Making bonfire night special/where to buy fireworks

[Peachypips78]

Hi all,

In the spirit of having things to look forward to, what are you doing for bonfire night? I hate Halloween so always make bonfire night great.

Also- where do you get ok fireworks from?

Yep agree with PPs. Don't get any flipping fireworks. Make toffee and have some sparklers.

Shame on people who set light to things. Have you heard of climate change? Bonfires cause horrible air pollution. You can't actually see radioactivity. or covid, or the air quality. or the poisoned air. sea. land. and lungs. It doesn't mean they don't exist.

Am I just a killjoy or do I have a point that they're inappropriate in #0ft back gardens in built up areas?

Not all of us have #0ft back gardens in built-up areas. Some of us have rather larger gardens. Your desire for a blanket ban simply because they are inappropriate in some circumstances, strikes me as an over-reaction.

I'm planning a bonfire for all the tree branches that fell off in last winter's storms. But it needs to stop raining! Will get sparklers too, and marshmallows.

I have to agree with others who say fireworks are just too dangerous. It's just about ok if you have a huge field, and get everyone to stand back. But an ordinary sized garden is too small.

Also cheap supermarket fireworks are crap.

Why not set light to a handful of £5 notes and save all the neighbours pets being scared witless.

I will be spending bonfire night trying to calm and comfort my pet dog who will be absolutely terrified. I genuinely fear he will have a heart attack on bonfire night one year. He physically trembles and pants for hours which must be such a strain on him.

I'll also be thinking of my brother who works for the fire service.. risking his life putting out fires caused by people doing home fireworks displays..

Either go to an organised display (not all of them have been cancelled), or just stick to sparklers, please!

@PercyKirke

Am I just a killjoy or do I have a point that they're inappropriate in #0ft back gardens in built up areas?

Not all of us have #0ft back gardens in built-up areas. Some of us have rather larger gardens. Your desire for a blanket ban simply because they are inappropriate in some circumstances, strikes me as an over-reaction.

Most people I know in rural areas hate them too. Livestock and farm buildings are v vulnerable

Not all organised displays go to plan of course:

Sparklers, fire in a firepit, sausages in a bun, hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream, roast marshmallows, candles in jars round the garden, making lanterns with led candles - all good fun.

Fireworks - no, sorry. My late mum, who had dementia, would be crying and terrified everytime they were going off, totally inconsolable.

We have bought some giant sparklers from Lidl

Nothing loud, we have three cats, hedgehog snd fox in garden

Bloody hell! I didn't see that coming.I had no idea people hated fireworks so much.

We live in the country away from many other houses (although we do have a few neighbours) so haven't come across this dislike of fireworks before. Our neighbours also have fireworks. I've never even thought to be concerned about them. Eye opening to see that they cause so many issues.

We have a dog and a cat and they are fine with them but totally understand that many wouldn't cope with it.

When I said 'make it great' I didn't mean some stupendous party - I meant we have soup in a mug outside by the fire pit and marshmallows with sparklers after going to a local display. We haven't done fireworks at home before.

When we were kids everyone did it at home- very few organised displays. Maybe there's a reason for more organised displays now then!

Most people I know in rural areas hate them too. Livestock and farm buildings are v vulnerable

The OP in her last post would seem to disagree. Also if you are fool enough to let off fireworks near livestock and farm buildings with straw or hay inside you deserve all you get.

When we were kids we wore bloody shell suits to fireworks displays. Just because something was ok in the past doesn't mean it is now.

If you pay any credence to ecology, or rural living, surely you can't justify putting more gunpowder and noise pollution into the atmosphere. Or is it suspended for this one day because you'll enjoy it?

It's a nonsense night, originally to celebrate the might of a King who escaped a failed Sectarian terrorist threat. And quickly taken on to make money from setting fire to things. There's better things and better ways to celebrate.

Like Halloween. Or Samhain if you want to be proper about it. That's some cultural heritage that a) can serve a purpose and b) isn't a made up holiday (even if that's how companies market it.)

I wonder if there's a Scotland/England divide on this. I'm not sure if it's just through living in a bubble but Scottish people do seem to be more in tune/more aware of our pagan heritage.

What you are totally unaware of the terror they cause to many dogs and wildlife? You must live in a bubble OP.

Eurgh this is going to be worse because of Covid this year. Ds will be up all night for a week because idiots let them off at all hours, there will be countless accidents and last year a house two streets over burned down because a firework landed on the roof.
I really don't understand why people insist on having fireworks at home in tiny gardens, at antisocial hours without any thought for anyone else.

I know 2 people that have been seriously- life altering- injured as a result of fireworks they let off at home.
My cousins house was burnt to the ground a few years ago when a firework from the neighbours garden went straight threw an upstairs window. Luckily they were out as that room was her 1 year old sons nursery and the fire brigade said it is highly unlikely they would have reached him in time.
I have PTSD and the bangs going off at all different times with no warning or pattern are just awful. If it was just on 5th November I would be fine but you can guarantee one of my neighbours will “celebrate” the weekend before, one of them will “celebrate” the weekend after. The dickheads at the bottom of the road will probably set them off for a fortnight- they are also the dickheads that had an airhorn when everyone was out clapping for carers.

A firework hit our kitchen extension roof last year. It smashed 3 tiles. A foot to the right and the velux window would have been hit. 3 feet up it would have been ds' bedroom window

I'd forgotten about the fireworks, they are going to be worse this year aren't they.

OP, if you do want to get some, look up low noise / silent ones. They would make a big difference for your neighbours and the wildlife in your local area.

I normally get them from Tesco’s. They do a range of boxes for children right up to big bangers. I love fireworks but now live next to a field of sheep so it’s small silent fireworks for us.

Love firework night! We usually get about an hour's worth of fireworks for the garden so this year won't be any different to other years! Usually get them from reputable shops rather than ones that suddenly spring up to sell them cheaply. Always on the 5th when people keep their pets indoors. Usually have chilli, friends round and marshmallows. This year unfortunately the only friends will be one each for our two.

Oh God! I wish people would fuck off with their cheap, shitty back garden fireworks.
It makes me scared to be out, my dog has to be sedated (the panic and sheer terror is awful to see) debris, injuries, disgusting people letting them off in crowded areas.
I'd love to see a ban.
Organised displays only. No displays this year? ((Shrug)) add it to the list of stuff that got cancelled

When I was a kid we had indoor fireworks once (very small!). We thought they were cool. Seem to still be available to buy.
Are they a fire risk nightmare or okay - anyone know? Think I'll probably do this.

@TrollTheRespawnJeremy I have always loved history and Halloween, you wouldn't believe my frustration growing up with my parents insisting that "we don't celebrate Halloween, it's American"

Only for me to go on and learn all about Samhain and all the other UK roots!

Anything with pagan roots gets celebrated in this house.

@Rose789 God that’s awful! I’ve always despised fireworks but that’s made me even more terrified of them.

Burning wood causes as much air pollution as all traffic. What is the matter with people? Go to your own private planet. This one is already on fire. By 2030 half the world's population won;t have habitable land to live on. Just because governments don't ban stuff like bonfires and plastic it doesn't mean it's fine. Research it. The way to deal with fallen wood is let it rot for the ecosystems which need it, or chip it for mulch