The Killjoy Brigade have got their way again I see. Afraid that the smell of hundreds of hedgehogs being burnt to death will put us off the event. It will now be a Firework Night. But not any old firework.... These will be ones that don't go
BANG (or even
bang) and frighten the horses. (or the residents)
Hedghog sillinessIs this designed to encourage people to attend? If I was going to go to the bother of taking young children out for an event like this I'd actually go to one that went the whole
(hedge)hog....
(see what I did there?) At least you used to be able to get your kids to learn some snippet about British history by going though the "Remember remember! The fifth of November, the Gunpowder treason and plot" bit. But when it's happening on 9th November it loses it's relevance....
I remember as a child going to Bonfire Night. Often cold, but you'd get warmed by the fire. All part of the night... Seems a bit pointless to just go a watch some fireworks going up on a random night in November to celebrate nothing in particular.
Perhaps it's time it was ditched and we just accepted that the only 'traditions' the kids have these days are the American ones they see on films and TV. Trick or Treat/Fright Night... (do me a favour)
They've pretty much got rid of the tradition of kids making Guy Fawkes dummies (although 'Penny for the Guy' was becoming more an opportunity for young thugs to demand money with menaces) and lobbing them onto the top of the bonfire supposedly frightened children as their parents were too daft to explain to them that the dummies weren't real people, so that was dropped in some places...
We haven't got many traditions left that haven't been tied up and snuffed out by the Red Tape or H&S Brigade, but what next can they focus on?
Morris Dancers? Big men hopping around after consuming a few pints of ale and hitting each other with sticks.... tut, tut Someone should do something about that before someone gets hurt.... AND they black their faces up, which is just asking for trouble.
I reckon that's a job for our Richard Garvie and his magic red folder....
But to drop the bonfire for the possibility that some hedgehogs might be in there is just ridiculous.. If they sent a few Jack Russells in before the fire was lit they'd at least make sure the hedgehogs didn't burn in the flames.... Some people just don't think outside the box