Fun, Fawkes and Fireworks

Last weekend it was all about bustling crowds, jostling feet, wet leaves squelching under the weight of a thousand wellies, cold hands gripping a feeble sparkler and heads achingly craned upwards towards the sky. This could only be one thing: fireworks night.

Usually at this time of year I’m cooped up at home with a cup of hot chocolate, raging with Scrooge-like animosity at the fireworks interrupting my television programme, and happily cursing the morons who brave the cold to look at a few bright lights. If curiosity ever got the better of me, all I would have to do was look out the window and smugly smile at the fact that I live opposite Clapham Common and therefore had no need to venture outside.

However, for some reason I decided that this year I would join the masses and go to see the display on said common. Perhaps I wanted to recapture my youth and remember the times when my father would take my brother and me to see the display. Or perhaps it was because EastEnders‘ storylines have been so feeble of late that I’d rather stand outside getting pushed, prodded and poked than endure the misery of Walford.

So there I was, standing among the crowd and rather annoyed at the unexpectedly mild weather – I had padded up with many layers, a giant scarf and extra socks topped off with rarely used wellies. Nevertheless, I actually found myself having a good time as I watched the spectacular display, which lit up Clapham’s skyline in a dazzle of reds, yellows and purples. As I snapped away on my camera (capturing nothing as my camera is too slow), I noticed around me that there was a great sense of unity as families, friends and couples gathered together to watch what was actually a rather impressive show.

Alas, it was lacking a bonfire. It seems that the organisers forgot the significance of Guy Fawkes and the symbolism of the burning of the Guy. And while the pyrotechnics were great, the event lacked authenticity because of the missing bonfire.

But as I stood watching with my boyfriend and his family, swaying along to the background music which included anthems from Queen, Aerosmith and Coldplay, I came to the conclusion that fireworks night isn’t just about morons standing around in the cold – it’s about coming together as a family to enjoy an affordable and carefree night out – and that friends can leave you warmer than a hot chocolate ever could!

Image by Eustaquio Santimano courtesy of Flickr