I find it rather irritating that country's other than Britain, celebrate Guy Fawkes, meanwhile, most of them haven't the foggiest idea as to why the Brits celebrate this occasion. Let me get your views on this topic, as I am frequently asked what the celebration is about on the 05 Nov.

i don't remember why gf done it, but figure blowing up parliament is always worthwhile.

As an ex patriot Brit myself, I'd have to say that although I know about the event to which Guy Fawkes night relates, I couldn't say whether the fireworks are a celebration of the attempt to destroy parliament, or of its failure.

Sylvia.

Sylvia, not 100% sure myself, but I would suggest its the failure, given that the traditional celebrations involved burning an effigy of guy fawkes.

Spanky, its good fun. Dont matter whether we understand the reason for the celebration or not. Any cracker night is a good night!!

Yep, the silly so and so was caught in the act, about to torch a pile of gun powder kegs beneath the houses of parliment, although I do not think it was the government he was targetting, he was after someone more prominent in those days, like royalty but I think he fluffed it somehow.
Its was great to celebrate GF, waiting for the big bonfires to be lit up and the youngsters arriving with their boxes of fireworks, waiting to be the last one to let yours off, so everyone will watch your fireworks. Making Guy fawkes was also fun, although there was a hint of satanism involved, burning at the stake, laughing and cojoling while the poor bugga burned. The only down side I have with GF, is the fact of so many pets go missing due to the letting off of crackers, see the reports from the SPCA on how many dogs go missing on this night of celebration, it's quite astounding! Its not such a big event like it used to be, it's died down somewhat over the years but it was fun.

Do we celebrate Guy Fawkes? It is pretty much a non-event isn't it?
If we want to get concerned about that sort of thing then why do we celebrate (a) religious holidays that are not of our faith or beliefs and (b) the cultural heritage of other countries such as St Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving, Ramadan, Divali etc etc.
And should we as Australians cling to such national 'heroes' as Ned Kelly and events like the Eureka Stockade?

Of course, Guy Fawkes would be described today as a terrorist - thus demonstrating that it's hardly a new phenomenon in Anglo culture ;)

Communicat, I have travelled far and wide, from Aus to South Africa, to Britain and Europe, USA and beyond and believe me when I say that on the occasion of GF, some bloke will realise what date it is and deftly go and buy himself a tidy box full of fireworks, surely you know that any oriental corner shop or market will stock the stuff? and it almost always falls in the right time for when GF rolls around, unless of course the stuff has been on his shelves for the past 10 years and well past their sell-by date, in which case makes them more dangerous. Wasn't it the Chinese who invented fireworks?

Believe it was the Chinese who discovered gunpowder and it was downhill all the way after that because war could be fought at a distance and got even nastier.
But, some bloke with a box of fireworks (bad though it may be) is not like the Japanese celebrating Christmas (which they do in huge commercial style) when the majority of Japanese are not Christian - the fireworks are just plain stupid but the other is commercial greed.
(And yes, I would say the same of most Australians who celebrate Christmas and think it is about Santa.)

Errr...Is'nt it?

"Oh please remember the 5th of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot
I have no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot
Holler boy, holler boy
God save the King
Holler boy, holler boy
God save the Queen." (Daily Telegraph 1924)

Pleasant memories of communal Guy Fawkes nights, will remain in the realms of nostalgia.

November 5th (summer) is a risky night for fires in Australia

Guy Fawkes bonfires are bad for the environment if you accept that excessive CO2 is a destructive force

122 injuries occurred in Victoria between '95 and 2000.

Cracker nights with bonfires, terrify our animals and excite pyromaniacs (plenty of them in good old Oz).

Guy Fawkes night banned in Victoria and Western Australia

Though all states allow fireworks displays through temporary permits together with a pyrotechnician's licence

Apologies for throwing cold water on this British tradition, which was once an exciting annual family event for all Aussies.

And then the chaos started with those who have no responsibilty, no care for the environment and today fireworks are being outlawed through careless usage of underage individuals and sometimes idiotic adults showing their kids what they used to do when they themselves were younger.Oh well... another family event gone to pot, ruining it for the innocent, but then again, some of todays fireworks resemble and sound like nuclear warfare, they have got out of hand as far as harmless "crackers" are concerned, now we have stuff that can take your arm off!

Posters nostalgic for Guy Fawkes night would probably enjoy the bush Guy fawkes/crackers night, annually organised in my community by one of the residents who holds a pyrotechnician licence. This spectacular is usually held in June of each year, when the weather is cooler.

In fact this year's event was held only last week and some 200 trendy adults and children attended and camped overnight in the bush. I'm told it was a "fabulous" event and great for all the family.

Railway sleepers are plentiful and this is the fuel used for the bonfire, strategically and cleverly built to allow for oxygen.

I have watched a video of this event and it is quite spectacular - the biggest bonfire I have ever witnessed with glorious technicoloured fireworks spewing out of the fire. Games and events are held for the children, comedy acts and so on.

My invitation apparently went "astray" after I advised the organiser that all railway sleepers in Australia were treated with creosote. Never mind.....I had a "headache" that night anyway!

Creosote contains some 300 different compounds. It is deemed hazardous, carcinogenic and mutagenic by the EU, Australian EPA's and most developed countries. Landfills also have been banned from interring timbers laced with creosote.

God alone would know of the ecological damage caused by incinerating dozens of railway sleepers, laced with creosote, but there I go again, spoiling people's fun!

Ah......but isn't ignorance bliss!?

Hi Dickie,
Yep, now youv'e gone and blown up all the intentions of any haphazard individuals who enjoy ruining the environment, now that we know what the sleepers are made of, they will deftly go about their business in creating and finding some other toxic ingredient to burn and with which to desicrate our lovely planet. Good to here of the outing, sounded like good fun and like you say, probably ended up with a heck of a headache with all the fumes from the creosote. We as humans really need to get a handle on things.

Fireworks have been illegal in NSW for decades.
The ban was imposed because persons were being injured, however no one was killed. The govt in its wisdom decreed that only licenced pyrotechnical experts could handle fireworks.
Since then there have been a few deaths among the 'experts' but I guess that is only to be expected.
Now every New Year the air around Sydney is needlessly polluted by the gas from explosions.

Guy Fawkes Day was until recently an occassion for anti-Catholic demonstrations, especially in England and many 'NO POPERY' signs were carried until they were banned in one city after permission was asked to carry one that proclaimed 'KNOW POPERY'

Now days I don't think that the average person would have a clue about GF or his Day.

After all how many know why Christmas is often written 'Xmas'?

'Cos they are still trying to find "xriss-xross" and "xtract" in their dictionaries!