Fireworks , ugh

Got one panting hyperventilating dog already - there can’t be too many fireworks as she has calmed down for now, but it doesn’t bode well

I love them - at properly organised events only. I feel that only people with appropriate training, and thereafter being licensed to use them, and on limited days each year should be brought into effect, and the supermarkets banned from selling them to all and sundry.
I spent some weeks in the early 60's in what was termed a children's plastic surgery ward. Some of the children in there (not me), were there as a result of firework accidents. One girl, aged about 12 I think, had been in there for long periods since she was 5, having fallen into the family's bonfire, and been badly burned including her face and was having repeated operations to rebuild her lower face. I often wonder how she is.

Normally I love them but so far there's been five lots since 830 this evening. My baby is so grumpy (8 months) he's been awake since 3 pm. Each time he settles another set start. No idea where my cat is. Scared stiff under furniture probably. I will coax him out in the morning with some salmon. Poor cat.

Been going since 6pm near me can’t believe how loud they are now don’t think I’m going to sleep much.

They are sporadic by me, no doubt more to come at midnight.
tanith can you sleep with the radio on - would that help you?

No Puzzler they are far too loud I've got into bed with blinds open lights off might as well enjoy the view if not the noise.

It’s all gone very quiet here, after 30 minutes of spectacular fireworks in private gardens in all directions. I must admit they were impressive. I’m guessing some people have spent their unused 2020 holiday funds on their fireworks this year.

Sleep well all, and Happy New Year.

Wow - those of you whose pets/small children are not upset by fireworks are really lucky! My take on this (no pets or children by the way) is that fireworks should either be limited to organised displays, or the sound of them should be strictly reduced. Can't speak for anyone else but, for me, the lovely colours and patterns in the sky are the main attraction - not the sometimes deafening BANG. Fireworks were not this loud when our parents put on small displays for us in our back garden in the 1970s - but we still really enjoyed them. Why exactly do they have to be so loud? I also believe that sales should be restricted to a couple of days before Nov 5th/New Years Eve. I am sure I am not the only one who experienced loud bangs for weeks starting in October.

I love fireworks and animals. Yes the one causes stress for the other but it is short lived and fireworks do bring pleasure. We do far worse things to each other, to our children, to our animals and to the planet as a matter of course, day in day out - cuddle your pets, think about ways to live more gently yourself and let others enjoy their extremely short moments of pleasure.

I went to bed soon after 10pm, not a fan of sitting up to see New Year in.

Expected to be woken around midnight to the sound of fireworks, but wasn’t. Did I sleep through or did none go off?

Will ask DH when he gets up.

Having lived in Malta for forty years, fireworks are part of the culture and are let off throughout the summer as each village celebrates the feast day of their respective patron saints.

Some of the displays are really spectacular, set to music and are very popular.

I’ve had dogs who were/are terrified of the noise and also dogs who didn’t bat an eyelid.

buylocal you said it better than I can.☺️

I m not a great firework fan but there’s got to be something for kids and adults to enjoy in these bloody meagre times of sadness
Heard some last night but who cares let them enjoy themselves in whatever way possible I wish someone had invited me instead of going to bed alone

Fireworks here started around 6pm last night at different intervals. I went to bed atound 10pm, then just after midnight I was woken up by an explosion! I thought a bomb had gone off! never heard fireworks so loud!! Still to this day I dont understand people wasting money on them.
My cat loves fireworks she actually sits on the windowsill and watches them.

We had some really loud ones that woke us up. DH thought that someone was breaking in. He got up fell over, pulled the curtains off the rails on his way down. I went to investigate with terrified dog but couldn't find anything. Some were still going off outside. Still as long as some people enjoyed themselves hey? If I knew who it was I'd pop around at 5 am and knock them up. I am sure they would laugh ?

