Top tips and tricks on keeping yourself safe and everything in between
Remember remember the 5th of November… Bonfire night. The night of hot chocolates, woolly hats, and sparklers. A time where everybody seems to put their differences aside and come together to reap the benefits of brightly coloured fireworks, showstopping bonfires and great food.
Whether you put on your own firework and bonfire display or travel somewhere to watch an organised show staying safe on Bonfire Night is essential. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not here to zap the fun out of Bonfire Night, but we want to make sure that all the precautions are in place to keep you cosy and safe!
This blog wants to get you excited for Bonfire Night and offer you some advice on keeping yourselves and those around you as safe as possible so that the end of the night the only noise you’ll be hearing is laughter and music (and not sirens!) We’ll be covering personal safety, pet safety, clothing suggestions to keep you safe and warm this bonfire night. Oh and did we mention that we have the perfect Bonfire Night food and drink suggestions, too!?
Lighting fireworks safely
Top tips for home displays
It can ruin the experience of Bonfire Night when you’re battling with the crowds to find a good place and can’t get anywhere near the queues for food! At-home firework displays are a great idea but keeping safe is more important than ever, especially if there are little ones around.
So how do you make sure your at-home spectacle is safe without taking away the enjoyment?
- Have a bucket handy – buckets can be filled with water and can be used to discard hot (used) fireworks and sparklers, eliminating the risk of a fire.
- Keep children out of the way – of course, children love fireworks and playing with sparklers but you don’t want them in and amongst the technical ‘stuff’! Preferably, keep your kids indoors so that they can watch from the window without fear of being hurt. When moving outside to light sparklers, make sure an adult is present at all times and that children don’t play with them alone!
- Make sure your firework is stood upright on a suitable surface – concrete or grass is best to set your fireworks up on. Be sure that there are no flammable substances or materials around and don’t forget that your surface needs to be even. This is super important as an uneven surface can cause the lit firework to tip and explode at a horizontal angle as opposed to a vertical.
- Make sure only one person is lighting the fireworks – having too many people surrounding the lighting process can make things more complex than they need to be. Ensure that there’s only one person lighting the fireworks and that the person in charge has not yet drank alcohol (and is 18 or over).
- Stand well back – we’ve all heard the songs and traditions of gathering around the bonfire but be sure to stand well back. Fire can be a beautiful thing to watch, but you need to be super careful.
How to keep your pets safe on bonfire night
Top tips for keeping your furry friends at ease
- Make sure that you tire them out – walking your dog during the day is a great way to make sure that most fireworks are avoided. Not only do your dogs get their usual, peaceful walk but it will tire them out in preparation for a noisy night! Maybe walk them a little further than usual to be sure that they’re tired out and (hopefully) sleep through the firework antics.
- Close all windows and curtains – by closing all doors, windows and curtains you’re more likely to drown out the loud noises. If you’re going out, perhaps play the radio or TV to try and comfort your pet(s), familiarising the noise so that it doesn’t seem too scary.
- Prepare for cuddles – if you’ve decided to have a chilled Bonfire Night in front of the fire then get yourself prepared to comfort your pets. The loud bangs can be distressing for your pets but make sure that you’re there to comfort them can be of great help to settle your pets.
- Create a den – by creating a safe space for your pet, it enables them to take shelter from the stress of the perpetual loud noises. This tip is especially relevant if you’re leaving to go to a party or public firework display, be sure to create somewhere for your pets to escape the frightening noises.
- Treats – although you may feel naughty doing so, giving your pets treats, toys or chews can keep them occupied and in turn help them to switch off from the chaos outside. Giving them something they know is usually a treat will be exciting and should (hopefully) distract them, keeping them busy for longer.
Wearing the correct clothing on Bonfire Night
Keeping warm, safe and fashionable
So once you’ve made sure you’ve taken the correct precautions to ensure you keep yourselves, those around you and your pets it’s time to think about what to wear! You’ll want to find something that’s going to keep you warm whilst you’re stood out in the cold but also protected!
Whether you’re the one who’s lighting the fireworks or you simply need something to wear while you’re stood outside in a huge crowd, our guide is guaranteed to get you prepared! Here at Loofe’s, we offer the perfect products to keep you warm and fashionable. With top brands to choose from such as Emporio Armani and Lacoste, you’ll be able to remain cosy without losing style.
- Wear long sleeves – wearing long sleeves ensures that your arms are protected in the (unlikely) event of something hot falling onto them. Of course, if you’re not lighting fireworks and you’re merely standing in a large crowd then this won’t apply (although who wears short sleeves in November!?). If you’re part of the crowd at an at-home firework display, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so put your long sleeves on!
- Wear gloves – If you’re handling sparklers then wearing gloves is a must. It protects your hands from pesky sparks and stops your fingers from burning as the sparkler burns out. Not only this, but November is cooooold so make sure you wrap your hands up warm (there’s nothing worse than numb fingers, are we right?).
