December 31 was a dreaded day for me when I was still little. Beginning from 10 am till after midnight, children, young and old men alike were in the streets throwing labintador on the sidewalks and on passersby especially to young children to scare them, oblivious of the danger and harm it could bring. Little children naman played with watusi and the cracklings would sometimes enter our store.
My mom would be busy in the kitchen from morning till midnight, preparing our grand Buena Noche. Aside from being the kitchen assistant, I was always on standby in case she runs out of ingredients which was almost for sure. Running back and forth to the nearby sari-sari store and the tindahan ni Ka Tek, that seemed to have everything from sinulid, suka, to atswete, and Nestle Cream.
Ka Felicing——– “Annie, takbo ka kay Tek at bumili ka ng paminta”.
Everytime she would call me, nanginginig na ako sa takot kasi yung mga lalaki sa labas, nanghahagis ng labintador. I would really be shaking. It felt like it’s the end of my world.
Dragon Fireworks was not yet in existence and only labintador, kwitis, watusi and torotot could be heard. The trianglulo was the most popular, and one could buy tingi-tingi. Even people with less money get to enjoy the loud sound of labintador.
When I got married, it just so happened that Edmund and I were exposed to this kind of tradition. He grew up in Iloilo, nagpapaputok rin sila. He hurt pa nga his fingers from labintador. Pero nung araw, wala pang super lolo or super Yolanda, so his fingers were still intact.
Marami na ring nasusugatan. My Kuya Junior was a young doctor at the Rizal Provincial Hospital and a few years, he would always be on duty on New Year’s Eve, treating patients hurt by the exploding labintador and kanyon.
My kids are now used to our yearly paputok tradition. Actually two times a year kasi we also light a few on Chinese New year’s Eve.
Edmund was the one in charged of buying the big sawa.
I took care of those in boxes.
I spent less this year on firecrackers. Plus I found a few boxes in the garage from last Chinese NY.
I bought about P3,000 worth from this store. Do not believe their signage. You still have to negotiate for a few pesos discount. The small box of 6 fountains sells for P350 if you don’t know the real price is only P250. Their price is P300. I made tawad, I got P290. It’s still higher than the P250 regular price. I just didn’t want to walk ffrom stall to stall kasi nagkakagulo.
I paid P100 for a plastic torotot. It’s a new invention. No more making ihip, no laway, it’s more hygienic. It has an airpump attached to it. It doubles as muscle builder.
Tindero—- “Miss, Torotot 150 lang”.
Omb——– “ha, mahal naman”.
tindero—- “Isang daan na lang”.
Omb——– “Tingnan nga, bakit ang hina ng tunog?”
Tindero—- “Miss, lakasan mo kasi ang pagbomba”.