They were going off all night where I live, we went to bed before midnight and left the blind up, we are very close to the Thames, literally yards. Over the other side there seemed to be an ongoing display, quite spectacular for most of the evening. Just wondering what's to celebrate right now! So loud were some explosions, it made me worry for all the animals in the area. I imagine they were terrified even inside

I've never been a great fan of fireworks, but this year, it has felt good to hear something normal going on.
We were nearly bounced out of our bed last night as a huge amount seemed to be going off in our garden for 20 mins. Obviously an organised display that went ahead without the people. We aren't far from our county cricket ground, so maybe there?
Felt like a good way to get rid of 2020 and to hope for better in 2021!
I'm sorry for all the distressed animals and young children though.

Fireworks were still going off in my area at 2am. My poor little dog is so terrified of them it is pitiful to see her distress. And it's not only the animals who suffer - it's their owners too trying to calm a terrified pet.
I say ban them for the general public and just have organised displays because they tend to not have the bl**dy things that sound like bombs going off. What type of moron let's those things off anyway?
As for the posters who have trained their animals to not be scared - piffle. No amount of training would have helped my darling dog.
I apologise that I am ranting but I am mad as hell about last night

Luckily our pets aren't bothered by them. I love them.
I do agree though that big displays are better then a few in the garden.
I missed proper fireworks last night but it was a good display anyway.

Very loud ones somewhere in the village at midnight, followed by next door neighbours family shouting for their dog who had run off!

What the hell the dog was doing outside, presumably off the lead at a time when it was highly likely that there would be fireworks, God only knows!

Not impressed as I had gone to bed at 10.30pm.

It's not just our pets that are scared, what about wildlife?
Many years ago my partner and I kept (expensive) birds in our outdoor aviary and you could guarantee some of them would be injured or killed by being scared by the noise/sudden flashes of light, when scared they automatically fly upwards and many would 'forget' that they were in a cage and get hurt by hitting the roof.
We did put in night lights for them after the first year so they could see the caging above so we didn't lose so many after that but if these bands and flashes of light are terrifying out pets (that we can try to pacify), what on earth is happening to animals in the wild?

Also, given that there weren't, to my knowledge anyway, any organised displays this year, and knowing how lax many people are about safety - I wonder how many people ended up in A&E due to burns from fireworks.

Fireworks round my way started about 5p.m yesterday, at first not too loud and several going off and then some quietness.
Then the morons that think it is entertaining to let off about 10 Bomb like dynamite blasters one after another are the worst nightmare of New Years Eve for me. Where they buy those bomb ones I do not know but they should be banned by law and the people who buy them are just bloody idiots. The bomb ones are set off by someone every hour from 9p.m and by the time 12p.m comes I am usually ready to go and find the fools and set one off up there rear end, and show them just how terrifying those things are to my poor dog (sorry about the rant). Ranting because the noise begins to lessen at about 1.15 a.m. and finally I can settle the dog and go to bed.
If I could lie in a little bit in the mornings it would not be so bad but the dog needs to be fed and given medication every day at 7.45 a.m. so as usual but much more bleary eyed I got myself up and attended to the dog. I have done a few chores but am feeling grumpy and tired and I expect the usual morons will throw in a few more bombs tonight just to blast us into the New Year.

I actually think it's time for a ban on the loud explosive ones. It seems people let them off for any excuse nowadays,and since the Millennium New Years Eve fireworks have become excessive. Well certainly where we live.
I have nothing against organised displays,or the quieter ones.And fortunately our dogs are fairly relaxed about them generally.But even they were agitated last night.And by 2am when some other loud explosions went off I was seething and had had enough.Everyone's has had a tough year one way or another. But some have more consideration for others.And without a doubt some of the idiots still letting fireworks off in the early hours were having parties or gatherings of some kind.Proving yet again how selfish some people are.

I also hate fireworks our dog is distraught I wouldn;t have minded the odd rocket at Midnight to see in the New Year but in my area they started at 4pm and continued all through the evening Last ones in the street opposite were set off at 2am New years Day!

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.