You've got to give Guy Fawkes credit. Even after being tortured, he still signed his confession with a fake name. "Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason, and plot...." Now, most readers of The Spark will be more than familiar with the traditional British festival of Guy Fawkes Day, but as the only current Spark contributor from the Sceptred Isle, I feel it falls to me on this most gruesome of days to set the record straight a little on this most macabre and sinister cultural event. Now, don’t get me wrong, I abhor the way the PC brigade, however well-intentioned, continually assaults our freedom to celebrate religious events for fear of offending those who may not share their particular values. However, I feel with Guy Fawkes the PC movement’s efforts should be doubled and rewarded with considerable financial backing. As I have aged and had children of my own, I have had to reassess what the event really means, and let me tell you, it sits in stark contrast to what I thought it meant 25 years ago. Take a look at this: Guy Fawkes Day What it meant to me then: A fun family evening when communities come together to share the experiences of good company, good food, and pretty fireworks. What it means to me now: The bloodthirsty Protestant glorification of the violent torture and execution of a Catholic dissident. Let me tell you, King James I and the practice of hanging, drawing, and quartering made Dick Cheney and water-boarding look a party game for kids. Anyone questioning my views on this should visit the town of Lewes, where the annual bonfire celebrations routinely include hooded torch-wielding enthusiasts burning effigies of the Pope with wanton abandon. Penny for the Guy What it meant to me then: A wholesome childhood activity that kept us off the streets, taught us the value of recycling, and put a few extra pennies in our pockets. What it means to me now: The building -- by children -- of an effigy of a minority political activist with the express intent of burning it publically. Seriously, what is the lesson here? And why do we get kids to do it? The Bonfire What it meant to me then:  Staring in wonder at the gigantic imposing inferno, just close enough to feel your cheeks, palms, and synthetic clothing fibers tingle; a rare chance to be face-to-face with the most deadly of elements. What it means to me now: A holocaust for hedgehogs. As the bonfire is slowly constructed in the days leading up to Guy Fawkes Night, the desperately cute (although undeniably stupid) hedgehog -- in perhaps one of Mother Nature’s cruelest of practical jokes -- is looking for a safe, cozy spot for winter hibernation. He sees the bonfire. He enters the bonfire. One can only imagine the inter-hedgehog conversations nationwide as the flames and smoke engulf them: "It’s a bit warm in here, isn’t it?" So what is the government doing to stop this egregious chain of events? Aside from painfully patronizing public information announcements about fireworks and bonfires being dangerous and hot -- nothing at all. So the message is loud and clear: Relive the persecution of Catholics, let your children burn their effigies freely, and rub salt into the mortal wounds of a man who has already been more than adequately punished and vilified... just try to be safe while you do it. Suggested Sites... The Gunpowder Plot Society - a comprehensive rundown of who, what, why, and where. The British Government Site - exactly how does Mr. Brown explain this one away? Guy Fawkes-Related Activities in York - the City of York appears desperate to claim one of its own. Lewes Bonfire Council - a real must-see for Medieval enthusiasts. The Fire Bridge Guy Fawkes Safety Page - how to avoid any unpleasantries on "Maim a Catholic" Day.

Directory categories: Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes Night, The Gunpowder Plot, UK Parliament, English History

Archived under: Assassinations, Conspiracies, Crime, Fireworks, Guy Fawkes Day, History, Holidays, London, U.K. History, United Kingdom

