In the Netherlands, there is a tradition of setting off fireworks en masse on New Year's Eve. Each year, from December 28th to December 31st, it is permitted for individuals aged 18 and older to purchase fireworks from specially designated stores.
The rest of the year, it is prohibited to possess or set off fireworks, but on New Year's Eve, it becomes a spectacle reminiscent of the movie "The Purge."
As a child, I too was fascinated by fireworks; there was something magical about doing something that wasn't allowed, although it was permitted on December 31st from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 at night. However, we started a week earlier; we engaged in a significant trade of illegal fireworks, a practice that continues to this day.
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