Happy New Year!
The Finns welcome the new year with plenty of fireworks.
Since last week, we've noticed special stands at the supermarkets that sold firecrackers and sparklers. We were wondering what they were but didn't think they were relevant to us.
Today, while the stands were probably at their busiest, we bought a box of butterfly crackers and a bunch of sparklers. We also headed to a fireworks display at a nearby sports field at 6 pm. Yes, at 6 pm because the sun had long ago set at 3.30 pm.
The four of us arrived at 5.45 pm and the kids were wondering why we and hundreds other people were standing around a hill, freezing in the cold. The kids were complaining about being very cold and had nothing to do, going on for 10 minutes - which is a long time when one hears the same whining over and over again.
And then the show began. We were standing less than 100 m from the launch site so the fireworks came out close and strong. Fireworks is one of those expensive public goods that bring high levels of satisfaction to those who participate.
This is when we realised that those long sticks of rockets we saw at the supermarket stands were actually fireworks. Anyone can buy and launch them. It is now 12. 25 am as I pen this entry, fireworks have been going up all around me for the past 1 hour and still popping away.
So far, I have found the Finns to be responsible and filled with common sense. They play on empty fields and direct their rockets away from buildings or trees.
Christmas in Finland was quiet. But New Year celebration is a blast.
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