Budloe Night – Guernsey Bonfire Night
Guy Fawkes night in Guernsey, has a much deeper history and stretches back even further than the 17th Century attempt to blow up the English parliament in 1605. Today it’s also known locally as “Budloe Night” and harks back to the island’s Viking heritage.
“Budloe Night” was originally intended to celebrate the end of the year. It was a pagan festival where a Yule log would be burnt. Using fire was an act of cleansing in preparation for the new year. The connection to the Vikings stems from the island’s association with Normandy, which was of course conquered and populated by the Norsemen, from which the term Norman was derived.
The original Budloe festivals would have taken place later on in the year than Guy Fawkes night, around the Winter Solstice (December 21st or 22nd). With the advent of Guy Fawkes night, and given the similarities in how each festival is celebrated, the two became linked and celebrated together on November 5th.
Budloe night originally involved celebrations around a large fire, decorating the house, burning the Yule log along with copious amounts of eating and drinking. Budloe night was still celebrated in it’s own right in Guernsey right up until after the war when there were large cavalcades along with many people dressing up in fancy dress.
Since the war the large scale celebrations have declined and the focus has now become a more standardised bonfire and fireworks party
“Budloe Night” was originally intended to celebrate the end of the year. It was a pagan festival where a Yule log would be burnt. Using fire was an act of cleansing in preparation for the new year. The connection to the Vikings stems from the island’s association with Normandy, which was of course conquered and populated by the Norsemen, from which the term Norman was derived.
The original Budloe festivals would have taken place later on in the year than Guy Fawkes night, around the Winter Solstice (December 21st or 22nd). With the advent of Guy Fawkes night, and given the similarities in how each festival is celebrated, the two became linked and celebrated together on November 5th.
Budloe night originally involved celebrations around a large fire, decorating the house, burning the Yule log along with copious amounts of eating and drinking. Budloe night was still celebrated in it’s own right in Guernsey right up until after the war when there were large cavalcades along with many people dressing up in fancy dress.
Since the war the large scale celebrations have declined and the focus has now become a more standardised bonfire and fireworks party
Some Traditional Guernsey Bonfire Night Dishes
If you want your bonfire party to have a traditional Guernsey flavour then try some of the following recipes for Bean Jar and Gache Melee … yummy
Traditional Guernsey Bean Jar
Gache Melee
4 comments:
Hello Marilyn, Budloe Night is completely new to me, and I have to say I think it is rather a shame it got swallowed up by Bonfire Night. Maybe you could have a go at rekindling (no pun intended) interest in it. You could have another celebration later in the year, perhaps without the fireworks.
Hello Barbara - your comments are so welcome.I've been writing this blog once a week for more than six years now and do sometimes wonder whether I should take a break.Then you appear and make me smile or think differently about the post I've just written.Thanks for all your support and here's to friends we've never met.
Well now you've made my day twice! Thank you for the lovely comment left on my blog and for these sweet words. I would miss your posts if you were to take a break (although I know we all need them from time to time). I look forward to my visits to your blog and always enjoy what you have to say. Thank you for your friendship, I value it greatly.
That makes two of us, Barbara! x
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