On the first anniversary of the foiled plot, in November 1606, bonfires were lit in and around London and effigies of Fawkes were burnt. The Church of England actively encouraged this practice, and Samuel Pepys recorded accounts of bonfires in his famous diaries. Fireworks were also let off and within a few years this had become a national celebration. Today, while not strictly a national holiday, Bonfire Night is a huge event throughout Britain, with fireworks, traditional food and drink, costume parties and other festivities.
Despite the nature of his crime, Guy Fawkes is almost regarded as something of a hero today, in much the same way as the outlaw Robin Hood. Guy Fawkes was recently voted one of the “100 best Britons”. The British people jokingly claim that he is the only person to enter Parliament with honest intentions and today the “Gunpowder Plot” society actively thrives. One of its objectives is to establish whether there are any present day descendants of Fawkes or the other plotters, although there seems to be no firm evidence for this.