When I was a child, I remembered that as early as December 1, booming firecrackers can already be heard nearby. Although intermittently, it would continue everyday in increasing loudness and frequency which culminated on Christmas eve (December 24) and on New Year’s Eve (December 31).
And on January 1 and 2 of the following year, news programs have a field day reporting the firecracker injuries all over the country. And the cycle continues every year.
My family has had our share of lighting these consumer grade explosives during December 24 and December 31. After all, my father’s birthday falls on December 24. It is so thrilling to light a firecracker and then run and hear it explode. Woot!
But as the years went by and money became scarce, we would prioritize food on our table rather than buying firecrackers. And although there are still many people who would buy firecrackers, we noticed that the numbers are dwindling each year because we could not year a lot of noise.
I must admit that it is kinda sad, growing up in an environment where you cannot hear each other talk at the height of all the firecracker noise and then my allergies would act up because of the fumes of the firecrackers. hehe Those were the days. But they are gone now.
But on the brighter side, that means less people who might get entangled in a firecracker accident. During these special days, the emergency rooms of hospitals are full of patients who have firecracker injuries. So I guess that on the side, not a lot of firecrackers this year is a good thing.
And oh, many of those who can afford it light up good quality fireworks display. These are more expensive but safer. So for us, I guess it is just watching fireworks of other people this New Year’s Eve.
And one more thing, please please no indiscriminate firing. Do not destroy other people’s lives. If you want to fire your gun, do it at the firing range where you only damage a dummy, not a person and a family.
