I’m not one for demanding others live as I do, in fact I really appreciate the diversity of the human condition. And I don’t mind how others celebrate the bringing in of a new year. As Aotearoa is the first nation in the world to bring in the New Year (if one excludes from tiny Kiribati, population 120,000), perhaps we have more reason than others to celebrate. But what I don’t appreciate is how obtrusive some folk are when they celebrate.
Fireworks can be purchased by the general public only on a few days before November 5 each year. I won’t go into the reason why here, but there seems to be a trend away from lighting them on that day, which more often than not is wet and windy, and instead putting them in storage until New Year’s Eve. Then on the stroke of midnight setting them off terrifying pets and waking the neighbourhood.
Apart from the hazards of storing gunpowder in one’s house or garage for almost two months, have any of the folk who celebrate the New Year by letting off fireworks at midnight thought about how it affects animals and humans? I really don’t appreciate being woken at that time by the sounds of exploding fireworks. Nor does our cat Frankie. Admittedly from our home perched at the top of a hill overlooking our township, the spectacle is quite amazing to watch, and if I’d been awake at that time I might have actually enjoyed it. But I wasn’t and I didn’t.
At the time of publishing, this post, the New Year arrived 12 hours and 6 minutes ago, but i’m still feeling no better now than I did when rudely woken at midnight.
Another Spectrum 
1 Jan, 2024 at 12:24 pm
Ditto. Drives me round the bend and my poor animals get so distressed.
I wish they would ban the bloody things once and for all.
1 Jan, 2024 at 4:13 pm
Given our new right of centre/populist/libertarian government, that’s very unlikely. In the name of freedom they’ve already revoked fair wage legislation (freedom for employers to exploit employees), anti-smoking legislation (freedom for retailers to hook teens into the smoking habit), subsidies/levies on electric/polluting vehicles (the freedom to pollute), environment protections (freedom to exploit nature) to name just a few. Hell, they’re more likely to allow fireworks to be purchased all year round with no limits on what types of fireworks are available to the public – all in the name of freedom.
1 Jan, 2024 at 10:09 pm
Madness!
1 Jan, 2024 at 3:54 pm
I’m sure sorry; I dislike fireworks intensely, myself, along with every doggy I’ve ever known. I hope your day is relaxing, though, and that you get a good night’s sleep.
1 Jan, 2024 at 4:20 pm
I don’t mind fireworks – from a distance and not at midnight!.
I particularly dislike those that don’t go BANG or BOOM 😱
But I enjoy those that go WHEE, FIZZ, or WHOOSH 😂
1 Jan, 2024 at 4:59 pm
😄
1 Jan, 2024 at 5:36 pm
It’s just after 8:30pm here and fireworks, which are completely illegal, have been going off for e hours already. My poor little kittens are terrified! I dread midnight!
I hope 2024 brings you health & happiness!
2 Jan, 2024 at 2:10 am
My town throws a party in the center square. My wife and I dropped by to see what was going on. This year’s special: Amplified Karaoke. We could hear two women singing an out of tune “We Are Family” blocks away. Luckily, we live far enough out that we didn’t need to hear that all night. However the midnight firework display woke me up at midnight as it does every year. I probably do something from time to time that annoys or inconviences some people, so I feel like it all balances out in the end. Fortunately, my cats don’t seem over-concerned with the fireworks.
4 Jan, 2024 at 5:04 am
Totally get your concern about fireworks. It’s a beautiful spectacle, but the timing can be disruptive. Any ideas for alternatives?