Our top tips for setting up your very own firework show at home!

3 November 22
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firework display

We don’t know about you, but we love the chillier seasons of the year here at Melt. (Longtime readers may remember our post from a few years back, exploring some of the most beautiful autumn walks in the Ribble Valley!) We love everything about autumn, from the spectacular colours to the multitude of opportunities it brings for families to come together and enjoy each other’s company.

We’ve designed some of our wonderful luxury scented candles (such as Autumn) with exactly that in mind. And of course, one example of an event that’s also perfect for quality time is – you guessed it – Bonfire Night. We’re no strangers to holding home fireworks displays ourselves here at Melt, so if you’re planning something similar this year, here are our top tips on staying safe as you and your family enjoy the magical experience!

Put time aside for proper planning

As with so many other things in life, home bonfire nights go most smoothly with a bit of planning. Before you get started laying everything down then, we’d always recommend taking the time to first sketch roughly where everything is going to go on a piece of paper. Ideally, the display need to be in a flat open area, and you might want to consider using some cheap plywood to protect the ground.

One thing you’ll definitely need to know is where everyone is going to stand, and that they’re able to maintain a safe distance from the bonfire (especially if they’re holding alcoholic drinks!).

It’s also worth double checking that you’re able to mark out safe routes back and forth to the house, and that you can get to and from your fireworks to light them and retreat to a safe distance – without the danger of tripping over anything!

Get set up in the daylight

This one might sound like an obvious tip, but we think it’s still worth highlighting anyway – especially since the nights are getting a lot earlier now, and you can find yourself working in the dark a lot more suddenly than you might normally expect.

As for why, that’s fairly obvious too – nobody wants to be holding explosives while stumbling around in the dark. (Especially if you’ve got pets; we all know how prone they can be to getting under people’s feet!) And even with all those crucial safety concerns aside – let’s be honest, it’s just a lot easier when you’ve got proper daylight to see by, isn’t it?

Plan for emergencies

You probably don’t like to think of something going wrong at fireworks nights (who does?) but as the old adage goes: it’s always best to be prepared!

One relatively common issue often faced at this time of year is that a stubborn firework fails to go off. In that case, the official advice is never to approach a lit firework. Instead, you’ll need to have a bucket of water handy – it’s safer to douse the firework from a distance, and then properly submerge it in the water so that you can be sure it won’t go off. (Some people even suggest burying them – but we’ll leave it to you as to whether you want to make that particular call!)

You’ll also need a bucket of water if you’re planning on having any sparklers present. Plus, it’s a good idea to double check that you’ve got bandages and first aid kits on standby, and that you know the first way to treat a burn injury. (Don’t pour a lot of cold water on it, as this can actually make it worse.)

Make it spectacular

Once you’ve got all the safety stuff covered, you can plan your fireworks display as you please, complete with all the little flourishes and finishing touches you can imagine! As a general rule, it’s better to have the smaller fireworks go out in front, with the bigger ones further out the back – having the smaller ones go off can give you a bit of time to prepare for lighting the bigger ones, without any lulls in the show.

If you’ve got a particularly big firework incorporated into your display, make sure goes off either towards the end or at the very end of your display, as this is the one that can create a lasting impression. It’s like a piece of music in that sense – you want it to build up to a crescendo. Indeed, that’s why so many displays incorporate music from the off!

Ultimately, you’re the best person to decide what works for your own family and your own display – so have fun with it! And if you fancy enjoying a bit of warmth, colour and seasonal charm on a smaller scale – well, that’s exactly where we can help here at Melt. Our beautiful range of luxury scented candles is just waiting for you to explore them, including scents like Autumn, Saddle, and Nutmeg & Vivier. Which will be your favourite this season?

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