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"Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot"
Wait, remember what? Well, Guy Fawkes and his part in an attempt to blow up England’s Parliament in 1605.
Why? Because Guy was an English Catholic and he wanted to ‘splode the Protestant aristocracy that controlled England at the time. Read more about it with these links here: parliament.uk; Wikipedia; Gunpowder Plot Society.
Nowadays, November 5th is an English holiday. Fun.
And how might you observe Guy Fawkes Night here in San Francisco? Here are our suggestions:
* Have some gunpowder tea. It’s a form of green tea rolled into pellets with a smoky tang. Here’s a link to tea rooms ‘round the Bay Area. And, while we’re on the subject, don’t forget about Pinhead Gunpowder – the East Bay pop-punk semi-supergroup with Aaron Cometbus on the drums and Green Day’s Billie Joe guitarin’. They got their name from the Pingshui Gunpowder variety of the tea, and their split seven-inch single with Dillinger Four is as bracing as a cuppa gunpowder. Mmm.
* Be glad that our monarchy is less obviously ostentatious than England's, if no less an annoyance.
* For fireworks in your mouf, get hot salsa on your burrito instead the mild salsa you usually get (, wuss). Look to the oracle of burritoeater.com for guidance (and mustaches).
* “God save the Queen / she ain't no human being / there is no future / in England's drrrreaming”
Bump some Sex Pistols. Can y’ believe they’ve been around more than 30 years? Gawrsh.
* Read a graphic novel written by Alan Moore, the iconoclastic scribe of the Fawkes-centric V For Vendetta. (Bonus nerdiness: if someone asks you what book you're reading, don't credit him. Moore is notoriously prickly about his non-creator-owned work.)
* Blow up on a dance floor. That is, dance in such an impressive fashion on a dance floor that people around you will be impressed enough to admirin’ly intone under their breath to one other, “aw, they’re blowing up, son!”
* Don't be a jerk to someone who has a different belief system than you. Seriously.
* Got suggestions for more ways to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night? Add ‘em in the comments section, smart guy!
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There's an effigy burning and bonfire every year in Muir Beach at the Pelican Inn:
http://pelicaninn.com/holiday.html
Awesome!, thanks SednaBoo!
Does anyone know of any other Guy effigy burns in the Bay Area?
You're welcome. That's the only one I know of. This holiday clearly needs to be imported more fully. It has something for everyone! Bushies will like the celebration of the foiling of a religious fundamentalist terrorist plot, and anti-establishment types will like the Alan Moore angle...
In order to best celebrate this holiday, commence exploding fireworks in you back garden a good fortnight prior to the actual event. Show no regard for you neighbors or their pets. Drink heavily throughout (well, that's all the time now itsn't it?)
It's also the day Doc Brown slipped in the bathroom and came up with the flux capacitor. You know. It allows time travel with a delorean. It's a big day in history...
strangely enough, some of my students were telling me that at least one kid from each high school would be taking Guy Fawkes Day off...despite it being an English holiday and all. But they actually knew the history, which was pleasantly surprising. However, they could give me no logical argument about how it related to them. Just that they thought blowing up Parliament was a cool idea. ::sigh::
Re: SednaBoo = Indeed, sounds like there's something in Guy Fawkes Night for anyone who looks for their own preconceived notions in it... just like the Team America World Police movie! And that's great. Heck, any excuse to have a good time! I'm glad that Bastille Day is getting a bit larger each year in SF also. What holidays deserve some extra love?
St. Crispin's Day?
Mabon?
Holi/Phagwah?
Vesak?
Purim?
Hey, write in some more if you know 'em -- maybe we'll make posts out of the holidays and people will have yet more reason to have a good time!
Re: camdenbird = Blowin' stuff up? Heavy drinking? No regard for neighbors or self?
Hmm, yeah; sounds like a holiday that SF and 'Merricuh can get really behind! It's practically already American!
(And yes, the drinking's pretty much all the time around here... but holidays bring the "theme" component into it... huzzah. )
Re: genifa = Right! Awesome! An important day for all of history!
Did you know that MIT recently held a time traveler convention? The idea being that you'd only need one time traveler convention... Silly? Yes. Cute? Oh yes.
Here's the link to the convention's site.
Here's the link to the inspiration for the whole thing.
Here's the link to NPR's coverage of the convention.
:D
Re: iris = Well, it is pleasant that they learned something. Sounds like the kids watched/read V For Vendetta... and it's cute that they thought that they could use it to get a day out of school. Watch for these kids to start bringing in all sorts of holidays to see which ones stick. [sigh] Ahhh, the learning process...
"Remember / REMEMBER! / The fifth / OF NOVEMBER!"
- John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band (1970)
its also donate to ron paul day. digg it.
"However, they could give me no logical argument about how it related to them. Just that they thought blowing up Parliament was a cool idea. ::sigh"
LOL. I agree Iris, at least be glad they learned something. When my teenage son comes home and asks if we won the f**king Viet Nam war, for crying out loud, I'm grateful for what I can get.
(He's now miserably ensconsed in "A People's History of the U.S.")