Info about Halloween and Bonfire Night

Halloween and Bonfire Night are both very old traditions celebrated in England.  These events can be exciting family fun, but they can also be noisy and a little scary if you are not sure what is going on.

Halloween officially takes place on the 31st of October but it can be celebrated in the days before and after.

You can expect to see spooky decorations and people, mostly children, dressed up in costumes.  The costumes are supposed to look a little scary and you might see witches, skeletons, zombies and other monsters.  

You might hear families and young people on the streets once it gets dark.  In the evening, people knock on strangers doors and say 'trick or treat'.  Many people give sweets to the visitors.  These visitors are not invited into the house.  You don’t have to answer the door if you don’t want to.

Not everyone celebrates Halloween and taking part is up to you.

Bonfire Night  is officially celebrated on the 5th of November, but it can be celebrated in the days before and after, by lighting bonfires and setting off fireworks.

You can expect to hear loud bangs in the evening and at night.  You can also hear more people than usual walking about.

You can expect to see fireworks in the evening and lots of smoke.  Many families attend organized bonfires where you might see a pretend person, called a Guy, on top of the bonfire. 

You can expect to smell the fireworks and smoke from the bonfires.

Lots of people use fireworks to celebrate different occasions.  You can hear loud bangs, see flashes of light in the sky and smell these at different times of the year.