WELCOMING THE NEW YEAR

During the holiday season, I grew up in a family celebrating the New Year’s Eve more prepared than the Christmas Eve.   Normally, we just shared the foods when we (children) were woke up around 12 a.m. after we fell asleep waiting the Christmas eve dinner or after the midnight mass although we usually go to the church on Christmas day.  Our family’s source of living dictated this set up where my parents demanded to work double time during this day than before the end of the year.  This overlooked a bit the occasion but when my parents accomplished their obligations just before the year end, we had the enough time to celebrate the occasion.  That’s why during the New Year’s Eve, we used to prepare more foods on the table, engaged in more activities, particularly arranged our house and usually wore new dresses.

On the night before the New Year’s Eve during my childhood years, I used to play outdoor with this tied junked objects made of tin that will make noise when pull while walking or running during the last few hours of the year.  Together with other children, we went around the whole barrio for a couple of hours to make some noise.  Back then, it was so rare to hear the loud noise from firecrackers where heated bamboo canyon was the “forbidden” firecracker then.  When the 12 o’clock midnight comes, hornpipes or trumpets in different colors, forms and sizes were blown simultaneously and loud noise filled the place.  There were fireworks releasing sparks and different colored flames that amazed every eye.  Lights in yellow, orange, blue, green, purple and red simply wowed the people.  This was how we welcome the New Year then, so simple.

Over the passing of times, people’s trend is slowly changing into more daring show of fireworks.  Different new firecrackers that are more dynamic, enchanting, lively and lauder were coming year after years.    Human’s nature in searching for fun never ceases but instead upgrades even more.  Since then until this day, firecrackers are now fiercer than ever before.  The more entertaining and the more forceful are the more appealing, the more overpriced and the more dangerous.   As result, every year since then firecrackers related incidents are increasing despite the government warnings and advices to avoid dangerous firecrackers.  People are not listening, learning and they do not care.  Never mind the cost, it is just once in a year anyway and never mind the risk, it is believed after all the lauder the New Year’s Eve is the scarier to drive away the bad spirit and the luckier new season is waiting.  As long as the people can afford and demand of satisfaction raises, the supply of firecracker continues.

From my childhood to quarter life age until today, celebrating and welcoming the New Year has changed a long way.  Is it still tradition and is it still right?  Amidst of this belief, superstitions, fun and trend, I don’t jump into this bandwagon because I don’t think it is right.  I don’t want to intrude to others custom, tradition and faith but in our times today I find it materialism rather than belief.  If you really want to follow your ancient belief, then why don’t stick to the old and original ways in practicing this belief?  But to change and exaggerate your ways of practicing it, I find it wrong, unnecessary, extravagance and impractical besides it is harmful to human, environment and to other living creatures.  Every start of the year, I feel sorry to see those injured and casualties of firecrackers.  You are starting your year right?  This is not supposed how to start the new year and this behavior must be stopped.

That is why I am so pleased when a government executive order was signed to regulate the use of firecrackers nationwide and ban the use of it in places of residence.  It is about time.  It may not totally guarantee the zero casualties but surely it will remarkably reduce the incidents of injuries and indiscriminate firings.  It is a great development and this is the start until it goes to total ban of firecrackers which I really wished.  Call me an antagonist or call me villain but I do not like firecrackers in welcoming the New Year.  Aside from I am not superstitious who believe these fireworks and firecrackers will drive away the bad luck, scare the evil spirits, and make life lively as another year starts, I look at them as materialism, worldliness and wasting.  I look at them as business rather than custom.  To believe bad spirits are just scattered around, this may be because you have done so much bad things the whole one year that made the evil spirits homed around you, then why don’t you live good?.   If you will be just fair enough the whole year and every year, then bad spirits and misfortunes will not surround you.  It is not in these laud firecrackers that will change our life into better.  What a better and right way of welcoming the New Year is to leave the negativities behind and be optimistic as the new year starts.  If you want to be lucky, do good to invite good return and put God first and you will be blessed.