fireworks

Gunpowder and fireworks march hand in hand across history. Where one goes the other soon follows. The origins of gunpowder and fireworks are rooted in the misty depths of ancient China. Legend says a cook accidentally dropped sulphur and salt peter into a charcoal fire and bang! That was the beginning of gunpowder. One thousand years later a monk named Li Tian put gun powder into a bamboo tube, sealed it and ignited it creating fireworks. Fireworks were originally lit during religious ceremonies like New Years to frighten evil spirits. America’s tradition of using noise makers on New Year’s Eve has similar origins.

Fireworks were brought to Europe by Marco Polo and spread slowly throughout Europe. Queen Elizabeth enjoyed fireworks so much she created the court position of Fire Master. The fireworks display for the coronation of James II earned the Fire Master a knighthood. Eighty years earlier James II’s grandfather was nearly assassinated with thirty-six barrels of gun powder in the famous Gunpowder Treason. Furthermore, that was not the first time gunpowder was used in royal assassination. Henry Lord Darnley, Scottish King Consort, was killed when his sickbed was blown to smithereens by a cellar packed with gun powder. Despite this bloody history, fireworks continue to be a popular and exciting way to celebrate important religious and cultural events.

The exact origin of fireworks is not exactly clear. Some experts believe that fireworks originated 2,000 years ago while others believe that they originated in the 9th century during the Song Dynasty in China. What is commonly agreed upon though is that the Chinese were the first to discover gun powders which lead to the creation of fireworks. Of course, the question remains, who discovered the firework? There is a legend that says a field cook discovered the invention on accident by mixing charcoal, sulphur and saltpeter and compressing them in a bamboo tube. While that is a cute rendition of how an iconic symbol was started, it is far from the truth!

The credit of discovering the firework was given to a Chinese monk named Li Tian. The belief is so popular that the Chinese people celebrate the invention of the firework every April 18th and present offerings to Li Tian. During the European Renaissance period Italians began to become creative with fireworks. They created canisters that were packed with the explosive composition and shot into the air as high as possible. Also important to note is that the Chinese created a similar product. Later, more intricate products were created. The Italians were noted for creating artistic landscape which they named "temples" consisting of firework wheels, fountains and torches.

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A bonfire is something that many people wait for with anticipation especially when they are looking forward to a special occasion. Preparing that bonfire requires some special planning if you want to make it the best it can be. One of the most important things to remember when preparing a bonfire is to build it for safety.

Whenever fire is to be a part of a celebration planning is the key to success. Bonfires should not be built so high that you run a risk that it might fall bringing the fire with it onto a celebrating crowd. With that in mind, you should also be careful to not build the fuel for the fire so loosely that when it burns down it might topple.

Once you have prepared the stack of materials to be burned you are ready to get started and enjoy your time with family and friends. One of the most spectacular things about a bonfire is the much anticipated fireworks display that goes along with it.

Just think about the cosy time that will be had by all participants as they gather together for chit chat and roasting marshmallows and such. The excitement gets started and builds until everyone is satisfied with a good time that is had by all. A successful bonfire will live in the memory for a long time.