Though it is too risky, selling of firecrackers is one of the lucrative small business to venture with, according to one of the vendors I happened to talk two days before New Year's revelry.
As a tradition, Filipinos used to have a "big bang" to "drive away evil spirits" and happily welcome the following year with enthusiasm and excitement as a properous and a happy one.
When I was a kid, what I knew that "firing" a reventador (a tiny firecracker) is just for fun. The more "paputok" (several sets of fireworks) you "burned", the more you're idolized by others as a "sikat" (celebrity).
I got a traumatic experience when I was eight years old then. I noticed some of my friends dared to hold a piece of tiny firecracker with their two fingers and let it fire without hurting or damaging their fingers. I was curious and did it secretly for myself. "Bang!" the "explosive" burst on my finger before I knew it. My fingers hurt, but luckily they're not cut off! That's the first and the last firecracker I ever dared to hold!
This new year I spent it watching our neighbors enjoying their fireworks and eating our midnight snacks with my children, grandchildren, and with my beloved wife, who is the best chef cook of all time. We pray together and implore our Divine Providence to grant us more blessings and happiness as we faithfully follow His commandments and help our brothers and sisters who have less in life.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
As a tradition, Filipinos used to have a "big bang" to "drive away evil spirits" and happily welcome the following year with enthusiasm and excitement as a properous and a happy one.
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When I was a kid, what I knew that "firing" a reventador (a tiny firecracker) is just for fun. The more "paputok" (several sets of fireworks) you "burned", the more you're idolized by others as a "sikat" (celebrity).
I got a traumatic experience when I was eight years old then. I noticed some of my friends dared to hold a piece of tiny firecracker with their two fingers and let it fire without hurting or damaging their fingers. I was curious and did it secretly for myself. "Bang!" the "explosive" burst on my finger before I knew it. My fingers hurt, but luckily they're not cut off! That's the first and the last firecracker I ever dared to hold!
 |
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This new year I spent it watching our neighbors enjoying their fireworks and eating our midnight snacks with my children, grandchildren, and with my beloved wife, who is the best chef cook of all time. We pray together and implore our Divine Providence to grant us more blessings and happiness as we faithfully follow His commandments and help our brothers and sisters who have less in life.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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I'm glad there was not as much "BANGs" as there was a year ago.
ReplyDeletei missed it last new year's day, i was drunk and asleep never witnessed at all. :)
ReplyDeleteI have this fear of explosives and every new year, I really tend not to get near the firecrackers.
ReplyDeletein those times, emergency room is also having big bangs as well with the newly victimized by those firecrackers
ReplyDelete~germeline (the nurse.lol)
i haven't tried myself doing those..hahaha..i have a fear on firecrackers...
ReplyDeleteI have not tried a single paputok since I was a child, so that makes two of us. It was just the mere fact of getting my hands/fingers blown into pieces that keeps me from touching any. =)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you haven't tried again these scary crackers after that incident. Kidding aside, as a child, i was so amazed as to how these things explode or basically light the night during New Year. It made me really tried them once, twice, and couple of times. I know the danger but it's just fun..
ReplyDeleteNice photos--- so much fire crackers to choose from ehhh
ReplyDeleteHaven't tried doing it with myself. And since there were a lot of victims happened way back. We didn't dare to used paputok that is dangerous :)
ReplyDeleteWe used to have these every new year. Unfortunately pinagbawal na sya sa olongapo so what we do is just go to sbma to watch the fireworks display. Which is better na din coz it's safer.
ReplyDeleteDavao banned firecrackers for almost 12 years now which us Dabawenyos are happy in a way that everybody will be safe and sound while celebrating annual events. Its just a bit envious seeing other cities with their fireworks displays but health and life is more important than anything. Tnx for the share Sir! :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, we don't have it in Davao. The government will spend fortunes for fireworks display to welcome the New Year. Everyone can go to town and see the best fireworks. Yon libre wala pang accidente. Ang mayor namin ayaw gumastos or tumulong sa mga taong na-discgracia ng paputok. Problema na nila yon.
DeleteAs years pass by, we don't spend too much on firecrackers. But a decade ago, we did!haha
ReplyDeleteTsk tsk...what do they say about playing with fire, sir? :) Glad you didn't pay for it with your fingers. These days, there's not much need to have your own firecrackers cuz there are amazing firework shows in almost every city. This new year, no one on my street had firecrackers. We just watched the firework display from a nearby park.
ReplyDeleteglad you didn't lost your fingers Gil! personally, it was the firecrackers that send me on a trip outside the Philippines almost every year haha! i'm so scared and not really fond of the bigbang the way Pinoy do it. and we have a family tradition of not buying any firecrackers and staying far away from it. during the few times i'm in the country on new year, we watch it from our terrace.
ReplyDeleteSir Gil I was not aware that you are once upon a time a very naughty boy. I don't believe that firecrackers can ward off evil spirits. Because of this belief there's a big number of injured people year after year.
ReplyDeleteGood that nothing serious happened to you po.
ReplyDeleteThe best firecrackers I guess would be the aerial ones, sa taas lang sila puputok. Haha.
If you ask me, there should be a certain location within a community where they can use firecrackers so people can enjoy the BANGS and at the same time, others would still be safe.
ReplyDeleteJust my f/2. ^_^