No firecrackers, please!

Last week, I received a forwarded message saying that firecrackers are banned for Chinese New Year by the authorities. I totally agree with this ban. 

Firecrackers are dangerous, loud, noisy, unnecessary and it frightens animals and small humans.

But for the past 2 days, I hear horribly loud firecrackers, especially tonight.

Why aren’t the authorities doing anything about it?

Tabs is totally terrified of firecrackers and fireworks.

Riley too.

And Cleo as well. She spent almost an hour in this position tonight.

Why firecrackers were lighted during Chinese New Year in ancient China:

In traditional Chinese culture, firecrackers were originally used to scare away evil spirits. As the legend goes, a monster called Nian would come out to eat villagers and destroy their houses on each New Year’s Eve.

So, it is a tradition. It is cultural. But I for one, do not subscribe to the practice of preserving tradition or any cultural practice which is dangerous and causes harm. 

A few years ago, my friend’s dog was spooked by Deepavali firecrackers, jumped over their fence and landed up in my housing estate across the main road, quite far away from her house. As it happened, the dog, Chelsea, was rescued by me in Bentong many years prior to that incident and I spotted Chelsea on my morning walk.

Chelsea remembered me and I her, so I called to her and she came to me. I called my friend to ask if Chelsea had escaped and true enough, she said yes. So Chelsea was reunited with my friend but only because Chelsea happened to wander off to my housing area and I happened to bump into her. What if I hadn’t? Chelsea would have been totally lost. All because of firecrackers.

Firecrackers to scare away evil spirits?

The most evil spirit, I think, are the evil thoughts and cruel intentions in the minds of human beings. Firecrackers cannot scare those away. Only conscience and willpower can.

Right?