5th November Bonfire Bangs & Fireworks, smells

Thanks for reminding me, in my youth the penny for the guy was everywhere.

In my youth there was a ritual, similar to 'Penny for the Guy' - but no Guy was usually involved, it was called 'Cob-coaling'. You knocked on neighbourhood doors and sang a song, and the neighbours would either give you wood or coal for your bonfire or money for fireworks. The song went: "We come a Cob-coaling for Bonfire Time. Your coal or your money we hope to enjoy. Fal-a-dee, fal-a-day, fal-a-diddle-eye-do-day." There were many possible verses, but this was the minimum. Then it was finished with: "If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do. If you haven't got a ha'penny, God bless you!"

On Bonfire Night we would have traditional food: 'Black peas and vinegar' and 'Parkin' (a ginger and syrup cake) and, usually hot Vimto to drink.

In my youth, the 1960s, 70s & 80s, Bonfire night was a very big day for me.  It broke up the monotony of the year and it had its practical uses.  Now I just stay at home, I couldn't care less and can't be bothered to get involved.

As a child I lived in a poverty stricken inner city.  We had no officially organised displays, neighbours just got together and did their own.  A large display was 20 or 30 neighbors.  A small display was just one family. 

I actually have good memories of doing our own bonfire in the back street outside our house and visiting multiple fires and displays in our and surrounding streets.  There was plenty of wood because nearby back to back housing was being demolished and not cleared. Bonfires were being built for about a week before the actual fire.  The fireworks were all organised by local youths. 

There was no concern for health and safety, I remember one of our neighbors going to hospital after a 'jumping jack' exploded as it smashed into her ankle.  Both me and my mother had severe eye problems from all the smoke.  And everyone's clothes smelt of burnt smoke.

We usually did a small fire opposite our house on the backstreet.  After three or four years, a car owning neighbour came round to complain to us and threatened to report us to the police/council.  Our Bonfire had burnt through several layers of the road and a pothole had developed which was getting larger and deeper all the time.

After we moved and had a large garden, bonfire night was the day we burnt all our autumn garden waste in a fire in our garden.  It was the one day of the year when neighbours didn't come round to complain about the smoke and fire.

Now, I just stay at home and watch TV.

I would rather have city council save money to do them really amazing every 5 years, than crap every year

I love good trivia

I once fired off a three-inch mortar firework launcher, so if I'm directly involved I quite like big impressive fireworks, but if they are someone else's I feel just the opposite. I suspect it is because if I'm firing them, I know when the bang is due.

Same 

I LOVE the look of fireworks, but the sounds do bother me. I like it from a distance but up close is scary. However I do enjoy standing in the freezing cold with a huge coat on, gloves, hats etc. makes me feel cozy. 

I'm not sure where I stand on fireworks, though. i feel bad for pets.

Actually, historically Bonfire Night was a way for communities to cope with the darkness and cold of the winter months by lighting huge community fires and serving hot food and drink. Like Christmas, over time it was hijacked by various religious and political movements and ascribed religious or political significance. Since the dawn of electricity, and the advent gas central heating, it has become purely symbolic and meaningless—and an opportunity for making money out of the sale of fireworks.

Halloween (which historically was All Hallows' Eve, the day that falls before All Hallows' Day) is also a pagan festival which saw communities feeding the less fortunate. Eventually  it too was hijacked by religion (Christianity) and became as All Hallows' Eve and All Saints' Day. During the last century, it, too, was  hijacked by commercial entities and has become a money-making horror cos-play event for young children.

It's Demonic. Unleashing Supernatural Powers.

The Occult want the complete eradication of Faith and Innocence.

I love to see the colours and shapes of high quality organised firework displays viewed from a distance.  What I find intolerable are the ones that are let off willy nilly in the street or in private gardens—those unexpected bangs and whizzes infuriate me.  As for bonfire night itself, much like Halloween the week before where people dress as evil characters or celebrate horror, I've never understood the attraction in stand ingin the freezing cold surrounded by a noisy crowd of complete strangers. 

Probably to attract tourism, I guess.

Taxed enough, already!

I sit in headphones all the time and curtains drawn, but when I go to the toilet and take them off booms are loud enough to make me jump

I agree, waste of money, a lot of it spent by city councils, what do they see in it? or is it to show off that they remember?

Nobody here celebrates Bonfire Night; though the Protestants used to. But, as with everywhere else, we've succumbed to The Empire.