4th annual guy fawkes bonfire
kelsey and i throw a guy fawkes night bonfire celebration at ocean beach in san francisco every november. each year the party gets better and better. {years past: 2010, 2011, 2012 – yes i wear the exact same outfit every year!}
so on saturday, right after cleaning up from the bridal shower i helped put on, i raced up to san francisco to make an effigy and stake out a spot on the beach with kels. it’s always an adventure figuring out how to pull the bonfire off without the cops shutting things down too early. every year they’ve come (even when we had our celebration inside due to rain!) – but they must have lost their invitation this year because we didn’t talk to a single officer! more friends than ever before joined in the revelry and it was a pretty epic night.
our guy chilled for a while by the fire and then we introduced him to all of our friends.
i made the rounds distributing british treats, including digestives, hob nobs, wine gums, all sorts and moments truffles as the night got darker and the fire got brighter…
then kelsey told the story of the gunpowder plot of 1605…
and i recited the traditional poem, then riled up the crowd yelling, “what shall we do with him??” 
the resounding reply – burn him!!!
once the guy was all consumed in flames, we pulled out the sparklers and fireworks.
best year yet!
This is a really bizarre holiday. I realize you didn't make the holiday up but burning someone's image is a bit harsh. Especially given the religious implications and anticatholic sentiment around the event.
ReplyDeleteIt looks fantastic:) I bet it was brill.
ReplyDeleteI love how your included all your British favourites, especially Hob Nobs & Digestives:)
I like the guy! In one town here they make a replica of someone they can't stand & then but it on the bonfire. This year it was Katie Hopkins. Not sure if you've heard of her but she rubs people up the wrong way with her ott views on things.
They interviewed Katie about she felt about being the guy & she was actually ok about it,
Glad you carry on this British tradition. I often think Americans like to celebrate things like this more than we do:)
I've kept my sparkers until Christmas eve & new years eve as I forgot to light them last Tuesday. One thing you forgot to do was to wear gloves with your sparkers - that's part of the firework code here:)
Awesome!!
ReplyDeleteI have to say my favorite Guy Fawkes night was in 2008 in Beanacre. Pouring rain, raging fire and Shalu.
ReplyDeleteEvery year there is something huge going on during the first week of November for me but someday I will join you in throwing a bonfire to remember remember the 5th of November!
You had a much better celebration than I did and I'm British!
ReplyDeleteAmerican readers - I promise you that no real Catholics are harmed in the making of the modern Guy Fawkes Day :-) Yes, the history behind the tradition is incredibly nasty, but its links to religious hatred died out a long time ago and virtually everyone today just treats it as a nice family night for fireworks.