(no subject)

[pebblerocker]

Tonight we drove home past a Roman candle war in the park, people shooting at each other with red and green sparks, and right behind us was the police car come to stop the war :o) It's not safe to walk around at night at this time of year in case of errant fireworks battles. Another year we saw a siege going on with one side advancing out of the eucalyptus trees and the other defending the skateboard ramp as a bunker. We like to sit inside with the lights out and watch. The neighbours have such good fireworks we don't need to buy our own -- this year I haven't so much as held a sparkler.

Comments

[ultrapsychobrat.livejournal.com]

What holiday? We do fireworks on Independence Day (July 4) and for the New Year.

[pebblerocker]

Heh, wasn't thinking international audience when I wrote this :P

Not a public holiday -- 5th of November is Guy Fawkes or Bonfire Night, on which we theoretically celebrate that centuries ago Mr Fawkes was involved in a plot to blow up (England's) Parliament with explosives, only he didn't get away with it. In reality nobody really cares about something that happened a long time ago in another country and we're celebrating the fact that this is the week when shops are allowed to sell fireworks. Of course we can save them up for New Year if we like :)

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Wow! Isn´t it dangerous?

[pebblerocker]

It certainly is! A very busy night for the fire service and the police. Every year there are mutterings that fireworks will be made illegal because of the silly things people do with them; it's already illegal for the public to buy fireworks in Australia, but it seems there must be a few more serious incidents before they're banned in New Zealand too.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Ha. It is exactly the same here!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I bloody hate 5 November. 1) the rockets might be pretty, but all the local hoons set off seriously loud bangers and I get stressed by the noise and have to turn the TV up really loud to counteract it, 2) I get nervous about the animals all over the city; it's a bad time for the zoo, and 3) what the hell does a foreigner who didn't blow up a parliament in another country have to do with us? Grrr.

Bring on Matariki celebrations, or something we can actually relate to and have fun with.

[pebblerocker]

Since the passing of our neurotic but much-loved Cliff, who hid under the bed at the slightest provocation, Guy Fawkes hasn't been a big deal to us and our animals. Poor other critters, though -- it's hard on so many. Not to mention the mess of spent cardboard tubes afterwards.