Bonfire Night ideas: sparklers, food and a warm crowd

Bonfire Night is 5 November, and in most of the UK it stretches across the nearest weekend too. It's the only night of the year where standing in a cold garden eating something out of a paper cup counts as a good time.

It works on three things: somewhere warm to stand, food that survives being eaten with gloves on, and a firework plan that doesn't end in A&E or a terrified dog under the bed.

We make cards, pin badges and prints in house, printed in the UK, so everything below is a straight guide to the day - plus the card that goes with it.

Food that works outside

• Jacket potatoes done in the oven and wrapped in foil - they stay hot for an hour and double as hand warmers.
• A vat of chilli or soup in mugs. No cutlery, no plates, no washing up in the dark.
• Parkin, treacle toffee and toffee apples are the proper northern trio, and all three can be made the day before.
• Hot dogs with onions done in one pan. Feeds a crowd for very little.
• Hot chocolate with marshmallows for the kids, mulled cider for everyone else, both in flasks.
• Something for the walk home: a bag of toffee popcorn handed out at the gate.

Fireworks and sparkler safety

• Buy from a licensed retailer and read the category - category 2 needs 8 metres of clearance, category 3 needs 25.
• Store them in a closed metal box until you use them, and never in the shed next to the petrol can.
• One person lights, everyone else stands behind a marked line. No exceptions for the confident uncle.
• Never go back to a firework that hasn't gone off. Leave it, and soak it the next morning.
• Sparklers: gloves on, one per person, arm's length, and a bucket of water to drop them in. They stay hot long after they go out.
• Under-fives don't hold sparklers - give them a glow stick and everyone has a better night.

Keeping pets and kids calm

• Walk the dog before dusk and don't go out again once the first bangs start.
• Close curtains, put the TV or radio on, and leave a den - a covered crate or a duvet behind the sofa.
• Never shut a nervous dog outside or in a kitchen alone. Company beats isolation.
• Check bonfires for hedgehogs before lighting - move the pile on the day rather than building it a week early.
• Ear defenders for noise-sensitive children make the difference between one bang and going home.
• Tell neighbours with animals or babies what time you're setting off. It costs nothing and buys goodwill.

Making it an event

• A fire pit rather than a bonfire if the garden is small - same warmth, far less risk.
• String lights along the fence so people can see where the step is.
• A blanket box by the back door and a stack of spare gloves nobody has to ask for.
• Do the fireworks at a set time and announce it, so nobody misses it queuing for a hot dog.
• Finish indoors with something warm - people leave happy instead of cold.

Shop Bonfire Night cards

How to write it so it lands

• Check the bonfire pile for hedgehogs on the day - build it the morning you light it, never a week before.
• A bucket of water for spent sparklers stops the only injury most gardens ever see.
• Warn neighbours with pets, babies or PTSD in advance. A note through the door is enough.
• Sort somewhere warm to finish the night, or people drift home at half eight.

Where to shop next

• Father's Day ideas
• Mother's Day ideas
• New Year ideas
• Grandparents' Day ideas
• What is Bonfire Night?
• Halloween party ideas
• All guides
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges

Frequently asked questions

When is Bonfire Night?

5 November every year, marking the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Organised displays usually run on the nearest Friday and Saturday too.

Can you set off fireworks in your garden in the UK?

Yes, if you're over 18 and use consumer category fireworks, but not between 11pm and 7am - except on 5 November, when the cut-off is midnight. Check your firework's safety distance and keep everyone behind it.

What food do you eat on Bonfire Night?

Jacket potatoes, hot dogs, chilli or soup in mugs, toffee apples, treacle toffee and parkin. Anything that can be eaten standing up with gloves on.

How do you keep a dog calm on Bonfire Night?

Walk them before dark, close the curtains, put background noise on, give them a covered den to hide in, and stay with them. Speak to a vet in advance if they're severely affected.