Bonfire night is an annual tradition for all the family to look forward to. It’s a night for wrapping up in lots of cosy layers, enjoying some delicious homecooked food and creating memories with those you love.
But bonfire night doesn’t mean you have to go out. Whether you are planning a party at home with friends or are looking to have a chilled night in with your family, here are some ideas to help you plan a fun bonfire night without having to leave your front door.
Create the bonfire atmosphere
Bonfire night is best known for sparking lights, bright colours, and roaring fires. But this doesn’t mean that you have to light a real fire or set off fireworks to have the same feeling at home. You can create a great atmosphere using a variety or candles and lanterns in clusters around your home and garden, and if you don’t want any real flames at all, then battery powered candles can do just the same job as the real thing.
Choose a range of vessels in different autumnal colours, and differing sizes to display together. Adding fairy lights can also make your outside area appear cosier and create a lovely magical feel. When it comes to choosing scents for candles or diffusers, opt for seasonal flavours including pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla, sandalwood, and clove.
Enjoy a winter BBQ
Although we usually associate BBQs with summer entertaining, a winter BBQ can feel even more special. Firing up the BBQ on bonfire night is a great way to bring the family together outside and make the most of your garden space. You could serve up some tasty hot dogs with fried onions, or make some healthy vegetable kebabs using seasonal pumpkin, sweet potato, courgettes, and mushrooms. Corn on the cob is always a great guest-pleaser too, and this time try rubbing some fresh garlic and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese onto the top of the kernels before you put them on the grill for a tasty new alternative.
If your BBQ if safely stored away until next summer, then you can make some great bonfire food in your kitchen instead. Baked potatoes are a firm favourite for all ages and can be filled with a range of either hot or cold fillings depending on your preference. You could also prepare a pan full of hearty autumn soup – pumpkin, lentil or butternut squash are all good recipe ideas for a bonfire celebration.
Get snug around the firepit
If you have a firepit, then bonfire night is a time when it really comes to good use. You can make your firepit the central feature of your outdoor seating area where you can enjoy dinner together with either chairs, benches, or bean bags around the edge – just make sure all seating is kept at a safe distance away from the flames at all times.
Get some extra-long skewers to toast marshmallows in the fire, and why not be extra indulgent and have a pot of melted chocolate nearby to dip them into before you eat! Set the perfect atmosphere around your firepit with some background music and why not have a good old-fashioned singalong while spending time with your nearest and dearest.
Just be sure to read up on fire safety outdoors before you light up any fire.
Bake some bonfire treats
If home baking is your thing, then bonfire night is a perfect chance to show off what you can do! Yorkshire Parkin is a classic gingerbread dessert that originated many years ago in Northern England and is traditionally served on the 5th of November at Guy Fawkes celebrations. It’s a great treat to serve at your bonfire party and you can impress your guests with a square of this served in a napkin around the fire.
Toffee apples are also another typical bonfire snack that we all know and love. If you fancy making your own homemade toffee apples then it might be easier than you think to create a batch of these crunchy, sugary treats!
Sip on warm mulled wine
Cold hands are instantly warmed once wrapped around a mug of soothing mulled wine, and this is a great drink to serve as your guests arrive to get everyone in the mood. Simply, warm (do not bring to the boil) some red wine in a large pan, add some sliced oranges, cloves, and cinnamon sticks, and stir gently. Add a little honey or maple syrup to sweeten, and then serve in thick glasses or mugs while still warm.
For an alcohol-free alternative, you can warm some pomegranate juice, apple juice and orange juice together with the same garnishes for something just as warming, fruity, and delicious.
Sparklers or glow sticks
Little kids (and big kids!) love sparklers, and parents now love them too even more after a wise mum posted a great tip for keeping little fingers safe from hot metal sticks. Simply stick the bottom of your sparkler into a potato (or any root vegetable) before you light it, and this way, your kids can hold the potato instead of the metal stick as the spark fades right down to the bottom near their hands.
If you’d rather not have sparklers in the garden, then glow sticks make a great alternative and are totally safe. They come in all sorts of shapes and colours, and kids will enjoy making glow bracelets and headbands for the evening. You could even try wrapping a few glow sticks around drinks glasses to liven them up before serving to people.
We hope that we have given you a few new ideas to help you enjoy this bonfire night from the comfort of your own home. Remember to also check out our other blog articles for plenty more home and interior inspiration.