Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated on the night of November 5th. It celebrates the attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, one of the first instances of terrorism in world's history.
When James I became king of England in 1603, he passed harsher laws against the Catholics who didn't attend Church of England services, and put to death Catholic priests.
A group of Catholics who were not happy with this situation decided to bring down the government.They recruited Guido Fawkes, an explosive expert, and made a plot against the King. Some passers-by saw Guy Fawkes and the other plotters with the gunpowder and told the authorities on them. On November 5th 1605, Guy Fawkes was arrested, put on a bonfire and burned to death.
Guy Fawkes Night, also called Bonfire Night, is the most popular outdoor celebration in Britain. In every town people set up a bonfire in the main square and gather around it to watch the fireworks.There's also special Guy Fawkes food, Bangers and mash, shepherd's pie, cottage pie, warm soups, parkin, baked potatoes and toffee apples.
Traditionally children make a mock guy out of old clothes and burn it on the bonfire as a representation of the real guy who was burned at the stake in 1605.
Some people prefer smaller celebrations at home with their family and friends. They set up a bonfire in the garden and spend the night together around the bonfire.They eat the traditional Guy Fawkes food and maybe burn their own mock guy too.