Remember, remember the 5th of November - Gunpowder treason and plot!
Today is Bonfire night in UK when the gunpowder plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 is commemorated. This is our traditional autumn money wasting event and I thought all of you around the world would like to know what goes on.An effigy of Guy Fawkes is burnt on a bonfire whilst letting off ridiculous amounts of fireworks and eating toffee apples, parkin and bonfire toffee. People are not encouraged to have their own bonfires now, but to go to well organised events which are safer, but there will still be very busy A&E departments all around the country tonight.
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Can you still buy fireworks? In Australia they have been banned except for in the ACT(Australian Capital Territory). We used to have bonfires on Cracker Night as we called it before the sales of fireworks were banned.
2 comments
by sewist1
06 Nov 2014
Interesting isn't it? Your government doesn't think they have to treat you like irresponsible children like ours does.
2350Thank you, Sue, I LOVE to hear about the different "celebrations" in our sister countries! What is parkin? Are toffee apples what we might call caramel apples? Hugs, Jan
1 comment
by spendlove
06 Nov 2014
Parkin is a treacly cake. Toffee apples are apples dipped in a boiled sugar which will set hard and crisp. I would expect caramel to be softer and chewy.
59631As well as all Sue says - fireworks scare the life out of animals - both domestic and wild.
We used to go to an organised event when the children were small as we believed that's what they wanted and enjoyed.....then a few years ago we learned that they only came along because they believed that's what we wanted and enjoyed. That caused so much laughter for us all, but my word that revelation touched us so deeply - to think that our children were so thoughtful of their Mum and Dad.
1 comment
566111383It sounds like a great night to stay in with your feet up and a good book in your hands.
169064What's parkin?
6 comments
by newrecruit
05 Nov 2014
It is a cake. The ingredients of a Yorkshire parkin are flour, oatmeal, black treacle (similar to molasses), fat (traditionally lard, but modern recipes use butter or margarine), brandy and ginger.
by asterixsew
05 Nov 2014
Brandy very nice, my mum missed that ingredient out so did my grandmother as she used to drink the stuff
66911Have a nice night. Here the money is wasted on New Year's Eve - and a lot of it, increasing every year, trying to chase away the bad spirits, without success.
1 comment
by spendlove
05 Nov 2014
We won't be going out tonight - it is nearly freezing now and we have been blown to bits at the seaside today.
145304I will be out with the boys and their mum at an event nearby. Its years since I have eaten parkin. We seem to go for hot dogs and bacon butties round here. Love the way you have said money wasting event. Enjoy tonight or not Sue
3 comments
by spendlove
05 Nov 2014
We haven't been to a bonfire since Kate was little. I do quite like firework displays in the summer.
115767We used to celebrate Guy Gawkes night in Adelaide November 5th when I was a wee lass, but this time of year in Australia is just too hot to have fireworks, so it was abandoned in the 1970's. Of course, as you know Australia is run on the Westminster government, so we are very aware of the plot against King James 1st and the House of Lords. I hope you enjoy your local festivities. Love Chris
2 comments
by pennifold
05 Nov 2014
Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!
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