Pyrotechnics lit up the whole of United Kingdom’s skyline every 5th of November. It is not an advanced New Year’s Day celebration. The British used to call it the Gunpowder Plot until it became popularly known as the Bonfire Night.

This rather quaint British celebration commemorates the time in 1605 when a man named Guy Fawkes, together with four Catholic dissenters, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament with gunpowder. It is said that King James 1, the monarch who authorized the printing of another version of the Bible (known as the King James Version), was also inside the Parliament building to open the session. The 17th century bomber was caught and executed.

Tradition dictates that days before the Bonfire night, children would go around the neighborhood asking for money with a human effigy of Guy Fawkes made in paper and cloth sitting on a pram. After collecting money, they would buy fircrackers and wait for November 5 to burn Fawke’s effigy on a bonfire.

In present day Britain, people are advised to visit specific areas to watch pyrotechnics shows. The celebration starts even the day before November 5 and the entire colorful display could go on for hours.

See related posts:

• October 31, 2008 -- The witches are back
• December 28, 2007 -- The Green Park
• December 13, 2007 -- Meeting Big Ben
• December 12, 2007 -- The Palace of Westminster
• October 27, 2008 -- Lessons from the Potter
• December 23, 2007 -- Autumn In Kingston
• December 21, 2007 -- Summer In Photos
• January 5, 2009 -- Six ways to combat post-holiday blues
• January 1, 2009 -- What are the things you learned in 2008?
• December 27, 2008 -- Tagaytay undersiege: Storm Scrooge ruins Christmas Day