- Coats galore – Bonfire night is the perfect excuse to whip out your brand new coat, showcasing it to friends and family. If you’re going to a public display – or if you aren’t going to be handling the fireworks yourself – then you can afford to put some effort in and dress to suit the occasion.
- The after-party – many people host Bonfire Night parties, but you don’t want to be arriving dressed in your winter coat, scarf, and gloves. Make sure you have a backup outfit ready (or, even better, wear it under your layers) so that when you take off your jacket you look dapper and party-ready
- The after-party – many people host Bonfire Night parties, but you don’t want to be arriving dressed in your winter coat, scarf, and gloves. Make sure you have a backup outfit ready (or, even better, wear it under your layers) so that when you take off your jacket you look dapper and party-ready
How to put on the perfect Bonfire Night spread
The best foods to celebrate
So, after the buzz of watching the fireworks (or the stress of setting them off) everybody is guaranteed to need some food! Food is the perfect way to round off a fun-filled evening, making sure everyone is happy, safe and enjoying themselves.
- Smores galore – so the obvious one is smores, right? Make sure you have marshmallows, chocolate and biscuits at the ready. Roast your marshmallows over your open fire (being careful to remain at a safe distance and not to burn yourself) until it melts. Get two biscuits and spread the marshmallow (with a chunk of chocolate) and create a sandwich.
- Pumpkin soup – after you’ve been standing around outside for a while, you get cold and it’s so hard to warm yourself back up. But what warms you up like soup? …Nothing! Seeing as though Bonfire Night falls just after Halloween, shops are usually selling off their pumpkins at discounted (AKA can’t go wrong) prices! Find a recipe that you like and create some wholesome, warming pumpkin soup. Then, you can lap up the glory of watching your guests caress their cups for warmth and sip mouthfuls of joy.
- Hot dogs – it’s not bonfire night without the smell of hotdogs, ketchup and onions, the combo of dreams. This is a super-easy option, especially if you have a large number of hungry mouths to feed, and it can even mean blowing the dust off the barbecue and putting your chef’s hat on. Offer both vegetarian and meat options to cater to everybody’s preferences, have fresh buns, a range of toppings and some napkins to wipe those messy mouths!
- Cheese fondue – the perfect centrepiece for your Bonfire Night soiree, incorporating a cheese fondue and crusty bread is perfect for warming yourselves up and offering something for everyone.
The best drinks for Bonfire Night
For something tasty to drink as you watch
When you’re stood around watching a firework display, or a bonfire, it helps to have something warming in your hands to drink. If you are the person responsible for setting off the fireworks, please do not drink alcohol until the firework display is over and has been safely cleaned up.
- Hot chocolate (obvs) – for all the chocolate cravings, guaranteed to be a hit amongst adults and children and making sure you don’t get too cold. If there’s a lot of you, why not make a big batch and provide a ladle so people can help themselves to the delicious drink as often as they want?!
- Baileys – For the adults only, why not offer some Baileys, guaranteed to warm you through (especially if you put a drop into your hot chocolate!)
- Mulled cider – although it isn’t quite the season for mulled wine, that doesn’t stop us introducing some mulled alcohol into your Bonfire Nights! The tasty treat works great for during or after the fireworks, keeping you warm while offering a little kick.
Bonfire Night Fun Facts
So now you should be really excited for Bonfire Night. For the clothes, food, drink and everything in between. But do you really know everything there is to know about Bonfire Night, facts, figures, history? Time for some Bonfire Night fun facts, oh but it’s not that easy…you’ll be telling us the answers! Take a note of your answers and once you’re finished, scroll to reveal whether or not you got it right!
- When did Guy Fawkes attempt to blow up Parliament? Was it….
A) 1352
B) 1690
C) 1505
D) 1605
2. Who created the first firework? Was it…
A) Russia
B) Scotland
C) China
D) America
3. Which colour fireworks are the hardest to make? Is it…
A) Orange
B) Blue
C) Red
D) Green
4. It was illegal NOT to celebrate Bonfire Night up until… Was it?
A) 1960
B) 1850
C) 1959
D) 1939
5. During the war, people celebrated Bonfire Night indoors…
A) True
B) False
6. Which King did Guy Fawkes set out to kill? Was it….
A) Henry VIII
B) Charles III
C) James V
D) James I
Answers….
D) 1605
C) China
B) Blue
C)1959
A) True
C) James I
We hope that you got at least some of those quiz questions right! Remember to enjoy Bonfire Night, and most importantly be safe.
If you’re looking for some more inspiration on what to wear this Bonfire Night, explore our Loofe’s website for an extensive range of new in mens’, coats, and sweatshirts to be sure you’re cosy and warm this 5th November!
