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Remember, remember the fifth of November…

Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night, is celebrated annually on November 5th in the UK. Guy Fawkes and a small group tried to assassinate King James I of England during the Opening of Parliament in November 1605. Guards caught him guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder and punished him for his crimes.

Because of conflicting religions, Fawkes eventually confessed to targeting the House of Lords and King James i. We remember this day as one of the greatest attempts to assassinate the King and parliament in British history.

Every year on the 5th of November, many people like to celebrate this event. Some also know it as Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night. Up until 1959, it was actually illegal to not celebrate Bonfire Night in Britain!

Here are some of the most popular activities you can do on bonfire night:

Attending a bonfire ranks number 1 on this list, which is unsurprising. Only rained professionals can light bonfires at special events. On the 5th of November, sometimes people choose to light a scarecrow on fire or create a spectacular display.

Often, many bonfires occur locally, and these usually feature a fireworks display running at the same time.

Normally, at a bonfire display, there will also be fireworks. Fireworks represent the gunpowder that Guy Fawkes tried to light on that night in 1605. Now, they come in all sorts of different colours and displays.

Your local fireworks display will most likely have a bonfire which is a perfect way to celebrate this occasion.

If you prefer to do something from your home, you can even try setting up your own fireworks display. This should only happen in a safe and controlled place. It can be a nice way to enjoy fireworks night with loved ones, without going to a display.

Sparklers are small sticks that, once you light them on fire, burn in a beautiful pattern. Be careful when giving these to children. However, with proper supervision, sparklers can be a fun activity on bonfire night. You can create patterns with the light as they burn, so make sure to do this in the evening when you’ll be able to see them clearly!

Toffee apples began as a happy accident when maker William Kolb dropped an apple in some melted toffee. Now, they have become important for Halloween and bonfire night celebrations. They are easy to make, so you can create some at home. If you're out at a display, your local bonfire event should also have some.

How to make toffee apples:

In this quick and easy recipe, we'll show you how to make toffee apples at home. You'll need:

• 4 apples
• 200g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 75 ml water

You can change these depending on how many apples you have.

Instructions:

1. Pour boiling water over the apples to remove their coating
2. Dry the apples and remove the stalks. Then put a wooden skewer into the apple.
3. Mix sugar, syrup and water in a pan. Heat this for five minutes and stir until the sugar dissolves.
4. Boil the mix to the hard crack stage. If you have a thermometer, this will be 146C. If you don't have a thermometer, you can check if it's the correct temperature by dropping some into a bowl of cold water. If the toffee hardens straight away, then it is ready.
5. Add lemon juice to the mix
6. Turn off the heat and dip your apples into the toffee.
7. Put them on a piece of baking paper to set.

These are a great sweet treat you can cook at home or with your family. Just make sure to wear gloves and be careful when adding the lemon juice to the mix. This is because it could spit back and scald you.

Roasting marshmallows over the fire is not a traditional dish. However, it is a fun way to celebrate bonfire night. Alongside other food and drinks such as hot dogs & burgers, these are all things you’ll come to expect at a fireworks display.

Some traditional dishes include Parkin, a ginger cake from Yorkshire. This dessert is made up of syrups and spices and originated in the 18th century.

How you choose to celebrate Bonfire Night is up to you but make sure you are safe and responsible. It's important to remember bonfire night as it is an important part of our history. We encourage you to learn about the Catholic and Protestant religions that opposed each other and caused this event. The failed gunpowder plot is just the start of the conflicts between Protestants and Catholics in 17th century England.

If you’re interested in history and want to learn more, we have many courses available here:

We hope you enjoy celebrating your bonfire night!