NOVEMBER HOLIDAYS

The November holidays in English-speaking countries

• November 5th=Guy Fawkes Day or BonfireNight or Firewrk Night

• November 11th=Remembrance Day or Armistice Day
• November 25th=Thanksgiving day

World

Where? In UNITED KINGDOM

As mentioned before, the plan was foiled. The conspirators managed to place around 36 barrels of gunpowder under Parliament, but the plot was uncovered due to an anonymous letter sent to Lord Monteagle, a Catholic member of Parliament, warning him of the imminent danger. The letter led to a search of the Parliament cellars, where Fawkes was found and arrested. The failure of the plot led to even harsher repression of Catholics in England. Guy Fawkes and his companions were tortured and executed for high treason, in fact the date of November 5 was established as a day of celebration for the plot’s failure.

How did the plan go?

They wanted to attack the Parliament and King James I of England mainly because of the religious persecution that Catholics were suffering in England under his reign. Indeed, James I, who came to the throne in 1603, proved a strongly Protestant monarch and continued his policy of repression against the Catholics. Given that the English Catholics, therefore, lived in a state of marginalization and persecution, a group of radical Catholics, led by Robert Catesby, decided that the only way to end the persecution was through the assassination of King James I and much of his court. The intent was to overthrow the Protestant government and put in power a Catholic monarch, with the objective of restoring religious freedom for Catholics.

On 5 November 1605 an attack was foiled, led by Robert Catesby and other Catholic conspirators including Guy Fawkes, known as the "Gunpowder Plot", against James I of England and the Parliament.

But why did they go against the parliament and the king?

Historical background

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Here’s how this occasion is traditionally celebrated:1. Fireworks Displays Fireworks are at the heart of the celebration, symbolizing the explosion that Guy Fawkes and the plotters planned but ultimately failed to carry out. All over the UK, fireworks displays are organized in parks, town squares, and open fields. 2. Bonfires Large bonfires are lit, and in many places, an effigy of Guy Fawkes is burned on them. In some cases, "guys" are made to represent other political figures or controversial public personalities. 3. "The Guy": The Effigy of Guy Fawkes Children and adults create an effigy representing Guy Fawkes, often dressed in old clothes and wearing a mask. This effigy is then burned on the bonfire as a symbol of the plot's defeat. 4. Traditional Foods Special foods are prepared for Guy Fawkes Night, such as baked potatoes, toffee apples, parkin (a spiced oatmeal and ginger cake), and roasted chestnuts. 5. Traditional Songs It’s common to hear or recite the rhyme “Remember, remember, the Fifth of November, Gunpowder, treason, and plot...” which recalls the plot and warns against treason. 6. Parades and Local Events Some towns, like Lewes in Sussex, organize particularly elaborate parades and celebrations, featuring floats and historical re-enactments. 7. Costumes and Guy Fawkes Masks Some attendees wear Guy Fawkes masks, which over time have become symbols of rebellion and fighting against injustice.

How it's celebrated?

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Here’s how this occasion is traditionally celebrated:1. Fireworks Displays Fireworks are at the heart of the celebration, symbolizing the explosion that Guy Fawkes and the plotters planned but ultimately failed to carry out. All over the UK, fireworks displays are organized in parks, town squares, and open fields. 2. Bonfires Large bonfires are lit, and in many places, an effigy of Guy Fawkes is burned on them. In some cases, "guys" are made to represent other political figures or controversial public personalities. 3. "The Guy": The Effigy of Guy Fawkes Children and adults create an effigy representing Guy Fawkes, often dressed in old clothes and wearing a mask. This effigy is then burned on the bonfire as a symbol of the plot's defeat. 4. Traditional Foods Special foods are prepared for Guy Fawkes Night, such as baked potatoes, toffee apples, parkin (a spiced oatmeal and ginger cake), and roasted chestnuts. 5. Traditional Songs It’s common to hear or recite the rhyme “Remember, remember, the Fifth of November, Gunpowder, treason, and plot...” which recalls the plot and warns against treason. 6. Parades and Local Events Some towns, like Lewes in Sussex, organize particularly elaborate parades and celebrations, featuring floats and historical re-enactments. 7. Costumes and Guy Fawkes Masks Some attendees wear Guy Fawkes masks, which over time have become symbols of rebellion and fighting against injustice.

How it's celebrated?

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Guy Fawkes (1570–1606) was an English conspirator involved in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a failed attempt to blow up the British Parliament and assassinate King James I in order to restore Catholicism in England. Raised in an Anglican family, he converted to Catholicism and fought for Catholic Spain, gaining experience with explosives. Fawkes was arrested on November 5, 1605, while attempting to ignite 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath Parliament. After being tortured, he confessed the names of his co-conspirators and was executed for treason on January 31, 1606. His figure is now a symbol of rebellion, commemorated on November 5 during Bonfire Night.

