Tuesday Reminiscences: In which I look forward to Guy Fawkes Day

As I was walking around trick-or-treating with Lillian, knocking on doors belonging to people I don't know, I was thinking about how bizarre Halloween would seem to somebody from a different country that didn't celebrate said holiday. If you just happened to move here the day before Halloween and you just happened to leave your lights on that night, all of a sudden a gaggle of little kids dressed as princesses, ghouls, and ninjas would ring your doorbell, threaten you, and then hold out plastic pumpkins expectantly.

Then, I was looking at the calendar this morning, trying to schedule an appointment for Lillian and I saw that this Thursday is Guy Fawkes Day. The only reason I have any idea what this holiday is about is because my Canadian friend Mallory asked me right after she moved to the States whether or not we celebrate it. I told her I had no idea what she was talking about and she was shocked. Because who wouldn't want to celebrate a holiday which mostly involves just setting things on fire?

So, this morning, as I was looking at the calendar, I decided that I wanted to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day this year. I don't think that we can carry a burning effigy through the streets as this will probably get us arrested, but we can build a bonfire in our backyard and burn things.

I have a lot of experience with that.



Santa Barbara, 2001. Yes, that is what you think it is.


I'm not entirely sure how this burning party started... but we took turns going into the house and finding things to burn.

Man, it was fun having Vivian as a roommate. She told me that it wasn't until she was a teenager that she realized that other people's moms told them NOT to play with matches.

Other things burned that night: a tampon, a giant sombrero, and a pool of isopropyl alcohol.