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When I was a little girl the 4th of July was magical. My dad always purchased a large quantity of explosives and dozens of sparklers, my personal favorite, and off we’d go into the middle of the street with all the other families. It was exciting to be outside in the dark but the thrill of the fireworks was magical.
My favorite recollection of those evenings was placing a sparkler between each of my fingers, clamping my hands into fists, and then running around the street with all the other kids. We were running with sharp objects pointed at other children of all ages (including toddlers), and these sharp objects were on fire. The little sparks themselves did not hurt but if we were careless, and we always were, we often came in contact with the burning end that produced the pretty sparks and there would be screaming and crying and racing mothers. Most kids only ran with one in each hand but I had figured out my clever finger crevice placement and so I was the sparkler girl of the neighborhood.
Throughout the evening the dads all took turns lighting their little displays. Some of the fireworks were “legal” and some were not. I do not recall the regulatory issues at that time but even then cherry bombs were illegal and I believe firecrackers were illegal. But we had them and many other amazing fireworks that were just beautiful. The older kids often helped their dads set them off and every year we would read in the paper about missing fingers, eyes, hands, and so forth. It never happened in our neighborhood except for the sparkler nubs and one small fire in the orchard across the street. One of the dads put it out quickly and the festivities resumed. We just moved further down the street. You know, away from the orchard but closer to the houses. Made sense at the time. I think.
As time went by that tradition slowly changed. Up until several years ago in my own adult neighborhood I could still see a few neighbors outside their homes with kids doing the “safe and sane” fireworks kits sold at charity booths, but for the last few years I haven’t seen that anywhere near where I live. It’s illegal here for any fireworks but it didn’t stop many families until the last few years. I do hear the occasional cherry bomb or bottle rocket or firecracker (and gun shots), but each year it’s less and less. My first year in this house, fourteen years ago, a few neighbors met outside for a very small display. That’s the last neighborhood display we’ve had.
This past 4th of July was the most boring of any I have ever experienced. Most municipalities canceled their public fireworks celebrations held in fairgrounds or parking lots due to the expense because of our current economy. For many years with the decline in personal family neighborhood displays we at least had the wonderful fireworks put on by our towns and cities. This year we still had parades, but a few of those were canceled as well due to our sad economy.
That said, I’m actually relieved. As an adult I have worried about fires from the careless handling of neighborhood displays. And we have all heard the horror stories of homes being destroyed and people being injured or even dying. I know we can’t protect every aspect of our lives and eliminate all things that are fun but as a society we do seem to grow up together and fire prevention is a wise public decision.
It’s sort of like Halloween. What a joyous event that was as a child. But with the advent of commuting parents, weird people putting stuff in candy, and other activities families are involved in, I see Halloween, as I knew it, disappearing too. Many families have parties now and that seems a fun and sensible way to go. I think.
Yet, each year the week before Halloween I decorate my house and windows with flashing scary lights. Last Halloween I raced home, turned on my monster lights, set up my chair and bowl of candy by the front door, put on my aluminum fright wig, locked my dog and cats in my office, and waited. I didn’t get a single child. Trick-or-Treaters have been coming in smaller numbers for years now and last year not one child. In the past few years the number has gotten so low that I was eating way too much candy over the next few days after Halloween. Last year I wisely bought candy I don’t like and sure enough, no kids. Had I purchased chocolate I’d have gone into diabetic shock.
So Halloween has changed and the 4th of July has changed. Neither change is necessarily bad. In fact, I look at these changes as evolving into something better. I think.
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