The firecrackers/fireworks/sparklers are really getting going now. Chris asked one of his co-workers, whose response was, "Everyone does that at Halloween! Do you want to see the sparklers in my car?"
So, I've heard from Kristin that this is common in Penticton, which is in BC's interior, but is this everywhere else in BC? Meg: were there lots of Halloween fireworks in Vancouver? I know that none of the prairie folk have heard about this, but how about elsewhere in Canada? How about you American readers? (Um, I also looked this up on Wikipedia, and someone who contributed to the entry on fireworks claimed that it's a "Canadian tradition" to have fireworks on Halloween. BC contributor? Prairies are out of it?)
I've formulated a few more theories regarding the origins of Halloween fireworks. One involves the high Asian population in British Columbia (because, you know, Asia...fireworks...). My other theory involves the association between Halloween and the upcoming Guy Fawkes day in Great Britian, and Victoria's claim of "out-Britishing the British."
In other news, I had seminar today, and it turns out that both I and my new best friend (except that she can't be my new best friend until after I'm not her TA) were Anne of Green Gables for Halloween, during those tween/early teen years when you're not supposed to care so much about "kid stuff" like costumes. (She was 11 when she was; I was 14.) It is very difficult for us to have a conversation without feeling enormously pleased with ourselves.
8 comments:
That's funny - I was just thinking about how Halloween in BC sounds like Chinese New Year. Oh, and I wish I could be present for one of your conversations. It's funny to watch you be enormously pleased with yourself. I remember another conversation where you did that, except I wasn't so tickled that time. Love you, Mary.
I don't remember anyone I knew having fireworks on Halloween in BC. This is the first I've heard of it. Weird!
M.
Note to self: making popcorn balls is a really fun way to spend Halloween! And the fireworks have gone CRAZY! You're never allowed to launch fireworks inside urban centres in Saskatchewan! Chris and I keep running outside to watch them.
Eric says fireworks are the 'norm' for Halloween as far as he's concerned...I've gotta figure this out too...
And being that Eric's from Vancouver, I guess that answers my question.
You know, in Chris's words "for a place so worried about forest fires, I'm surprised that BC's so lax on the fireworks laws." Because if you set off fireworks in your yard in Saskatchewan? Trouble.
I spoke to my friend Chris Wylie up in Fort St. John, B.C., and he has reported lots of fireworks going off there. So, the phenomenon is not exclusive to B.C.'s interior and southern regions.
This really is singularly crazy, how entirely different BC's culture can be from any of the provinces near it.
Not even Albertan's do that, and we are closer than Saskatchewan... This is most intriguing.
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