Tonight is Bonfire Night!
“Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason, why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.”
For anyone outside of our funny little island of Great Britain, you can read up on the history of bonfire night here.
But all you really need to know is that it’s a mid-autumn knees up, and possibly my favourite holiday of all!
Everyone pulls on boots, coats and woolies. They trudge out into the night, light an enormous fire and send fireworks shooting off into the darkness. You stand together cheering, whooping, warming yourself by the fire, burning your tongue on hot booze, getting toffee apples stuck to your teeth and squeezing hot dog mustard down your trousers.
It is excellent!
I celebrated with a few chums a little bit early.
One of the local squares had their party on Sunday. Notting Hillbillies from all around came together to celebrate as one.
We congregated around the huge fire, which I always thinks feels so deliciously Pagan.
Sparks and billows of smoke flew up into the starless sky, watched over by the glowing moon.
We drank mulled wine and enjoyed a supper of sausages.
We lit our sparklers as one…
…and danced around together.
Except for Bella of course, who always dances to the beat of her own drum!
The local children muddled together their Guys, which were to be judged and the winner burnt to a crisp.
Though mostly fabric and crumpled newspaper, some of them were really a bit creepy.
And one will haunt my nightmares for weeks….
Imagine finding that chap staring at you from your cupboard in the dead of night!
*shudder*
The girls, proudly sporting their Juggz Jumpers!
(I have my eyes on the sausage dog ones.)
We watched the fire dance and slowly burn lower, but turned our back to it as soon as the main event started.
The fireworks!
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^ Video, press play!
The Guys were judged and a winner thrown onto the fire, quickly followed by his runners up.
We saw them off with a few more sparklers.
And gently toasted ourselves in the glow of the dancing fire.
The crowd slowly melted away and soon it was just us left behind.
Warming our behinds.
Polar neck (you really need a few of these babies in your cupboard. Life savers!)
Trousers // Boots // Duffle coat // Enormous scarf
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If you’re a Londoner, here’s where you can get your gunpowder fix tonight:
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Brockwell park, 5pm
Crystal Palace park, 6pm (Fireworks at 8pm)
Southwark park, 6pm
Wimbledon park, 5.30pm (Fireworks at 8.30pm)
Redbridge, Barkingside recreation ground, 5.30pm
I hope it goes off with a bang!
