Fireworks and Elections

5 November is a big day this year! In the USA, people will be casting votes for President, while in the UK, folks will be lighting up the night with fireworks and bonfires. Yes, that’s right: Americans are electing a leader, and Brits are celebrating a failed explosion from 1605.

Let’s break it down. In the US, Election Day brings nail-biting tension. Millions vote, but thanks to the Electoral College who cast the vote (another unusual system, like in the UK 😊), no one’s quite sure how it’ll turn out. One party might win the most votes but still lose the election. This happened in 2016.  Imagine running a race, winning, and then realizing you were in the wrong lane the whole time!

Meanwhile, across the pond, the UK celebrates Guy Fawkes Night. This is a festival where Brits gather around bonfires, light fireworks, and burn effigies (symbolic forms) of Guy Fawkes who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 – and failed.

Both events bring people together—one with ballots, the other with bonfires and fireworks. Let‘s hope there are no major dramas on either side!