Remember, remember! The fifth of November! Catalonia has some great celebrations with fireworks, such as the Correfoc or Sant Joan, but did you know that the UK does too? On the 5th of November, we celebrate ‘Bonfire Night’ by lighting a huge bonfire and having a firework (fuegos artificiales) display. This takes place all over the country, both in homes and in large organised events.
The day commemorates the ‘Gunpowder plot’ – a plan by a group of people in 1605 to blow up the Houses of Parliament with barrels of gunpowder (pólvora). At the last moment, the plot was discovered and on the 5th of November they found and arrested one member, Guy Fawkes. To celebrate the plot’s failure (fracaso), bonfires were lit and this became a ritual.
It is common to burn dolls of Guy Fawkes on top of the bonfires and also to light ‘sparklers’, mini fireworks which you hold in your hand. Another common thing is to eat ‘toffee apples’, apples covered in hard caramel. Bonfire Night is not only a historical tradition but a nice way to celebrate Autumn and the cold weather, with people wearing hats and scarves and eating typical autumnal foods such as pumpkin (calabaza).
