If you’ve still got sparkles in your eyes and your ears are still ringing from the booms and bangs of fantastic fireworks, it probably means that you had a brilliant Bonfire Night. We all need a little time to calm down after the biggest fireworks night of the year (particularly over-excited children) but there is another big celebration just around the corner…

Now that it’s November, it’s time to start thinking about your plans for Christmas. You don’t have to go all gung-ho for Christmas this early, but it does make sense to start making some plans now to avoid panic and stress nearer the time. If you fancy having another fireworks display, now is definitely the time to start making some exciting plans.

Christmas fireworks – things to consider

Fireworks can be the perfect way to kick off your festive season, or even to end it. If you’d like to organise your own Christmas fireworks, here are some important things to consider:

• When to hold your display. It’s an incredibly busy time of year, so you need to pick the date for your fireworks display very carefully to make sure that everyone can attend. It’s a good idea to tie in your fireworks with a work or family Christmas party, which is usually held in the first or second week of December. If you have a venue and enough people can come, you can even hold your display on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day.

 

• Do you have the space? Finding the right venue is crucial for a safe and successful fireworks display. Hiring a field or car park can be costly, so you might be tempted to hold your display in your back garden. You should only do this if you have enough space to properly separate the firing zone from the spectator area, with plenty of space in between, and if you have flat, even ground from which to set off your fireworks. You should also consider your neighbours, their children and pets, and make sure you stick to your local authority’s rules on fireworks displays at homes.

 

• Who will manage the display? It’s not as easy as you think to properly time and safely set off different types of fireworks. Even if an inexperienced person manages to do it safely, avoiding mis-fires and fireworks launching in the wrong direction, they may not have the skill to create an attractive display that gives you the best value for money. It may be worth hiring a professional fireworks display organiser, even if it’s just to design your display and give you some expert advice on running it.

 

• Keeping your Christmas budget in check. This time of year can be an expensive one, and good quality fireworks (never buy cheap fireworks – they can be dangerous, poor quality and very smoky!) can push your festive budget to the limit. Make sure you can afford it before you start to plan your display. It may be fantastic fun for all the family, but it’s not worth starting the New Year in debt for.