Remember remember …

 

I love bonfire night.  I remember as a small child helping to build the bonfire on the vegetable patch at the end of the garden. We would build it up and then light it when it got dark. We would have soup and put jacket potatoes in silver foil into the fire to cook. I always felt that it took ages to have to wait for them to cook. We didn’t have fireworks, our garden was too small, but we did have Catherine wheels and sparklers. It was one of the many things I remember doing as a family. Catherine wheels are from Saint Catherine who was tortured on a wheel for not renouncing her Christian faith. 

So what is bonfire night?

Remember remember 

the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot

I see no reason

Why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

A plot to overthrow the English parliament with James 1st also part of the plot. The group were catholics and wanted England to return to Catholicism. As we know the plot was foiled and all those involved were captured due to the information given by Guy Fawkes. Original the day was a religious day and everyone was expected to go to church. Fawkes never really featured in Bonfire Night with effigies of the Pope being paraded around on that day. It was not until the 19th century that Guy Fawkes became centre stage of the day and into the 20th century the evening became a family affair of organised events with fireworks displays. In 2017 £155 million was spent on fireworks.

One thing I do remember from my childhood which is no longer around, was the penny for the guy. We would create effigies of Guy Fawkes and walk the streets with it in a pram or something and ask for a penny for the Guy. It was a way of raising money for sparklers, though I am not sure we always spent it on  them. The Guy would then be put onto the bonfire during the evenings celebrations.

I still really like Bonfire night. However, I do struggle. I have a dog, Little Ted, who has epilepsy and much of what I need to do is keep him calm. Of course, fireworks drive him mad. Literally goes mental, barking and inconsolable. I have to grab him and put him in his create. Walking him becomes almost impossible. As soon as he hears a fireworks he pulls my arm off. This year I tried drugging him which did help and keep him calmer, however, we decided to put him in kennels, which is in the middle of nowhere. We are hoping that helps.

I do wonder why all fireworks can’t be silent. They exist and work well, so why can’t they be just the beautiful lights. Maybe there is work to get the law changed so that fireworks can only be sold as silent. I also wondered whether there could be a truce for maybe 1 hour so that dogs can be walked. 

I did enjoy the free fireworks display put on by the local sports centre from my sitting room window and it was spectacular. Though I do wonder how long Bonfire Night will be part of our traditions, I hope it does remain.

Thanks

Lois