween personally, something which has unfairly seen me labelled as a "grouch" byt some people, but I love Bonfire Night.

I like rockets, I like it when things explode (and no-one gets hurt) and fireworks combine the two. Plus they can look pretty bloody spectacular! Bonfires are ok too, it's just when people start dancing around them naked that I start to worry (unless all the dances are female and who's boobs still defy gravity, of course).

Sure I know it's all about Guy Fawkes and his foiled plot. I also know that Christmas is supposed to be the celebration of the birth of Jesus but: a) I'm an athiest and b) Christians ripped the holiday off for themselves so who cares about Jesus anyway? Well plenty of deluded folk actually but not bloody me, matey!

Why do I like / celebrate Christmas? Simple - most people I know start to be nicer to each other (or at least pretend to) and, hey, any excuse to over-eat and drink booze until your eyes are pickled!

I still go in for the giving and receiving thing, mostly because it's the done thing. I just call it Christmas because I've always called it that.

Wardy
PS Dear Santa, I've been a good boy AGAIN so where the bloody hell is my jetpack?