Fireworks

[Courtenay]

Split from 'What Makes You Annoyed?'

Fireworks, don't get me started on that one.

I'm all for organized displays only.

You could always move to Australia, Julie.

[Bannerman65]

But not to Perth, Courtus. I dunno what the maximum temperature was today, but mid 30's, was what I heard.

[Machupicchu14]

I have nothing against fireworks...we always had our own displays up until a few years ago...but like dangerous dogs, dangerous fireworks are usually due to the people setting them off being irresponsible. I think fireworks are great...but the 'owner' like with badly behaved dogs and children, is the person we should blame for the bad reputation of fireworks these days!

That's exactly how I feel Rob. I am not very fond of fireworks but I still like them, the only problem is that I grew to become scared of them when I saw teenagers manipulating then irresponsibly in my town in Spain. And they are a bit too noise. I really enjoy them though!!

[Julie2owlsdene]

You could always move to Australia, Julie.

No thank you, Courtenay!

[Fiona1986]

It's actually illegal to set off fireworks after 11pm in the UK (with one or two exceptions on special occasions like Guy Fawkes night (midnight) and New Year (1am). Wish someone would tell that to the people who have been setting them off at 1,2 and even 3 am the past few weekends.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Out of interest, does anyone here still set off their own fireworks in the garden? I must admit that's something we've never done. We went to the free fireworks display at the seafront last night as usual. An impressive display, but sadly they don't have a bonfire.

[Julie2owlsdene]

We've never done that for our grandkids, Anita. Nor has my daughter. They go to an organized display, of which there are many around in Cornwall. And the fire brigade down here stress on the radio almost every hour on the 4th and 5th November, that it is better to go to an organized display and not buy from the shops and do your own.

As a kid we always had fireworks in the garden, with my cousins, but not a bonfire. And in those days it was only on the one day, 5th November.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, it's only in recent years that the fireworks period has lengthened, seeming to last from about mid October to early January.

Incidentally, looking at boxes of fireworks in the supermarket I noticed that one brand was called Lucky Star!

[Rob Houghton]

We always had our own displays. As a kid, we had them on the wasteland behind our house, which backs onto the canal. It was open and safe to have a bonfire as well as fireworks. As I grew older, the wasteland became more overgrown, and now its a small wood, so no good for bonfires! Up until a few years ago we had fireworks in the back garden instead, when my nieces were younger, but for the last seven years or so we haven't done anything for Bonfire Night.

However, I have to admit I'm totally against 'banning' fireworks. Fireworks are perfectly safe if used responsibly. Banning garden displays just means that people are forced to go to an organised display and pay money to enter, to eat food, to buy drinks, and to stand ankle deep in mud!

[Spitfire]

My family still organises their own display every year, with three generations including a whole heap of children, getting together at somebody's house. I used to love those gatherings as a child, and they're much bigger now. This year my cousin had a firework display in his back garden. I'm not sure if they had a bonfire too.

Our greyhound is terrified of fireworks, both the sight and sound of them. Left unchecked, she goes into panic mode and tries to dig a hole through carpets and walls and breaks her nails. I usually spend the evening in the bathroom with her, which is the only place she feels relatively safe as it has no windows and the bathroom fan hides some of the noise. So though I don't have a problem with private displays, I wish it didn't go on every evening for up to two weeks!

My four-year-old nephew doesn't like fireworks much either, nor does his baby brother. "Too noisy" he explained to me. But I think he liked to see them, sheltered safe in an adult's arms, looking at them through a window. And he loved the sparklers at the end. I'm sure he'll grow to love them, and Bonfire Night will provide him with some special memories.

[Anita Bensoussane]

The big family gatherings do sound nice, but we've never lived near family.

Some organised displays are free of charge, like the one we go to, but I'm not sure how many councils organise those. Mind you, boxes of fireworks aren't cheap to buy so I'm not certain whether attending a display with an entry fee would work out a lot more expensive than having fireworks at home. I suppose it depends how many people are in your family/group! Our outing cost nothing as we walked there and had a hot drink at home on our return.

[Rob Houghton]

At our garden displays we always had hot soup, followed by baked potatoes, hot dogs and burgers, plus things to drink (usually tea!) and so I was thinking of all the money would be spent on top of the fireworks, at an organised display.

[Katharine]

The fireworks I went to last night cost £6 for an adult, £4 for a child if bought in advance. Not sure how much they were on the night, probably £10 and £6. So the average family of 4 would cost £20. Sounds a lot, but the fireworks usually go on for about 20 minutes non-stop, so definitely worth it. There is a fun fair before and after, but I've never bothered with it. The fireworks start at 8.00, so we'd have eaten a good dinner/tea around 6.00, so no need for anything to eat in the park, and I take a bottle of water in case I get thirsty. It's only a 20 minute walk home, so I can soon warm up with a cup of tea.

We make it a family event and meet up with cousins.

[Anita Bensoussane]

The "Firework Feast" does sound good, Rob but, like Katharine, we ate before we went out!

[Bannerman65]

I don't know if Courtus brought this up, but Australian Capital Cities do have a 30 minute fireworks display on Australia Day. Free to get in and out. This is a planned event. In Perth, The Mix 94.5 radio station broadcasts the music for it.