What are you plans for New Years Eve?

[jambo101]

We should be at Disney World until closing time then back to the hotel to sleep and the following day drive back to Montreal.

 

[W2R]

We'll probably be with Frank's family down at the family fishing camp on Lake Borgne in St. Bernard Parish, watching them simulate WW III and blow up half of southeast Louisiana. They get their fireworks from a family friend who is the sheriff of an adjacent parish and consequently they set off a lot of scary stuff that other people cannot legally purchase. All in all, the display each year is pretty spectacular and outrageously extreme.

Although I like municipal fireworks, I don't especially enjoy his family's private fireworks because I worry about carelessness and possible injuries, the legality, his sisters' many children running around through the fireworks unsupervised on sugar highs, and also, I can't breathe at all with the smoke and the sounds are deafening and probably damaging to our hearing. Frank and I usually arrive at the family get-together around 11 PM, and leave at 12:30. We used to like it more because his aged father got such a charge out of the fireworks, but now that he has passed away a few months ago, where's the fun? Somewhere else, I think.

Aren't families grand?

 

[Nords]

Although I like municipal fireworks, I don't especially enjoy his family's private fireworks because I worry about carelessness and possible injuries, the legality, the children running around through the fireworks unsupervised on sugar highs, and also, I can't breathe at all with the smoke and the sounds are deafening and probably damaging to our hearing.

I thought local fireworks were just a Hawaii problem, but I guess it's spread to the Mainland too.

It started as a Chinese cultural rite (setting off a string outside each corner of the house at midnight to drive off the new year's evil spirits) but it's kinda gotten out of hand. Chaos starts after lunch, the streets are smoked out by 9 PM, and the noise is continuous until 12:30 AM-- especially the midnight aerials & booming explosions.

The only "limit" is a $25 license necessary to purchase retail fireworks up to a certain limit. The license is frequently less than 10% of the total purchase so it's mostly a nuisance fee. But the sheer volume of the illegal stuff (flown in? shipped in?) doesn't give one a warm fuzzy about our homeland security measures.

After a military career of handling high explosives I just can't see the reason to spend the money, let alone take the safety risk. I enjoy the technology & artistry of a good aerial display as much as anyone else but this is nuts. We watch people wheeling carts out of Costco and you can count their boxes in $100 units. Most seem to spend $200-$300. The family that owned our house before us used to build a head-high 2"x6" framework across the 30-foot cul-de-sac and load it up with aerials and multiple strings of 100,000 firecrackers. And last year a woman in our neighborhood was storing over 25 tons of (illegal) fireworks in her home for retail sales. The police ended up bringing in both HAZMAT teams and the bomb squad.

Pray for rain...

 

[FinanceDude]

Nothing special, a nice fire, a few drinks, and maybe some "fireworks" with DW...........

 

[W2R]

I thought local fireworks were just a Hawaii problem, but I guess it's spread to the Mainland too

I have no idea - - Louisiana south of I-10 is a pretty unique/strange region with its own customs, and Frank's family has been doing this for at least 50 years that I know of. Probably forever since his ancestors have lived here for more than six generations and they are really bound/enriched by tradition in some ways. I am thinking that here, the traditions may have started with gunfire, not with fireworks per se as with Chinese tradition, though my recollection of the history of it is a little vague.

When I lived in College Station, Texas, we would go to a municipal fireworks display and I loved it. There was a municipal display in the San Diego suburbs when I lived there, too, back in the early 1980's. I don't recall private fireworks to any great extent in either place.

I remember the fireworks in Hawaii, but since we lived on Kailua Beach the tradewinds or other winds would blow the smoke away in a few minutes. (Actually, when I grew up there we would watch the fireworks display off Flat Island on the 4th, and it was really nice, but I also did go to some private fireworks). Here there is no wind and I think it's very unhealthy!! It was much the same when I lived in an apartment in Makiki, where there wasn't much wind. But, I was on the third floor so I was above most of the smoke.

Chaos starts after lunch

There were bottle rockets set off near my home at 5 PM and 7:30 PM last night. They were the first I've heard so far.

 

[bots2019]

I thought local fireworks were just a Hawaii problem, but I guess it's spread to the Mainland too.

It started as a Chinese cultural rite (setting off a string outside each corner of the house at midnight to drive off the new year's evil spirits) but it's kinda gotten out of hand. Chaos starts after lunch, the streets are smoked out by 9 PM, and the noise is continuous until 12:30 AM-- especially the midnight aerials & booming explosions.

The only "limit" is a $25 license necessary to purchase retail fireworks up to a certain limit. The license is frequently less than 10% of the total purchase so it's mostly a nuisance fee. But the sheer volume of the illegal stuff (flown in? shipped in?) doesn't give one a warm fuzzy about our homeland security measures.