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(Photo by toonbobo) When I was a kid, we were the family that put up a homemade Halloween display every year, each more elaborate than the last. My dad built dummies out of junkyard scraps and old clothes, and animated them with small motors, pulleys, and fishing line. My mom and I designed tombstones bearing terrible puns and my friends' names in cheesy rhyming epitaphs. For most of October, our house was lit by garish green floodlights, and we dramatically increased traffic on our little dead-end road. We even made it into the local paper. I'm sure the neighbors were thrilled. The more charitable ones probably called us The Addams Family; the less charitable -- well, I'm sure they had a nice party when we moved away. If only we'd had the Internet for advice and inspiration we could have really annoyed the neighborhood! Thanks to some thriving online communities of Halloween fanatics, home haunters can now put together props and decorations that rival the ones at professional haunted houses. They can pick up theatrical special effects tricks, get advice on getting the audience to suspend their disbelief, and get instructions for their very own flying ghosts, bottomless pits, and even ghoulish Santas. Best of all, a haunter doesn't need to spend, er, an arm and a leg, getting fancy decorations from the local party shop or Halloween store. The best props are homemade, because they're unexpected. After all, neighborhood trick-or-treaters have probably seen the motion-activated screaming skull in someone else's yard, but they won't be ready for a DIY rotten, lurching scarecrow! Our homemade haunt was far from professional. By day the paper mache heads, curtain ghosts, and wooden tombstones wouldn't fool anyone, but by the light of the moon, they were surprisingly effective (especially when we sat among the dummies wearing masks and suddenly jumped up to greet guests). I always knew the display was good if I got up during the night, glanced out the window, and felt a jolt of panic at the crowd of hunched, misshapen figures gathered on the front lawn. Waiting for the adrenaline to wear off before going back to sleep was a happy Halloween tradition -- for my family, if not for the neighbors. Suggested Sites... Halloween Forum - a community of Halloween freaks who are full of ideas and advice on everything from home haunt props to party themes to costume ideas. Phantasmechanics - step-by-step instructions for mechanical props that will scare the pants off your neighbors. Halloween Front Yard Displays - find inspiration from these horrific haunts. Haunters Hangout - be sure to check out the props section of this Halloween community. Monsterlist of Halloween Projects - lots of DIY Halloween links.

Directory categories: Halloween Displays, Haunted Houses, Halloween, Halloween Activities and Crafts, Stagecraft

Archived under: Crafts, DIY, Decorating, Halloween, Holidays, Home and Garden, Homemade

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Skeleton Jack-O-Lantern (Photo by Rennett Stowe) Halloween enthusiasts of all ages like to get creative and crafty with costumes. But this holiday also brings out the artist in many who will use the pumpkin as their canvas. People are starting their jack-o’-lantern projects online, searching for ideas and inspiration, as well as patterns and instructions. On Halloween night, countless pumpkins will sit in front of homes with their classic, old-fashioned faces. But their triangular eyes will be staring jealously across the street at the fancy pumpkins -- the ones with elaborately carved faces, elegant stencils, and ferocious demeanors. If you'd like to try your hand at pumpkin carving, check out some galleries of images for ideas. Looking at all the amazing creations can be intimidating, but there are designs for all styles and skill levels. There are also a number of tutorials out there. For those of us who wish to decorate pumpkins but aren't allowed to handle knives, an apple corer can produce some great effects. If you are squeamish about stabbing your pumpkin at all, you can paint it. Or you can do the humane thing and display them in all their natural glory. Suggested Sites... How to Carve an Elaborate Pumpkin Design, Easily! - step-by-step instructions with pictures. Extreme Pumpkins - photo galleries of creative and crazy pumpkins, with tutorials, patterns, and instructions on how to preserve your pumpkin. Ray's Pumpkin Carving Tutorial - instructions on 3-D style pumpkin sculpting, with photos. Pumpkin Carving and Decorating Ideas - from Martha Stewart Living, dozens of amazing examples. The Pumpkin Wizard - hundreds of pumpkin carving patterns.

Directory categories: Jack-O'-Lanterns, Halloween Activities and Crafts, Halloween, Pumpkin Carving Tips and Templates, Pumpkin Carving Supplies

Archived under: Arts, Autumn, Crafts, Halloween, Holidays, Home and Garden, Jack-O-Lanterns, Pumpkins

