By Community Correspondent Sam Brougham

The past month has seen two of the largest events of the year battle it out, in a fit of decorations, fireworks and commercialisation. Yet whilst both Bonfire Night and Halloween reach massive audiences across the country, their conventions and folklore couldn’t be more different.

The legend behind Bonfire Night is widely known throughout the country; it marks the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in which a number of Catholic conspirators attempted to destroy the Houses of Parliament. This patriotic tale unites thousands of communities in burning an effigy of the most prominent schemer: Guy Fawkes.

The mythology behind Halloween is far less clear cut, as it dates back to Celtic rituals thousands of years ago. The consensus is that it is derived from Old Irish, translating roughly into “summer’s end”.

Based on the festival of Samhain, its original purpose was to mark the end of the “lighter half” of the year, a time that Celts once believed was when the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin, allowing spirits to pass through – hence the ghostlike customs evoked today.

Though it may be difficult to distinguish which of the two has more engaging mythology behind it, in terms of scale, there is a clear victor, with Halloween being celebrated by 86% of homes in the US and the UK.

As it begins to extend its grasp to corners of the East, mainly under the context of American pop culture, Bonfire Night’s Brit-exclusive demographic is far smaller in scope. Obstreperous health and safety regulations don’t help, either.

Arguably, Halloween is deserving of its popularity – it offers a wholesome and innocent alternative to the more adult undertones posed by the tale of Guy Fawkes, a tradition that alienates many people of different faiths. As such, it comes as no surprise that its popularity is dwindling in our multicultural society.

Bonfire Night is also disadvantaged when looking at consumerism. Fireworks, though popular and differentiated, can require permits and licenses only available to adults to purchase, and there is little else for high street retailers to stock. Conversely, Halloween’s emphasis on ‘candy’ and cheap decorations lends itself to convenience and impulse purchases – any supermarket’s dream.

Despite this, Bonfire Night is still popular in Britain, in part due to its more dignified, stately connotations – a firm contradiction to the ostentatious customs brought on by the Americanisation of Halloween. Many Britons seek solace in a tradition that doesn’t involve hyperactive children dressed in lurid costumes.

Yet is such snobbery really justified? Many of us look down on the “trick or treat” tradition, and its similarities to begging, yet British conventions saw “penny for a guy” – where children sat in shop doorways with their homemade effigies, pleading for fireworks money. How could this be construed as any less morally reprehensible than asking strangers for sweets?

This highlights another significant difference: the generation gap. Halloween has only recently managed to surpass Guy Fawkes in popularity – ask anyone of our parents’ generation what the end of October signified, and they would most likely answer with “Guy Fawkes preparation”. Bonfire Night has essentially become a victim of the modernisation of our society; it simply couldn’t keep up with the rise of free enterprise and the decline in patriotism.

Yet there’s no denying Bonfire Night’s customs are for more universal in their appeal. Massive community displays draw crowds of thousands, and provide dazzling, breathtaking spectacles to entertain teens and grandparents alike. Similarly, nothing beats the magic of your own personal display in the back garden, where hours are spent watching dad light dozens of Catherine wheels and bangers.

To perceive the two as mutually exclusive would be unfair; both Halloween and Bonfire Night have their merits, and work best together because of these differences. But let’s face it: as the days grow shorter, and Christmas still weeks off, we’ll take any excuse to throw a good party.