Bonfire Night: What to Remember, Remember...

Bonfire Night is finally upon us, and it is one of our favourite winter festivals. What better way to spend the early evening than gathered with family and friends around a glorious, crackling fire, its glowing embers cartwheeling up into the deep night sky?

We have been longing for bonfires all summer long, watching the piles of garden cuttings grow ever taller in the parched meadow, and not wanting to risk the slightest spark. But now that the days are getting shorter (and damper) it’s time to get out the pitchfork and the matches, and to watch the sparks fly.

Bonfires take work, preparation, and participation. Before you light yours, do remember to check for wildlife. This is the time of year when hedgehogs start to find places to hibernate, and a pile of cuttings and wood will seem like a very welcoming spot. Best practice is to remake your bonfire the afternoon that you will light it, moving it from one spot to another, so as to disturb any squatters.

Fireworks for us are a pure spectator sport – ideally viewed at a distance, reclined in a deckchair, head on a cushion, and wrapped up in a snuggly wool throw. And of course, those with nervous dispositions (and dogs) will be forgiven for staying inside, but that doesn’t mean the night is forgotten. Scent your house with a bowlful of mellow quinces, light candles in glass candle holders, and wrap your hands around a mug of steaming hot chocolate and you will be around the bonfire in spirit.