Bonfire Night
Bonfire Night falls on a Thursday this year. A quieter evening, closer to home.
The big public displays will mostly be held at the weekend, which leaves the fifth itself as something smaller and closer to home.
For me, the fifth has never really been about the fireworks. It is about going outside in the dark in November. Since the clocks went back, the garden risks becoming seen through the kitchen window. This is the one evening of the year when most of us step back outside, with something warm to hold, and stand together around a fire. That is reason enough.
So this year I am keeping it simple. A fire pit on the paving rather than a bonfire, lit at six, when it is properly dark. Jacket potatoes started in the oven and finished in foil at the edge of the fire. Soup served in mugs, which warms hands and saves the need for a table. Something warm and spiced for the adults, and a version without the wine for everyone else.
The pets stay indoors. Even with no fireworks of our own, there will be others elsewhere. So the curtains are drawn early, the radio goes on, and there is a bed made up somewhere quiet, away from the windows. I would rather they missed the fire than spent the evening afraid. They can have the garden back on Friday morning.
Outside, the fire warms whoever sits nearest; light is what makes a garden feel like a room after dark. Festoons along the fence, a lantern on the steps, candles in jars along the wall: low, warm, and enough to see each other's faces by. The fairy lights can wait for December.
The garden in November has its own quiet appeal. Nothing is expected of it. The borders have gone over, the furniture stands where it was left, and in the dark none of that matters. All it needs is somewhere dry to sit, cushions brought back out from the shed or a blanket over a bench, and somewhere to rest a mug.
If there are children, sparklers come last, with a bucket of sand by the back door. A few minutes of names written in the air, then cold hands, then bath time. A small, good evening, and a fitting way to mark the fifth on a school night.
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Everything I would bring into the garden for it: the fire, the mugs, the blankets and the light.
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Questions
When is Bonfire Night 2026?
Thursday 5 November. Most public displays are held on the weekend before or after, so the night itself tends to be quieter and closer to home.
How do I keep pets calm during fireworks?
Keep them indoors from dusk, walk dogs while it is still light, draw the curtains and put on the radio or television to soften the bangs. A covered bed somewhere quiet, away from the windows, gives them a den. If your pet is very anxious, speak to your vet well before the night.
Is a fire pit safe on a patio?
On stone or concrete paving, yes, as long as it sits level and well away from fences, sheds, hedges and overhanging branches. Avoid timber decking, keep a bucket of sand or water close by, and never leave it burning unattended.
How should children use sparklers safely?
Sparklers are not suitable for under-fives. Older children should wear gloves, hold one at a time at arm's length and stay supervised. Put finished sparklers hot end down into a bucket of sand or water, as they stay hot for some time.
What food works for an outdoor Bonfire Night?
Anything that can be held: soup in mugs, jacket potatoes in foil, sausages in rolls, chilli in bowls. Cook it indoors and bring it out hot, and keep drinks warm in a flask.
