Throwback Thursday #44 Fireworks Celebrations

With the 4^th of July (here in the US) right around the corner, I was wondering about everyone’s memories about celebrations with pyrotechnics. Whether you celebrate Lahore, Guy Fawkes Night, Bastille Day, your countries’ Independence Day, and/or December 31^st, you have most likely viewed fireworks. Think back to early memories of fireworks and how they made you feel.

Fireworks information: It’s an accepted fact that fireworks originated in China around 2000 years ago. Initially, fireworks were used to accompany many festivities and sometimes to scare off evil spirits. The first documented use of fireworks in the UK was at the wedding of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, in 1486. The unusual fear of fireworks is known as kovtapyroergasoiphobia. Of course, it is no surprise that Disney is the largest consumer of fireworks in the world.

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Write your own post sharing your memories and leave a pingback to this post in the comments.
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This week’s prompt is: Fireworks Celebrations

Feel free to use my questions as a starting point for your reply or answer them directly. Do whichever makes more sense to you, for the prompt.

1) What are your earliest memories of watching fireworks?

2) Were you more afraid or excited at the time?

3) What occasions were celebrated with watching fireworks?

4) Did you travel to fireworks shows, or did your family have their own, safe and sane explosives?

5) Did you ever light off illegal fireworks?

6) Did you typically have a family celebration before the nighttime display? What did it include?

7) As you grew older, did your feelings about fireworks change?

8) Now the thinker: Many places are restricting fireworks now because of the trauma it can cause to pets, young children, and sensitive adults. How do you feel about restricting fireworks?

My post follows: – – – – – – – – – – – –

The only time we used fireworks was for the 4^thof July. I When I was young, we never went to fireworks shows. Instead, we would go to the fireworks stand and buy the biggest box of assorted explosives we could afford. My younger brother and I would get sparklers and snakes. My older brother would get M-80s and cherry bombs. I never used illegal fireworks. I was too afraid of getting hurt. I also hated the loud noise. You had to get to the stands early because they often ran out of the cheap items.

I vividly remember the entire neighborhood outside in front of their houses lighting off the fireworks. We would be in PJs with the sleeves rolled up (to protect us.) The cul-de-sac smelled of rancid smoke. We loved it. I was excited when I was able to have sparklers without an adult hand aiding me. At the same time, I was terrified of the large rockets that my stepdad would light and then have to run away quickly. More than once, a rocket was screaming out of control on the asphalt.

Fireworks came at the end of a wonderful 4^th of July celebration. We always had a huge BBQ and tons of fresh fruit and veggies. There was nothing like charred hot dogs and BBQ corn on the cob, fresh off the grill. We all had bottomless stomachs and ate all day. Watermelon slices, cherries, and potato chips were consumed in massive quantities. They also served as weapons when we would squabble. We often had a Slip N Slide on the front lawn. The grown-ups had as much fun as we kids did.
When my children came along, we would go to local parks and watch the professional displays. It was free and all we needed were blankets and covers. Later, regulations were stricter and less venues were allowed to put on a show. That’s when we would sit in the back of our pick-up truck and watch the displays at the local junior college. I had no desire to sit in the stands among hundreds of people on uncomfortable benches. Currently, I can watch the high school fireworks from my back yard. I cannot see the ground displays, but I can hear the music, and watch the aerial views.

Every night at 9:30, I can hear the fireworks from Disneyland. I am too far away to see anything, but we still hear them. It’s tough on my dog, Annie. She is petrified of the blasts. The neighbors are already shooting off illegal explosives. It’s a huge problem in my city. Numerous senior groups, that include veterans, want a crack down on the illegal explosions. Every year, there are Facebook comments about how terrified pets are. It’s hard to understand why some people feel entitled to break the law.

I appreciate the governments that have decided to reduce or eliminate fireworks to respect those that are harmed by the loud noises. Personally, I am OK watching a rerun on TV. I never make it to midnight on New Year’s Eve. I can watch at 9, whatever happened in New York.