Halloween and Bonfire Night

Halloween in England is becoming more and more Americanized. We actually had a few trick-or-treaters show up at our door this evening. Paul said he never remembers celebrating Halloween before and certainly had never seen trick-or-treaters appear at his door. Instead, as a kid, he celebrated Bonfire Night on November 5th.

The history goes something like this. In 1605, thirteen young men planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament. (See, terrorism is not a new phenomenon – it goes back a long, long way!) Anyway, Guy Fawkes, one of Britain’s most notorious traitors, was among these men. On November 5, 1605, their “Gunpowder Plot” was foiled and Guy Fawkes was caught, tortured and executed. On the very night that the plot was foiled, bonfires were set alight to celebrate the safety of the King (as he had planned to appear at Houses of Parliament when it was due to blow up). Since then, November 5th has become known as Bonfire Night. The event is commemorated every year with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire.

Anyway, back to the traditions that Paul grew up with. Preparations for Bonfire Night celebrations went on for a whole week or so, when kids would make up their own dummy of Guy Fawkes (which they called “the Guy.”) They would then set their dummy outside their front door, alongside a jar asking passer-bys for “a penny for the Guy.” Whatever money was collected during the week was then used to buy fireworks for Bonfire Night. On the night itself, “the Guy” is placed on top of the bonfire, which is then set alight, while fireworks go off all around the city.

For a variety of reasons, Bonfire Night is becoming less and less common, while Halloween, with all its American influences, is becoming more and more popular.

British Summer Time

Today our clocks moved back an hour, same as in America. They normally go back at the same time in the fall, but move forward in the spring on different weekends. Daylight Savings Time here is referred to as “British Summer Time.” But the daylight hours experienced here are nothing like those in America.

At the height of summer, the sun rises around 5am and doesn’t set until nearly 9.30pm. Talk about a long day! It’s even more bizarre in the winter when the sun rises around 8am and sets around 4pm. It definitely takes some getting used to.

British Pubs

Another pub lunch today. We normally have at least one a week. Pub lunches are by far the best value for money when eating out in the UK. But the food dulls in comparison to the sheer experience of going to a pub. Pubs are a major part of British history and culture.

Public houses (i.e. “pubs”) were were originally houses where the public could eat, drink and even stay overnight. Signs have hung outside public houses since 1393, when King Richard II decreed they should replace the usual bush outside the door. As most people were illiterate at the time, names were chosen that could easily be illustrated, like the Rose & Crown, coats of arms (Freemasons’ Arms), historical figures (Henry VIII), or heraldic animals (White Lion).

You’ll find pub on nearly every street corner in England. They have always been a place for neighbors and friends (generally men) to meet up and chat. You’ll still find old men gathering in pubs to enjoy a pint and a smoke. Smoking is still allowed in most pubs.

The drink of choice in a pub is draught beer. The beers that are typically offered are those brewed by the local brewers in the area. The main varieties of beer are: lager (lightest of all beers; most American beers are lagers), bitter (stronger and darker than lager), mild ale (sweeter than bitter), stout (thick, dark, creamy; Guiness, which comes from Ireland, is the most famous stout), and cider (traditional English drink found in all pubs; it’s made from apples and comes in a variety of strengths and degrees of dryness).

When ordering a beer on tap, you ask for it by the pint or half-pint. Imported bottled beers are generally also available. Budweiser is normally the only American beer you find in pubs.

You always order and pay for drink and food in advance at the bar. The bartender will hand you your drink, and someone else will bring the food to your table when ready. You do not tip in a pub.

Pub food (also known as “pub grub”) is simple, hearty fare, which normally includes a few select appetizers (mostly fried), a selection of sandwiches, jacket potatoes served with a variety of toppings, and hot meals such as fish & chips, chili, sheppards pie, cottage pie, or a mixed grill. Another common pub lunch is the Ploughman’s lunch, which consists of cheese, salad, pickles and bread. Roast dinners are served in most pubs on Sundays are are the best meal bargain to be found in England.

Coffee, Tea & Biscuits

Everyone knows the British love their tea. But it’s not apparent just how MUCH tea they drink until you go to work in an office environment, where they seem to drink tea all day long. It’s so common that they even have “tea stations” with kettles, hot water dispensers, tea bags, tea spoons, etc. set up for making tea.

When you order tea, you ask for it either white or black (meaning with or without milk). If you want sugar, you then also ask for one or two sugars (meaning one or two teaspoons or cubes of sugar).

Thanks to Starbucks and the many other coffee houses that you find on every corner now (Caffe Nero, Costa Coffee, etc.), coffee is quickly taking over as the favorite hot drink, especially among younger people.

Normally you are served “biscuits” with your tea or coffee. Biscuits here, of course, are what I call cookies. But they ARE very tasty and addictive. McVities Biscuits are the most popular in the UK and definitely my favorite. I like the ones that are covered in creamy chocolate.

Traditional English “afternoon teas” are a special treat that you generally only find in high-priced venues, like The Savoy and other expensive London hotels. These teas are normally served with scones (what I call biscuits), teacakes, or cucumber sandwiches, all on fancy English china.