Fireworks 💥

[Lovelyness]

How are your hamsters getting on with the fireworks? I went out to our village fireworks display this evening, and left Blossom with the curtains drawn and radio on. I can hear her just now moving about in her nest, so she seems to be ok

 

[Maz]

Haven't heard any round our way yet but we're out in the sticks and on 5th Nov you can just hear them in the distance. Or maybe the day before sometimes.

 

[elusive]

I haven’t heard any yet which is very unusual here, hopefully there won’t be too many but it’s never really been a problem with my hams, if it’s noisy they tend to stay in the house or under the substrate but are fine when it stops.

 

[RainbowBrite]

I heard fireworks last night but Sprite did not seem to react to them.

 

[Lovelyness]

We have ‘pet classics’ playing on Classic fm on the radio this evening. It’s a special program they do to keep pets calm on fireworks night It used to work a treat with our dog. Fortunately, Blossom doesn’t seem to be too perturbed by the pops and bangs! We have had 3 nights of fireworks going!

 

[RainbowBrite]

That is a lovely idea for little Blossom. There have been a lot of fireworks here last night but not many today.

 

[Maz]

That's a great idea I haven't heard anything yet. There was going to be a local display about a mile way but it got cancelled "due to boggy ground".

 

[ilguy]

What are the fireworks for? My Henry was pretty spooked from them here, and from thunder. I didn't realize it at the time, but he would have liked some petting.

Scary Storm

 

[elusive]

Aww poor Henry, I’m sure he appreciated all the reassurance.

Fireworks are for Guy Fawkes/bonfire night, celebrating the failure of the gunpowder plot, trying to blow up the houses of Parliament in 1605!

There’s been loads here the last two nights, not too close though this year thankfully, no stupid kids letting them off in the street.

 

[RainbowBrite]

What are the fireworks for? My Henry was pretty spooked from them here, and from thunder. I didn't realize it at the time, but he would have liked some petting.

Scary Storm

Aww, sweet baby. He really does feel reassured by you which is so sweet.

 

[Maz]

What are the fireworks for? My Henry was pretty spooked from them here, and from thunder. I didn't realize it at the time, but he would have liked some petting.

Scary Storm

Remember remember the 5th of November - gunpowder, treason and plot.

That was the saying I remember! It’s the annual firework night in the U.K.

As Rainbow explained above it is also called Guy Fawkes night. He was the main plotter. Historically people build a big bonfire and put an effigy of guy Fawkes on top of it and burn it - all very pagan! The “Guy” is often old clothes stuffed with straw. A bit like a scarecrow.

Most of the Guy traditions are gone now but when I was a child, kids woukd make the “Guy” in advance of 5th November and either display it or wheel it round peoples houses collecting money (to pay for fireworks presumably). So you’d get kids knocking on the door with a Guy effigy in a wheelbarrow saying “penny for the Guy”. Ie collecting pennies.

About the only other time the U.K. has fireworks is New Year’s Eve but that seemed to start later.

Traditionally on “bonfire night” there would be a big bonfire gradually built up in advance and on the night people would stand around it (quite cosy) and eat jacket potatoes and toffee apples.

So 5th November can be called bonfire night or fireworks night or Guy Fawkes night. We always called it bonfire night.

There is a still a traditional one like this in a village not far from me and it’s a lovely atmosphere. Haven’t been for a few years. Once the bonfire is full blazing they then set off the fireworks for the firework display.

The Real Story of Bonfire Night

In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about the 5th of November, from Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot to the story of how Bonfire Night has changed over the centuries.

www.english-heritage.org.uk

 

[Lovelyness]

Guy Fawkes night is a strange thing really, but I love it! I love the fact that all over the UK, thousands of people go out and stand in a muddy field in the cold to watch 15-20 minutes of fireworks lol

 

[Maz]

I know! The organised displays are much safer as well. It used to be everyone having their own fireworks in the garden but there were so many horrific accidents. My Dad banned our family from doing that and we only went to organised displays after that.

I think only licensed people can set them off in public now.

Oh and I forgot sparklers! Adds to the atmosphere too. Toffee apples and sparklers.

 

[Lovelyness]

We only ever went to organised displays. My dad was in the Round Table who used to organise our local fireworks display when we were kids, so we always went to that. Actually, we might have had garden fireworks once, but they were rubbish! I don’t really understand people doing their own cos they are really expensive and the organised displays are often free and so much better!

 

[Lovelyness]

We have tons more fireworks going off this weekend for Diwali. Fortunately, Miss Blossom isn’t fazed by them!

 

[RainbowBrite]

That is good to hear. Lots of fireworks here too. They went off about 2AM and Sprite carried on running in his wheel.

 

[RainbowBrite]

There are the loudest fireworks I have ever heard going off here. No idea what the occassion is.

 

[Lovelyness]

There are the loudest fireworks I have ever heard going off here. No idea what the occassion is.

How odd!

 

[Coco61]

Someone’s birthday perhaps?

 

[Maz]

Are you anywhere near Southend?

Seafront Fireworks - Visit Southend

Fizz, Pop, Bang, whooo! The free Seafront Fireworks are back, funded by the Southend Seaside...

www.visitsouthend.co.uk