Firework Stores
My cousins and I loved fireworks when we were little. We used to burn things and lit fireworks up in every occasion we had. In fact, it came to a point where we weren’t really interested in the celebration, but in the opportunity of going out and light all the stuff we had bought at firework stores.
We did have a favorite celebration however. We loved Christmas because we’d break piñatas and gather the pieces so that we could later burn them. We would then use the fire of the piñata remains to light our fireworks and throw them up in the air or as far as possible.
Another thing we loved to do is to take the fireworks that flew and set them on rocks some distance from a target and try to hit the target with the “rocket.” Our favorite targets were big empty cans and it was really a challenge to make the fireworks go through them.
Yet another thing we liked a lot was to light an exploding firework under a small can or plastic cup and see how far it made the can or cup fly. A variation of this was to set it inside the plastic cup and then blow it to pieces.
Of course, those were different times and we weren’t as conscious of the environment as we are now. Nor did we care about safety issues as we do now. For example, I remember that one of my uncles would show his courage by holding one of the exploding fireworks in his hand while it exploded.
But perhaps the riskiest of things was that firework stores would sell them to children without the need of parent consent. Since fireworks were inexpensive back then, any child could go inside one of these firework stores and buy a few fireworks for his or her amusement.
Now, as an adult, I realize how dangerous that was. I’m glad that firework stores are regulated and they can’t sell to minors anymore. As a parent, I now worry that my children might get burned or have an accident, so I’m always the one that lights them.
Firework stores have evolved in other ways as well. Decades ago, they could be as simple as stands on the street and would sell them all year round. Now, firework stores have to comply with regulations, get a license, and store fireworks in a place where they could be easily isolated in case of an accidental fire.
Moreover, most firework stores can only sell their products during seasons, which adds another layer of safety.
However, as with Internet and video games, it’s the responsibility of parents, not firework stores, to keep children safe and educate them in how to avoid putting themselves in unnecessary or dangerous risks.
