Remember, Remember...

Last year I didn't participate in my friends' Bonfire Night celebration, but I was determined that this year should be different, so this afternoon I sent Krissie (aka Mama Krissie) a text and asked if we could have Guy Fawkes night for FHE. Of course she was up for it.
If you don't know who Guy Fawkes is, you aren't up on your British history and you haven't seen V for Vendetta. (I am guilty of the latter, but fortunately I'm pretty up on the former...at least for an American.) In short, Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the British Parliament in what was called the "Gunpowder Plot." His plan was foiled and he was killed, and now he's burned in effigy every year on the fifth of November, which is now called "Bonfire Night." (It's on my British calendar and everything.) If you'd like a more poetic explanation, I can offer it.

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up King and Parli'ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring,
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

So tonight we ran around Provo until we found some firewood, and Krissie and I went up beforehand to start the fire, but we realized once we got to Vivian Park just how dark and scary it is when you're just two girls with no boys, but it was okay because the other people up there were another FHE group (and they tried to steal our fire, but we foiled their plans.) Some guy who worked up there helped us to start it with diesel fuel or something that was in an orange juice bottle, and it was the smokiest fire ever, but I felt really good about it because I didn't start it. ("Ryan started the fire!")

Marci brought up a little paper guy, and we burned him last, but we took up some paper and burned all kinds of things. Krissie burned her Elang syllabus and a boy's name, I burned my insecurities and BYU marriage culture, Scott burned (in effigy) a book he was supposed to finish for a class and hasn't yet. It was all very exciting and therapeutic.
As for my own personal celebration, I read "The Hollow Men" by T.S. Eliot (which has "a penny for the old guy" at the beginning) which I think everyone should read on this day of days.
This must be a tradition from here on out.