Bonfire Night in the UK - Its not the same anymore

Advantages: Bonfire night should be great fun

Disadvantages: ...but it isn't anymore

Bonfire night USED to be so much fun. 

In recent years the from about early October to just gone past Hogmanay, fireworks can be heard whizzing through the sky and cracking their lights all over the place. Now I like fireworks, but I also appreciate that there are others who don't. Because of the mass availablilty of fireworks today, most of the magic of the build up to bonfire night has disappeared. 

In bygone days (only last century but not 'before the war', I am not that old) us kids would have a great time going round looking for old wood to burn in a community bonfire. Then there was the thrill of building the fire as high as high as you could, then guarding the wood from neighbouring kids who had plans to nick wood for their fire. 

Then there was the build up in the shops. Unlike some 'cheapstretchers' type shops where you can now get fireworks all year round, your local newsagent would stock a cabinet of fireworks once a year for about the week before firework night. This glass cabinet would be bright with roman candles and fizz-bangs all in their colourful paper wraps and little blue touch paper. 

The build up and fun just isn't here anymore - just like Christmas starts in the shops now in September both halloween and bonfire night both have an early build up, which kind of dilutes the excitement.

Summary: Keep fireworks out of the shops till 1st November