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Serious Halloween costumes It's time for round two of our favorite Halloween costumes. In my house, the beginning of fall always coincided with a trip to the fabric store. There, my siblings and I would sit on the round bar stools and pore through the pattern catalogs, looking for the perfect costume. Then my mother would work her sewing magic and in a couple of weeks, we'd have a handmade, beautiful outfit to wear out trick-or-treating. I've been a pirate, a renaissance damsel, and a princess (which you can see my sister wearing in the same photo). But my all time favorite costume was dressing up like Indiana Jones, because it's all about the hat... and alright, the whip, too. Adrianna: My favorite costume was the Queen of Narnia which my mom made by hand. She altered one of her lace dresses and made me a crown out of tin foil. Even though other kids made fun of me because I didn't have a store bought costume, I felt like a queen and I didn't care one bit. Dave: My all-time favorite costume was worn back in 1965, when I made my appearance as the "Fat Fury." I was a huge fan (no pun intended) of the "Herbie" comic, but at the time, the comic was an utter mystery to anyone over the age of about 12. In spite of the confusion of the adults who were running the Halloween costume contest, I took home a ribbon for third place. I don't know if they were trying to just get rid of me, or if they just couldn't believe a kid would ride his bike to a movie theatre in long johns with a toilet plunger on his head, but a prize is a prize.... Robert: A couple years ago, I went as Clark Kent -- not Superman. Anonymous Yahoo!: Two years ago, I finally bought and put together a Star Wars Imperial Stormtrooper costume for Halloween. While researching how to put the costume together, I found an organization that brings Star Wars costuming enthusiasts together (I'm at the 0:43 mark). Who knew my favorite costume would lead to such great opportunities? Michelle C.: My most creative costume was when I was a picnic table. My head was the centerpiece circled by a garland of fruit and leaves. It came complete with a red and white checked tablecloth and full place settings for 4. Needless to say, it wasn't the easiest costume to mingle with. Julie: I'm a big fan of whoever came up with this one. Chris S.: In college, I blew off making a costume one year, and found one discarded on the sidewalk. It was a hat based on a current news topic at the time -- a whale stuck in the ice near Alaska. My head was covered in blue fabric with a white paper ring for ice, and a little igloo with people standing around it. For the next hour, I watched people squinting and trying to guess what the costume was, and ended up discarding it in frustration like the creator had. Suggested Sites... Coolest Recycled Costumes - pictures of the best homemade and recycled costumes. Top Ten Weirdest Baby Costumes - pictures of unusual baby costumes. Celebrity Halloween Costumes - the best and the worst costumes worn by celebrities. Best Pet Costumes - pictures of the most unusual and unique pet costumes. Halloween treat ideas - recipes and ideas for Halloween snacks at the Food Network.

Directory categories: Halloween Activities and Crafts, Halloween Trivia, Halloween Recipes, Dog Costumes, Children's Costumes

Archived under: Apparel, Clothing and Accessories, Costumes, Fashion, Halloween, Holidays, Make-Up

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Voodoo doll Halloween is nearly here, and if you haven't picked a costume yet, there's still time to get creative. Perhaps you're a traditionalist and like to stick with the tried and true: vampires, fairies, monsters, and witches. But why settle for what's been done before, when you can be one of a kind? Here are some of our own favorite costumes from over the years to help inspire you. Michelle H.: It's hard to pick just one! Recently I've been a pregnant victim of a zombie fetus attack, a voodoo doll, Laura Palmer from "Twin Peaks," and for a phobia-themed party I was buried alive, which might have been my most elaborate costume ever. I built a coffin out of foam, decorated it with fake wood grain, moss, and dirt, and even wore fake fingernails with splinters of wood and fake blood under them. Eugenia: This year, I am going to be a cheerleader and my sport is Academic Decathlon. In a fortunate coincidence, while I was visiting my folks this summer, my mother made me take my actual high school Academic Decathlon medals and my academic honor letter with me. I've incorporated both into my outfit! Joel: My favorite is a friend of mine who wore a baby blue shirt and sweatpants, glued a bunch of cotton balls all over herself and walked around with a squirt bottle of water. She was "partly cloudy with a chance of showers." Helene: Halloween never picked up in France, despite some intensive commercial efforts few years ago, so I've never dressed up for it. But now that I am the mom of a little American, I am all about costumes for him. Last year was his first Halloween, and I dressed him as a peacock. He got a lot of compliments at his daycare parade, although most of the people mistook him for a turkey. It's Halloween, people, not Thanksgiving! Brian: This is me dressed as pre-steroids Jose Canseco. And my sister, well, I have no clue what she was. Katherine: The year was 1991. I dyed my hair pink to be a punk rocker. Sarah: My best Halloween costume was in 6th grade when I dressed up as Abraham Lincoln. That's what happens when you're a history nerd who grows up halfway between Valley Forge and Gettysburg. And you enjoy wearing a stovepipe hat. Suggested Sites... Coolest Homemade Costumes - ideas for clever homemade Halloween costumes. WTF Costumes - a blog featuring the "best of the best" and the "worst of the worst" costumes. The History of Halloween - the history of Halloween at History.com, including traditions, costumes, and games. Halloween Costumes at Kaboose - Halloween costume ideas for kids. Disney Family Fun - more costume ideas for kids.

Directory categories: Halloween Costumes, Halloween, Halloween History, Halloween Safety, Costumes

Archived under: Apparel, Clothing and Accessories, Costumes, Fashion, Halloween, Holidays, Make-Up

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