November

Guy Fawkes Night

On November 5th every year (it is always November 5th) we have Guy Fawkes night, it is now often called Bonfire Night or Firework Night.
On Nov. 5th 1603 a man called Guy Fawkes, who was a Catholic, was caught trying to kill the Protestant King James 1, by putting gunpowder under the Houses of Parliament. It was called the Gunpowder Plot.
He was killed, so to ‘celebrate’ the saving of the Protestant king we have bonfires and often put a figure on the bonfire, called a ‘guy’. Children used to put the figure in a wheelbarrow and go around the streets asking ‘Penny for the guy’.

Jacket potatoes

On Guy Fawkes night people used to wrap potatoes in foil and put them in a bonfire to cook. They are usually cooked in the oven now. They are mostly covered in butter and served with things like cheese, baked beans or tuna.