What's With the Fireworks?

[ithildin]

While I realize fireworks are part of New Year's Eve in other parts of the world, it isn't something I identify with at all here in my part of the world. For some reason, over the last few years, people have started setting off fireworks, the amount gradually increasing. Last night had a bumper crop and it scared the crud out of me! I'm not expecting the noise -- it's not like it's the Fourth of July, or Halloween when I lived in B.C..

So just idle wondering as to why we have people engaging in this sort of activity all of a sudden.