Last year, I was in France at this time, so was spared the pops, bangs and whizzes that goes on for weeks before, during and after Guy Fawkes night. This year, though, I’m in the UK and am reminded why I detest this time of the year so much. Fortunately I missed the truly awful trick or treat custom, arriving on the 1st. However, all this week, the nights have been punctuated by the various explosions that are supposed to be reserved for tomorrow – that is when the 5th is, after all. That is when we are supposed to celebrate Fawkes’ failed mission – I presume that’s what we are celebrating? Unless I missed something and it is now Guy Fawkes week – or is that month?
I can tolerate the dreadful racket during the celebrations themselves, but to endure them night after night becomes tedious – and, frankly, downright anti-social. There is no need for the damned things to be so loud either. When I were a lad… Ahem, yes, when I was a child, fireworks were, generally less noisy. There were bangers and crackers, but they were tame in comparison to the intercontinental shells that are whizzing overhead as I type.
These days, the seasons become longer. For weeks during October we are reminded of Halloween, then almost immediately, if not overlapping we get Bonfire night, and barely are we able to draw breath than we are bombarded with Christmas Muzak and exhortations to buy, buy, buy, spend, spend, spend.
This is the natural consequence of rampant consumerism, I guess. The marketing machine is in overdrive. So much so, that on the 26th December we are exhorted to book our summer holidays and remember, Easter is coming soon. Although for me it has the opposite effect. I stopped doing Christmas over a decade ago. I lost interest in Bonfire night while still a child and have never indulged in Halloween. So the marketing men get nowhere with me.
By all means enjoy these holidays if that is your wish, but can we keep them to the allotted dates, please? Or is that just too much to ask? (Rhetorical question).
In general I’ve lost my interest in bonfire night too. Proper mass firework displays can be spectacular and I’m fortunate to live near one of the main UK manufacturers, who put on a local display. But the home firework display with the odd rocket just seems such an anti-climax.
That said, I do still have a nagging desire to see it done properly, specifically in Lewes. In the same way, one day I’d like to get to Ottery St Mary for the tar barrel running.
Remember, remember, a bucket of water,
And eye protection and gloves!
This year, Diwali falls on 5th November too.
Victor Meldrew lives!
Don’t be such a curmudgeon.
I did wonder if someone would make that comment. I have no problem with people celebrating on the night – I can endure that. However, it would be nice if those who like fireworks exercised a similar consideration for those of us who detest loud noises. And our pets, of course. Last night they were still going off and it was the 9th for crying out loud. I wasn’t aware that Guy Fawkes was discovered that long after the plot…