Now that Halloween is big in the UK, has it replaced Guy Fawkes Day, the 5th of November?
2007-10-29 01:00:40 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Halloween has more or less replaced it, though more fireworks go off on Guy Fawkes night. Over the past 15 years halloween has become much more popular here, with events being held and costumes/decoratings, though the UK still isn't as fond of it as the US/Canada.
Perhaps it's as it should be that Guy Fawkes day is blending together with Halloween. I have a sneaking suspicion that the old pagan feast of Samhain,once celebrated across the British Isles and the root of modern Halloween, is actually lurking under the guise of Guy Fawkes anyway. Think about it--why would a foiled plot become the cause of national celebration in perpetuity? history was full of plots,coups,rebellions. I don't see anyone having 'Wat Tyler' day (look him up.)
More importantly, Guy Fawkes wasn't burnt to death, now was he? So what's the real relevance of burning the Guy (note he's always called 'THE Guy, not just Guy, which probably comes from an old word 'guiser' meaning disguised one.)Basically the Guy is the scapegoat taking away the sins of the tribe when he's burnt on the pyre.
2007-10-30 08:03:03 · answer #1 · answered by brother_in_magic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I think it has. When I was a child in the 1940s and 1950s Halloween was hardly ever heard of. Certainly the shops were not full of pumpkins and fancy dress and the police didn't have to hand out stickers to put on the front door saying 'no trick or treat here'. We had a bonfire party in the back garden, and that tradition continued to when my kids were young in the 1970s. It is years since I have seen kids in the street asking for 'penny for the guy mister'. What has happened is that successive Governments have made buying fireworks for private parties more and more difficult - because of all the injuries that happened - and shops have found they can make more money out of Halloween stuff.
2007-10-29 01:09:16 · answer #2 · answered by rdenig_male 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not that I live in the UK; but how can you replace Guy Fawkes day? I mean how many times do people try to blow up Parliament, and fail miserably?
I celebrate Guy Fawkes day myself, as do my history geek friends.
2007-10-29 01:59:32 · answer #3 · answered by jared_e42 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is not big in the uk they don't even dress up over there. thats y il never visit. obsiding the point guy fawkes ??? we do not have the 5th of november over here infact we have never heard of it.
2007-10-29 01:04:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
What do you want to know?
2007-10-29 03:58:56 · answer #5 · answered by datalj12 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