Turns out it is Guy Fawkes Night. I would hazard a generalization and say it is a celebration somewhat similar to our July 4th -- only with a significant lack of bunting -- but that would no doubt anger my British readers.Allow me to rub old AP History neurons together and attempt an explanation of Guy Fawkes day: back in 1605 a handful of Catholics decided they would teach James I (Mary Queen of Scots' son by Henry, Lord Darnley) a thing or two, so they buried a large quantity of gunpowder underneath the Houses of Parliament with the intent of igniting it and reducing the surrounding buildings and their contents to Protestant-loving rubble. It was a poorly conceived plan which led to inevitable discovery and some good old fashioned torture in the Tower of London for the conspirators. Guy Fawkes was the hapless soul found guarding the combustibles, so naturally his effigy was the one I saw on top of the bonfire tonight.
The deliverance of the King and his family from certain death is celebrated with bonfires and fireworks (as the cacaphony outside my window might suggest), as well as a few slightly off-center traditions including THIS fabulous custom straight out of Ottery St Mary in Devonshire -- CARRYING THE FLAMING TAR BARREL. As far as traditions go, that one is pretty BAMF.
On a related note: this morning at work someone shouted wistfully 'Always remember the Fifth of November!' and I was completely baffled. 'What?' I thought, 'because the December catalog paste-up is due today?' It's odd to live in a place where sometimes you don't have a clue about what's happening until they're burning people in the streets.
