Dec 29
Fireworks play a major role in many Norwegian New Years Eve celebrations and that goes for the rest of Scandinavia as well. It’s common to buy your own and fire them from our yards to ring in the New Year. One reason is that December is too cold to expect people to crowd into the city to wait for the local fireworks, so it is more convenient for each person to hold festivities in their own yard. Since I’ve experienced it my whole life, I would add; it’s much more fun too 
We’ve been at our vacation home in Mariestad, Sweden since the second day of Christmas and today we had the yearly firework expedition. Here is a pic from the town square:
Mariestad town square today; wintery with lots of snow and -7C (19F)
One of the kiosks has a huge stand for this special occasion – with all kinds of fireworks in every price range:
The kiosk owner has known us for years, and knows that I want his guidance for this year’s best offer. He has a TV video system to show and demonstrate the effects:
Left: TV to demonstrate – Mid right: The owner with the remote control.
I normally buy a case which is set up to go off automatically in order once the wick is lit. I am most interested in how long the display will last as well how spectacular and colourful it is. I ended up with one called “Bandit” for 400 SEK (75$ or 50€). Btw: The most expensive was more than double that:
Left: Kiosk owner – Middle: A Bandit – Right: another bandit
So now the only thing left is to make a solid launch place in the snow for the case and wait for this years last day at 11:59:59 PM! Before that we’ll have a seafood feast: shrimps, crabs, crayfish and lobster with champagne. Yes we know how to celebrate and welcome the New Year in Scandinavia – its part of the celebration of the return of the sun too you know!
The weather forecast: -10C (14F) and a bit cloudy; It’s going to be spectacular don’t you think
I might even shoot a film of it, so stay tuned for an amateur firework’s adventure!For a sweet look at shopping adventure, hop on over to DianeCA’s tasty post!
I invite you to share you’re New Year tradition in your comments!
December 29th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
[...] This post was Twitted by rennyba [...]
December 29th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
[...] them to celebrate the evening. We usually provide some champagne and the fireworks. Hop on over to RennyBA’s Terella to see how we buy the fireworks which we send up ourselves! Pretty pink Swedish [...]
December 29th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Wish I was there. It is 7 degrees F and winds are blowing 49 miles an hour! Yes, it is cold! I am cooking Norwegian Haddock for dinner and then will again rest. I am doing better, but still need to rest my eyes.
I sure hope that 2010 is a good year!
Reply
December 29th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Renny,
enjoy your fireworks as long as you can. European Union will ban them shortly but that won’t stop you.
Happy New Year,
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 12:27 am
Our weather is predicted to be cold, but we will warm up with champagne and fireworks and lots of good friends. Hell of a photographer you’ve got there!! LOL
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 1:13 am
Yo Renny, firstly here’s wishing you a blessed year ahead and not sure if your fireworks is like a small fire crackers that one light up and go BOOM BOOM
Anyway, Singapore banned fire crackers back in the early 70s but you know what, when I was in Xiamen last week…..we actually bought some at the temple and had a blast
Have a good year ahead Renny
Reply
RennyBA Reply:
December 30th, 2009 at 1:18 am
No they are more like rockets that shoot up and light up the sky!
Wishing you the same
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 1:56 am
Fireworks (except for lame ones) are illegal here in Oregon, but many people drive north to Washington to buy them. And quite a few are set off on New Year’s Eve but it is not such a big tradition as you describe. Mostly we go in for a lot of drinking.
The good news is that it is snowing here today. Yay!
Have a wonderful new year, my friend.
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 2:10 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by mokki, Renny Bakke Amundsen. Renny Bakke Amundsen said: My last BlogPost: Buy and shoot up your own New Years Fireworks: Fireworks play a major role in many Norwegian New … http://bit.ly/7dzuJK [...]
December 30th, 2009 at 2:33 am
Fireworks are not banned in Norway for safety reason?
RennyBA:
No. Of course there are regulations like you have to be 18 and be careful! However, due to the time of the year (look at the first pic), the landscape is covered with snow or at least frost, so it don’t easily lite.
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 2:43 am
ESTAFA AUTOMOTRIZ MEXICO!
PELIGROSISIMO AMIGOS MEXICANOS!
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 3:12 am
Have fun. Fireworks are done here, but not so much. Fourth of July is the big firework day here. Sounds like fun though.
We are going to the boat to have a quiet evening with friends. No fireworks, and we’ll be sleeping long before midnight. Boring aren’t we.
Have a terrific day. Big hug to you and Diane.
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 5:46 am
Oh gosh, that’s so great! Fireworks are banned nationwide here, sad! (But you can always get them from underground networks who smuggled the thing from Thailand, heh)
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 7:16 am
Have a happy new year!!!!
Lots of love to you…thanks for all your kind comments!
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Happy New Year, Renny and Diane! It’s supposed to get frightfully cold where we are (-19C now!) so I think I will keep the fireworks short this year and head inside to a warming glass of wine!
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 10:13 am
You look set to have a real GO! Where I live we can see literally thousands of others, and usually forget our own
Happy New Year!
