Great article, Rhuby - ties in with loads of stuff.
I've read elsewhere that Samhain (apparently pronounced "sow-een") was considered the beginning of a new (pagan) year as well as the end of the old year, which figures.
From a time well before the Gunpowder Plot, the beginning of November was marked by bonfires, torchlit processions and burned sacrifices (to drive away evil spirits). The sacrifices, like the bonfire itself, represented all that was undesirable of the old year, consigning it to ashes and history, never to be repeated.
Apparently the old year's "evil spirits" were represented by dummies (effigies) that were called "guys". Does seem a major coincidence if so..
Anyway, I'm going to throw in my regular mention of the Lewes Bonfire, for which people dress up in fantastic outfits (well, some of 'em do), walk through the old town in torchlit processions, and watch some of the best fireworks in the world. Oh, including effigies of Guy Fawkes, and "tableaux" effigies of hateful people or events from the previous year:
http://www.cliffebonfire.co.uk/TabGallery.htmShame they haven't got last year's (unusually predictable) Bin Laden here yet.
Ah, from another site:
http://www.janeandrichard.co.uk/photos/bonfire_2001/These effigies and tableaux aren't burnt, incidentally - they are all-in-one firework displays that don't blow up completely until right at the end.
Usually.
I could write lots more about this, but reckon I'll leave it there.
