'Tis The Season

... to let off fireworks in honour of the failure of Guy Fawkes' dastardly plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. Should Catholics celebrate Bonfire Night, given that Guy Fawkes was acting in the cause of Catholicism? Given that the leading English Catholics of his time thought he was a foolish maverick, and feared a terrible backlash would have resulted if he succeeded, I think I can live with it. And it gives me an opportunity to mention our Catholic history and remind the girls that our religious freedom is something to be appreciated. (Though given that Star had somehow managed to forget entirely who Guy Fawkes was, I'm obviously not making a good job of it.)

We usually celebrate on Bonfire Night itself (November 5th), by watching a firework display at a village school with friends, then going back to their house for drinks and snacks afterwards. This year our friends' son was sick and the weather was dismal, so we didn't make it. In the end we went to a firework display tonight at another local school. Good fireworks, but very, very loud. Little Cherub was seriously not impressed, though she did manage to hang in there - literally, hanging round my neck which she decided was the only safe place.

'Tis also the season to prepare for Advent, albeit accidentally. I spotted this wooden Advent calendar in John Lewis yesterday and loved it. It has little drawers just big enough to hold three sweets or chocolates, a tiny gift, or a note. I love that it includes a nativity scene. I just know that if I looked for something like this, I would never find it ... so I bought it while I had the chance.