Cracker Night.
Guy Fawkes Night
Halloween
I’m sure there’s other names too.
I live in Darwin, and as far as I’m aware it’s the last place in Australia that allows it to happen. ( poss’ Canberra still?).
It’s happening here now, the place sounds like a war zone on drugs, weird screams and whistles, bangs and bursts, it drives the fruitbats batty!
We technically only get the one day to buy and bang them, but as you can imagine, they start going off as soon as they’re available, and slowly fade away over the next few weeks.
I grew up down south in a time when it was an annual event everywhere. We loved it, only the odd one didn’t. Then the PC brigade, in its incipient form, got frothy over the occasional injury, and slowly got it banned. I hated the loss then, and still do.
The rate of injury was miniscule, pushbikes and roller-skates were more dangerous, yet they killed the fun anyway, (insert abusive words here)!
It used to be a fantastic family and social event, bonfires, fizzy drinks, ice-cream, and masses of things exploding and launching for the stars. Our hearts went with them, and our minds too, it was inspirational!
Kids today have really missed out, IMO, and for no good reason.
My brother and I learnt to make black powder at an early age, and with the help of our chemistry sets, made and launched our own. It was Science, and Art, and good fun!
We never hurt ourselves, or anyone else, and we didn’t start any fires, (well, not with those experiments, lol). I was lucky enough to have a suitably placed relative during my years as a single parent, and my kids grew up with fireworks as a regular part of their b/day parties, and other events too. Sometimes just because it was a nice night, lol.
Wadda ya say, guys?
Bring it back!

I grew up in PNG, where cracker night was celebrated most of the year, although officially only on Guy Fawkes night. The Chinese merchants always had a good supply of materiel (double-bungers at 5c the pack of 20, stick rockets a couple of cents each and more sophisticated tailfin rockets 5-10c each, not to mention the REALLY good stuff) and most of the kids took full advantage. While there was much made of the potential for serious injury, I can't recall anything worse that the odd burn and perhaps a bit of split skin on the fingers if one got a bit too bold with the short fuse. Apparently there were some more serious injuries down here in Oz, which lead to their banning, allegedly. I suspect it was more to do with the clean-up and the occasional grass fire being started.

Either way, thanks for an opportunity to reminisce.

Yes,
we urgently need all state governments to reintroduce cracker night.
It is the one bond with their parents that all young children and teenagers will remember for the rest of their lives
Since the banning craker night, crime has skyrocketed,simply because their is no activity apart from drinking that is allowed by our Courts.
The lucky children of Canberra and the Northern Territory ,and the rest of the world have the chance to let of steam.
We need Cracker nights nationally.

Another good thread Max.

As a 1940 baby, with a family move to Townsville after the war, I had a lot of firsts in 47, & 48. First ice cream, first soft drink, first windup toy, & a lot of others.

One of the very best was my first bonfire/Guy Fawkes night in 48, when fireworks came back in the shops. There were not too many fireworks, or crackers, but it was fantastic. It was a bit of a pity that a spark got into the enamel plate, with the remaining fireworks after about half were gone, with a resultant chain reaction, but it was fun looking in the grass, for all those which were merely blown out, rather than let off. This was with a burning branch from the fire, as we still did not have torch batteries available yet. I found my first electric torch, in about 49, the most amazing thing. Push a button, & the light came on, WOW.

Our kids have lost, & missed a lot. When people refered to John Howard as a 50s man, I used to give thanks, to my luckt stars, that I was too. All the computers, trail bikes, slot cars etc, are a very poor substitute for the freedom, & opportunities we had.

I remember my brother telling us a story
of a bon-fire night where he and some
friends were playing with double-bungers,
and how they had persuaded the younger brother
of a mate of his to let them put a double-bunger
in this kid's ear. They were just about to light
it - when the kid's mum saw them and started to
scream - scaring the life out of them all.
She got to the young bloke just in time to whip
the double-bunger out of his ear. Imagine what
could have happened!

Yes, bring back the bon-fire nights - but watch
the young kids.

Classic, BROCK.

>>we urgently need all state governments to reintroduce cracker night.
It is the one bond with their parents that all young children and teenagers will remember for the rest of their lives<<

The *one* bond? That's pretty sad.

>>Since the banning craker night, crime has skyrocketed,simply because their is no activity apart from drinking that is allowed by our Courts.<<

If they do bring back cracker night, with the intention of getting the crime rate back to where it was, will we have to ban alcohol at them, just to make sure?

>>The lucky children of Canberra and the Northern Territory ,and the rest of the world have the chance to let of steam.<<

And, presumably those places will not have seen their crime "skyrocket", as we bunger-deprived States, thanks to being able to let off steam.

On second thoughts, was this a spoof? In which case, I was well sucked in, congratulations.

Or... could it be... you are *this* BROCK?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brocks_Fireworks

That would explain everything.