After a military career of handling high explosives I just can't see the reason to spend the money, let alone take the safety risk. I enjoy the technology & artistry of a good aerial display as much as anyone else but this is nuts. We watch people wheeling carts out of Costco and you can count their boxes in $100 units. Most seem to spend $200-$300. The family that owned our house before us used to build a head-high 2"x6" framework across the 30-foot cul-de-sac and load it up with aerials and multiple strings of 100,000 firecrackers. And last year a woman in our neighborhood was storing over 25 tons of (illegal) fireworks in her home for retail sales. The police ended up bringing in both HAZMAT teams and the bomb squad.

Pray for rain...

I'll be in HI (Kauai) over newyears. Nords, you're getting me awfully excited about it!

With a four hour time difference maybe the jet lag will help me peacefully through the night!

 

[Goonie]

I am thinking that here, the traditions may have started with gunfire, not with fireworks per se as with Chinese tradition, though my recollection of the history of it is a little vague.

We usually hear more shotgun blasts than fireworks on New Years Eve. Around here fireworks are harder to come by, so they're mostly used on the 4th of July. But almost everyone in our area has at least 1 shotgun, and shells are relatively cheap. Besides, random shotgun blasts are harder for the local PD to track down, than those fantastically amazing pyrotechnic displays.

 

[Fireup2020]

Any recommendations on New Year's in NYC? Times Square seems too nuts for me...but I am sure there are PLENTY of alternatives...

 

[Nords]

There were bottle rockets set off near my home at 5 PM and 7:30 PM last night. They were the first I've heard so far.

It's probably the news that UH had an undefeated season and is going to the Sugar Bowl.

Or at least that's why it's been happening around here this weekend...

I'll be in HI (Kauai) over newyears. Nords, you're getting me awfully excited about it!

Yeah, sorry about the full disclosure. My nephew the Army Ranger has had three combat tours, too, so it'll be interesting to see his reaction when he's with us. Or maybe I should lay in a big stash of frosty beverages for us all.

You want a place that's windward, on the top floor, and perhaps with sealed air conditioning. Or maybe it's a good opportunity for an overnight offshore cruise. But I've never done Makahiki on Kauai so maybe the daily rains will help keep things under control.

Like W2R says, Makiki & Kalihi turn into combat zones... only noisier and with more high explosives.

 

[Donzo]

We usually have some friends over for new years - but we had a housefull for thanks giving....and the weekend. Played tour guide w/ wine tasting, Lake Tahoe visit and loads of cooking.

So this Christmas we are having a quiet family night with shrimp cocktail, filet and champagne for DW and I, sparkling apple for the kids. Will try and stay up till 12:00 but w/o friends over to "stir the pot" we will prob. fall asleep around 10:30 as usual.

We have great friends that are Japanese and they always have a traditional all day party on the first for family and friends. Best sushi/sashimi ever!

 

[Goonie]

For New Year's Day, we go over to my buddy's house a couple blocks away for his annual "1st Cookout of the Year".....he's been having it for about 25 years. He fires up the the grilles and the smokers, and cooks up gobs of dead animal parts, #1 on the list are the ribeye sandwiches. Everyone brings a dish to pass. There's usually about 20-25 people there at a time, and the end of the day total is usually around 50-60.

It goes on rain, snow, or shine, and whether it's warm or cold. It's always a fun time. We stay for about an hour and a half....more or less.....then return to the peace and quiet of our own abode.

 

[CybrMike]

Atlantis in the Bahamas.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Atlantis in the Bahamas.

That place looks like a blast - disney for adults. Make sure you let us know how you like it.

 

[Sarah in SC]

We went to Atlantis a number of years ago when DH won a trip to Atlantis for some work-related thing. The aquariums are truly amazing--I spent a lot of time wandering around watching the fish. And the waterpark is more fun than I will admit!

Mike--you'll have a blast!

We don't have plans as yet, but I'm sure something will come together by then.

 

[bright eyed]

Atlantis in the Bahamas.

huh - will you see sponge bob there? i heard they were doing some cross-marketing stuff for the movie...

have a great time!!!

 

[layla17]

Taking a cruise with my DH. I believe we're scheduled to be in Cozumel for the new year.

 

[citrine]

I will either be babysitting to bring in more cash.....or painting and hanging out with Casanova.

 

[Achiever51]

Any recommendations on New Year's in NYC? Times Square seems too nuts for me...but I am sure there are PLENTY of alternatives...

Several years ago, my husband, daughter and I visited NYC over the New Year's holiday and celebrated New Year's Eve at the top of the Empire State Building. The weather was brutally cold and it was wonderful to be able to go inside to warm up periodically. There were only a few dozen people there -- much more civilized than the hundreds of thousands of mostly drunken young adults in Times Square -- and we toasted the new year with champagne at midnight after mostly hearing (cause you don't have a real good view) the roar of the crowd when the TS ball comes down. Then we had the nicest surprise, watching several beautiful fireworks displays way out in the distance. Took the elevator down to the street, caught a cab, and was back in our hotel before most of the folks were even out of the Times Square mess.