ChatterBank3 mins ago
Bonfire Night
58 Answers
Not sure if its just me, but does society celebrate Bonfire night like we used to?
I remember as a kid growing up in the 70's bonfire night was a huge deal, people would be having bonfires and letting off fireworks all evening.
In fact my neighbour at the time would have a big party outside.
I don't really see any of that going on these days.
Is the tradition dying off?
In my observation Halloween seems to get bigger each year, and Bonfire night is dying off.
What would the reason be, assuming my observation is correct.
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My neighbour is having a bonfire and fireworks in his garden this evening; the pub up the road is putting on a bonfire and fireworks with food; there was a huge display at my local park with fair, street food, night market. I think more people go to the organised displays than the traditional back garden do, though.
On my local nextdoor site there has been nothing but complaints about fireworks scaring their dogs, waking their children, stinking the place up with bonfires... did people really moan about them in the past?
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Too many people for my liking. I had to go into town this morning & there were already a lot of folk in their variously-coloured striped jumpers wandering about, along with quite a few in costume.
Also, there were many men with wood.
Boarding over shop windows, they were.
Ban the darned things for me. Unless they could make them silent, dogs are scared to death.
We've had two barns burned down with 'stray' fireworks. Had cattle escape and stampede over someone's prize garden.
Had a schoolfriend badly burned, and another lost her life, just for a few pretty coloured fireworks.
And it's not just one night is it, started Friday here, hopefully tonight is the end of them, but there's another weekend fast approaching.
barry1010,
People didn't moan about fireworks or the smell of the bonfire when I was a child, mainly because more people participated in it.
I think these days fireworks get into the wrong hands, which spoils it for others.
I think they should raise the legal age to buy fireworks to at least 30. That way Dads and Mums could still have a back garden event for their children. With the likelihood of parents should be more responsible.
What I don't understand is they now make and sell quiet fireworks. But the whole idea to me is hearing them aswell as seeing them, it goes hand in hand.
Can you believe in my day, they burnt lorry and car tyres on the bonfire to keep it burning longer. You'd be shot for doing that now.
renegadefm, so much has changed since I was a girl.
Fireworks are now more expensive, louder, and more spectacular.
Depending on where you live, fireworks are going off well before Nov 5th and well after that date.
I personally believe they should be mad silent as then they wouldn't be so much of a problem, or just have the noisy ones at where the displays are held and not in peoples back gardens or on the streets.
It is strange I think that we still commemorate something that happened in 1605!
Fireworks have always got in to the wrong hands. I remember kids letting jumping jacks (remember them) on a crowded bus, throwing bangers in to galvanised bins. Over the years there has been reports of kids throwing them at passing cars, posting lit fireworks through letterboxes - all sorts of utter stupidity.
People did moan about bonfires and fireworks in the 70s, you probably didn't notice it if you were a kid then, renegade. Go and play up your own end! :D
Fireworks are expensive. Who wants to waste a load of money for something that lasts about 10 mins?
Personally I wouldn't feel confident about lighting fireworks.
Much safer and more value for money to go to an organised display. They tend to be spread out any day from 31/10 to 5/11.
Bonfire night does have awkward anti Catholic overtures. I read that Guy Fawkes old school refuse to have a display
I personally think fireworks only get into the wrong hands because they allow them to be sold to 18 year olds and above who are not responsible enough.
My belief is if they raised the legal age to 30, at least parents of a similar age to 30 and above could still hold respectible events in their garden.
I think a 30 year old is less likely to roam around the streets randomly setting off fireworks, compared to an 18 year old. Thats my take on it.
My understanding, vulcan, is that bonfire night fireworks after midnight are illegal. But if they are for Diwali, or Chinese New Year, etc. then you are allowed up to 1 am.
Meanwhile, any ban on private shows is an attack on our culture, and must be resisted as our culture is under attack enough already these days.
