Bonfire Night - sums up why life is worse now.

[Arrrrrrragghhh]

Clearly shows how we have lost touch of real life experiences in favour of some weird commercialised version.

Bonfire night always was finding a house/ family/ venue with enough space for a bonfire on November 5th. Point of the bonfire was to be close enough to keep warm on a cold November night. Sounds, sights and smells of a big wood fire
People would bring fireworks. Everyone knew the name and type of the firework involved. Always the element of danger. Sparklers were a must. Numerous safety films at school and on TV so few injuries but enough to make you be respectful.
You would enjoy some specific bonfire foods - potatoes cooked in thd fire, posh black toffee, cheap hot dogs.

Gradually morphed into local organised events.Ok not so many people have big/any gardens. Still community led volunteering to help build or man a stall etc.

Now my local village is a ticket only event - no sales on the day. The day is a Saturday not the 5th. Food is commercial sellers from out of town and the same ones at every fair or event throughout thd year. No one allowed near the fire. Firework is a showy display away from the bonfire
. LED lights for kids as sparklers discouraged. Basically it’s a pointless organised fireworks show rather than a specific festival for November 5th.

I thought you were going to talk about local hooded and balaclava youths acting dangerously around huge out of control fires. I’d argue those ones are why life isn’t great now

That’s just your experience of Bonfire Night, though. We always used to go to a large display at the public park as far back as the 70s and 80s and from speaking to my dad, he did the same in the 50s and 60s. The Rugby Club near where he lives has done this every year (except for 2020) for 70-odd years.

The tickets and distance from the fire are now are probably because they want to ensure everyone’s safety. No one is stopping you having a fire at home but can you really be bothered? Also, the point of the bonfire was to burn the guy, not keep warm, that was just a bonus.

Things change, I guess. That’s life.

Most places don’t even have a bonfire and they call it fireworks night . 🤦‍♀️

i have a small garden but I always have a fire in my burning bin on bonfire night !

Well yes. But your kids didn’t turn up as yobs to your family and friends bonfire parties, so my point stands.
The youths belong to someone.

Always the element of danger. Sparklers were a must. Numerous safety films at school and on TV so few injuries but enough to make you be respectful. There were quite high numbers of burns and injuries.

Agree about jacket potatoes though.

Yes of course it’s safety. The point being it’s all too safe so less important. One night of being close to danger is the literal point of Bonfire Night.

Nothing says you can't if you want to have fireworks in your garden, many people still do. But I have to say I prefer organised events even if I have to pay to get in. I especially like ones with no sparklers as it's more relaxing that I don't have to make sure others kids aren't pissing about with them wafting them near me and my child. I agree firework safety needs to be taught more, especially around sparklers which children are allowed to handle.

Agree

I wonder how many people got hurt back in the 1970s and 1980s as there were constant TV adverts.

Kids did silly things with fireworks eg light them in their homes or throw them at people .i prefer things as they are but you could always do a before home party with your own food. My mother burnt her arm one year when the pressure cooker of soup exploded - not the best memory.

Well of course it is. Because stalls need volunteers and if the local PTA is anything to go by, noone can spare an hour once every few months but want all of the benefits of cheap locally run stuff for kids but aren't willing to muck in. They are willing to pay though. Hence ticketing and pricing to reflect that.

My parents loved throwing a party and Bonfire night was the biggest party of the year.

Friends, extended family and neighbours would all come around, I reckon over 100 people were there every year. The kids in the street would build a big bonfire during half term and make a guy to sit on top of it in an old chair. Masses of fireworks, roaring bonfire, a huge buffet of brown food and toffee apples laid out in the garage. Everyone in bobble hats and mittens and the adults all got drunk and silly.

That cordite bonfire smell takes me right back there with my mum in a pinny handing round sausage rolls and my dad in overalls lighting fireworks with a fag in his mouth. Bloody loved the 1970s.

Now I sit in my upstairs window watching the fireworks and hoping all the kids are having as good a time as we did.

Personally I prefer a big organised display than every other f*cker dangerously setting fires and fireworks in their gardens willy nilly.

That said, I have friends whose expansive garden backs on to our local paid display so they throw a party every year. Jacket potatoes and merriment and sparklers but leave the bonfire and the fireworks to the professionals, and we watch them from the garden. They were away last year, really looking forward to the return of the annual party this year!

"One night of being close to danger is the literal point of Bonfire Night."

I'd never thought of it like that. Brilliant OP.

Well, you will see my username so no surprise that mine and many other services want fireworks banned except for public displays.

It's not bonfire night that is the major issue for us, its badly behaving youngsters/young adults thinking its funny to put them through the doors of elderly or disabled people's houses and film the aftermath. This usually starts in September and carries on for months!

I've been in the fire service for over 20 years and its so much worse now than it ever was. There are no repercussions where as I see that as attempted murder! If you poured petrol through someone's door or launched a molotov cocktail at someone then what is the difference really?

Not to mention attacks on our own crews for trying to put out dangerous bonfires that are too close to property. I've had bricks and all manner of stuff chucked at my head, luckily I've had a helmet on. One of my crew was shot with an air rifle one year. Totally unacceptable at your work.

Fireworks are explosives and very dangerous in the wrong hands.

You think more people being scarred and injured would somehow be better?

And yet come November 5th mumsnet will be rife with people complaining about all the neighbouring fireworks that come from people setting off a few rockets in their gardens

And yet come November 5th mumsnet will be rife with people complaining about all the neighbouring fireworks that come from people setting off a few rockets in their gardens

Tar barrels still happens. Official advice “do not run away from the barrel”. You know, if you want something less sanitised.

We only ever went to an organised event back in the 80s. The local Scout group always did a bonfire and fireworks on the playing field, and I think the Rotary Club organised the bigger one near town.

"few injuries but enough to make you be respectful" so... there currently aren't enough injuries?? 😂

Be the change you want to see OP - have a traditional bonfire party at yours! Make all the foods and tell everyone the names of the fireworks. Do stay clear of the traditional burns and maimings though.

We always went to the organised display, which dtill
runs now and is still free (it's a charity fundraiser though so donations are asked for) it's an amazing display and raises a good amount of money that covers the costs and funds local good causes.

would rather leave it to the professionals and stay safer.

A couple of years ago some horses got injured when fire works were let off the day before bonfire night by someone near us.

They bolted, jumped their fences and hurt their legs.

Please stick to the 5th to let off fireworks when folk have prepared by putting their animals away from the noise. Better still go to the arranged displays.

Well unfortunately this year my city seems to have had a number of 'organised ' fireworks fights going on in various different areas so I am starting to think maybe only organised displays and no selling of fireworks to the general public
As its Diwali as well there is fireworks going off every night which is a nightmare for animals

Went to a garden display as a child. A rocket fell sideways and went into a child’s cheek. Straight to A&E. Went to a small display at a sports pitch a few years later, sparks went into a girls coat and she was burnt all the way up her neck and jaw. She was 8 yo.

i don’t do small displays for my kids. We only go to big local ones with the safety factor. I’m not a fan of the fear factor to get my kicks

Totally agree with you OP. The whole thing has become sanitized, commercialized and has lost its soul. Like much in life!