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 11:49 am
We used to buy all our fireworks for July 4th, Renny, in Tennessee while driving up to Michigan each year from Atlanta. One year the family decided to stop shooting our own fireworks because of all the scary stories of kids getting hurt. I’m sure you are very careful in your celebration, of course, but I still say “Doe vooirzixhtig!” Please be careful. We want you with all your faculties in 2010!
Happy New Year.
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Fireworks are illegal in Queensland as they cause fires. However, we do have organised displays put on by the State government by licenced pyrotechnicians.
Unfortunately, that does not stop people buying illegal fireworks and setting them off.
Have a happy New Year with your Bandit fireworks.
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Fireworks is not allowed to be sold to the public in Singapore. Organizations must apply for a permit if they want to have firework display.
We look forward to fireworks on National Day and major celebrations.
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Happy new year! May God bring many good things for your family and especially good health.
In Spain at twelve o’clock we grapes. Every shot clock announcing the new year we take a grape, until twelve.
Hugs and happy 2010
Maria
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
It’s not different here – Canadian’s love their fireworks!
I wish you and your wife a wonderful and travelicious 2010!
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Hehe, my friend – you are still a playful kid.
And you you know I like you as such and also the serious professional person you are.
btw. Vi hadde to barnebarn på besøk her i ettermiddag.
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Have a very wonderful healthy and happy 2010
ENJOY …. your firework …. !!!!
Be careful
(@^.^@)
Reply
December 30th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
An excellent tradition to send out the old and bring in the new.
Happy New Year!
Reply
December 31st, 2009 at 1:09 am
Sounds like fun! It’s not a tradition here.
Reply
December 31st, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Thanks for sharing. New Year Eve’s fireworks are becoming ever more popular here in the UK. Apart from that we, in the North East of England share a lot of our traditions with Scotland – First Footing and Auld Lang Syn to name two.
A Happy New Year to you and yours.
Reply
December 31st, 2009 at 6:14 pm
sounds like your new year’s eve will be a blast!
Reply
December 31st, 2009 at 6:23 pm
I stay tuned and specially now we are fast ready to see your bandit!!!
we will have a relax evening with my sister and Jérôme eating delicate seafood and others and champagne of course from the begining to the end!
have a fabulous Jour de l’An you and Diane!
Reply
January 1st, 2010 at 1:13 am
it rained so much down here that they probably cancelled the fireworks.
nevertheless, happy new year to you and your loved ones, renny! 
Reply
January 1st, 2010 at 1:35 am
“New day, new blessings. Don’t let yesterday’s failures ruin the beauty of today. Blessings of God are new every morning. Today has its own promise of love, forgiveness, joy and success.Happy New Year!”
Reply
January 1st, 2010 at 1:38 am
There are some public firework displays here, but mainly fireworks are for Guy Fawkes’ Day, or Bonfire Night. Things are a little different in our family because it’s my husband’s birthday on 1 January, so it’s very much a family occasion.
Reply
January 1st, 2010 at 4:12 am
My wishes for you,
Great start for Jan,
Love for Feb,
Peace for March,
No worries for April,
Fun for May,
Joy for June to Nov,
Happiness for Dec,
Have a lucky and wonderful 2010, Renny and family!
Reply
January 1st, 2010 at 7:57 am
you really buy fireworks? i just watch. hehehe ;p
happy new year renny
Reply
January 1st, 2010 at 9:52 am
I wish you Health…
So you may enjoy each day in comfort.
I wish you the Love of friends and family…
And Peace within your heart.
I wish you the Beauty of nature…
That you may enjoy the work of God.
I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities…
For those things that really matter in life.
I wish you Generosity so you may share…
All good things that come to you.
I wish you Happiness and Joy…
And Blessings for the New Year.
I wish you the best of everything…
That you so well deserve.
Reply
January 1st, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Hope the fireworks were spectacular! Happy New Year to you and your family!
Reply
January 1st, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Hi Renny. If you’d like to pop over to my blog when you have the time I’ve made special mention of you in my version of the New Years Honours List. Happy 2010.
Reply
January 1st, 2010 at 8:47 pm
[...] Buy and shoot up your own New Years Fireworks Jan [...]
January 3rd, 2010 at 8:54 am
There is usually a big fireworks display in NZ to start the year off and this year was no exception. Sadly I had to work driving taxi so didn’t get to enjoy the display. but instead I made heaps of money to start the year.
Reply
January 4th, 2010 at 4:07 am
Lucky you! I don’t know any other place where you can safely have your own fireworks… I know some people buy fireworks for Canada Day but I think it’s mostly to be used in the country – I have never seen a private show like that.
Feng would love it… Growing up in China, he played with firecrackers and fireworks a lot and he misses it. Every year and goes on and on about how much fun he used to have at new year as a kid…!!!
Reply
January 6th, 2010 at 5:16 am
Reply
January 9th, 2010 at 7:48 am
i love that building
Reply
January 9th, 2010 at 10:13 am
fire and champagne .. nice
Reply
January 10th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
i really love firework
Reply
January 14th, 2010 at 6:26 am
the town square are full of snow … can not play soccer right
Reply