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Bonfire Night is a time to get friends and family together for the evening to watch the fireworks display and gather round the bonfire. It's also a time to serve up some hot, delicious dishes! © Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock.com The origins of Bonfire Night date back to the Gunpowder Plot in London on 5th November 1605, when a group of Catholic dissidents planned to blow up the Protesta...

It will soon be time to celebrate Bonfire Night. People all over Britain will be enjoying fireworks, the blazing bonfire, "penny for the guy", toffee apples, parkin, treacle toffee and all manner of other tasty treats. The annual celebrations, on 5th November, date back to the 17th century and a failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. When the Protestant James I became ...

Halloween is just around the corner - and half the fun is getting ready for this spooky celebration! When people think of Halloween, spooky costumes and tasty sweets are usually the first things that come to mind. As well as creative costumes, you can also make sure your house looks scary by making some unique decorations. © Iryna Tolmachova / Shutterstock.com The great thing about...

As a parent, I am sure you’ve noticed that children often complain when it's raining outside. With that in mind, it's useful to have some rainy-day indoor activities ready, especially with half-term beginning for most kids towards the end of October. It could be the difference between an enjoyable break from school… or NOT! Playing games indoors is good for children, as it encourages bonding...

Halloween is approaching and the shops are full of spooky sweet treats, ghoulish fancy dress costumes, pumpkins, creepy cobwebs and all kinds of garish party decorations. © Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock.com Plenty of Halloween traditions, such as trick or treating and pumpkin carving, will be back with full force on 31st October. While it can be lots of fun taking part in the spook-tacul...

The utility room may be relatively small, but it's one of the most important spaces in your home. Often used as storage space for both the house and garden, it also doubles as a laundry area. Keeping it tidy is essential so you can find everything and stop it from getting full of clutter. The usual things people keep in their utility room include laundry, outdoor clothing and footwear, pet f...

Wildlife organisations are urging people to feed the birds this autumn to prepare them for the colder months ahead. 60% of Brits say they put food out for the birds, according to wildlife charity the RSPB. Over the past decade, the number of householders feeding wild birds has risen by 5% and has evolved from putting out bread and scraps into buying purpose-made wild bird feeds. © Sal...

The humble hedgehog is important to the environment, playing a crucial role in nature's delicate ecosystem. Sadly, its numbers are depleting fast in the 21st century. This has led wildlife charities to ask for people's help to save the UK's dwindling hedgehog population. Worryingly, studies suggest the number of hedgehogs in Britain has decreased by 50% in recent years. Several surveys, by c...

Saving the seeds from garden plants has many benefits for both amateur and expert gardeners. Growing new plants from the seeds you collect is inexpensive and straightforward, enabling you to increase the number of plants in your garden free of charge. Collecting and storing seeds is suitable for many different plant species including shrubs, trees, perennials, annuals, aquatic plants, alpine...

Many people have started growing their own garden fruits during the past year to help stave off the boredom of the coronavirus lockdowns. New research has revealed an incredible 26.7 million UK householders grew their own fruit, vegetables and herbs in the past 12 months – 7.4 million of us grew our own produce for the first time! © yuris / Shutterstock Being stuck at home due to the ...