Along with Fawkes and cousins Catesby and Wintour, the plotters included Wintour’s brother Robert, their brother-in-law John Grant, Catesby’s second cousin Francis Tresham, his servant Thomas Bates, Fawkes’ childhood classmates Christopher and John Wright, their brother-in-law Thomas Percy, Everard Digby, Ambrose Rookwood, and Robert Keyes

and the other characters?

Guy Fawkes

Who is the main character?

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START!

PRESENTATION

giving

Thanks

On October and November

Thanksgiving Day is mainly celebrated in:

• The United States on the fourth Thursday of November. (This year, in 2024, it falls on November 28.)

• In Canada, however, it is celebrated on the second Monday of October, so it has already passed this year (it was on October 14, 2024).

• In Grenada Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on October 25

• In Saint Lucia, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the first Monday of October.

• In Liberia, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the first Thursday of November.

• In Brazil and in the Philippines, is celebrated on the same day as in the United States.

Where and when is celebrated?

Black Friday

The story of Thanksgiving dates back to 1621 when a group of Pilgrims, English settlers who had arrived on the Mayflower, celebrated a feast with the Wampanoag people in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. This event is often considered the “First Thanksgiving.”

In the 17th and 18th centuries, settlers celebrated days of thanksgiving on special occasions, but there was no fixed date. It was in 1789, after the independence of the United States, that George Washington proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving, but it did not become an annual tradition. In the 19th century, writer Sarah Josepha Hale campaigned to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. Her request was granted in 1863, when Abraham Lincoln, during the Civil War, declared Thanksgiving a national holiday to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. In the 20th century, Thanksgiving became a more secular and commercial holiday. In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the date to the third Thursday of November to stimulate Christmas shopping, but in 1941, Congress fixed Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November. In the second half of the 20th century, (the day after Thanksgiving) became a major shopping event, further commercializing the holiday. Today, Thanksgiving is a holiday focused on family, food, and gratitude, although it is also observed as the National Day of Mourning by some Native Americans, to remember the impact of colonization on indigenous populations.

Hisorical background

• Date: Black Friday is celebrated the day after Thanksgiving Day, making it part of the weekend that unofficially marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in the United States. Since Thanksgiving is already a holiday for family and gatherings, the following day (Black Friday) becomes an opportunity to start holiday shopping.
• Commercial tradition: Over the years, Black Friday has become one of the biggest and most anticipated shopping events of the year. Stores offer massive discounts and promotions, attracting millions of consumers. This day of sales has become a fundamental part of the Christmas season, with many seeing it as the ideal time to shop.
• The name "Black Friday": The term "Black Friday" originated in the commercial sector. In the past, stores recorded their losses (in red) and profits (in black) in their accounting books. Black Friday marked the moment when many stores moved "from the red to the black," meaning they became profitable thanks to the large volume of sales during this day.
• Extension of the holidays: The connection between Thanksgiving and Black Friday has grown stronger because both holidays occur in the same period, with Thanksgiving marking the beginning of the holiday season. The shopping day of Black Friday has become almost a continuation of Thanksgiving's festive atmosphere

The Black Friday is connected to Thanksgiving Day for several reasons, mainly tied to the shopping season and the commercial tradition that has developed in the United States.Here are the reasons:

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• Food: Today, the Thanksgiving meal is still centered around turkey, but with additions like mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and various vegetables. The culinary tradition has grown over time and diversified based on regional and family preferences.
• Parades and events: Thanksgiving parades are an important aspect of the celebration. The most famous is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, featuring floats, marching bands, and cartoon characters.
• Family celebrations: Although many Americans still celebrate with family and friends, the day has also become an occasion for longer vacations and travel. People often travel to meet with loved ones and share a big meal.
• Shopping: In recent decades, Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) has become a major event, with huge sales and promotions in stores. This has turned the holiday into a period of shopping and consumerism, sometimes overshadowing the original meaning

• Food: Traditional meals included wild turkey, fish, seafood, corn, pumpkins, berries, and nuts. There were no dishes like cranberry sauce or mashed potatoes, which are considered "typical" today.
• Community celebrations: The celebrations were often more intimate and community-centered, focused on gratitude and mutual giving. There were no large parades or public events.

In the present

In the past

How is celebrated?

Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night

In United Kingdom

Guy Fawkes Night is a festival held annually on 5 November in the UK. Also called Bonfire Night has its roots in a historical fact.

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Why did they celebrate this feast?

They celebrated this feast for two main reason:gratitude and alliance. Gratitude for the help received: The Pilgrims had arrived in the New World in 1620 aboard the Mayflower and faced a harsh winter, with many colonists dying from disease and starvation. When they arrived in New England, the Wampanoag (a group of Native Americans in the area) offered help, teaching them how to grow corn, hunt, fish, and build shelters. After a year of hardship, the Pilgrims finally had a good harvest, and they celebrated a feast to give thanks for their survival and the abundance of crops. Diplomatic alliance: In addition to gratitude, the feast also had a political significance. The Pilgrims needed allies to survive in the New World, and the Wampanoag had the power to protect the settlers from hostile local tribes. The feast was also a way to strengthen this alliance between the two groups, ensuring mutual support against external threats.