MOSTLY UP !

Christmas comes, but once a year, however, in South Carolina, every day can be the Fourth of July. Every night can be New Year's Eve. Any day is a good day for fireworks and there is no day on which you may not purchase fireworks. Some S.C. counties forbid the sale of firewater on Sundays, but not fireworks.

The laws governing the sale and discharge of fireworks vary greatly between the Several States and within some states. Some states just don't allow fireworks of any type while other states allow only the use of the lamest forms such as sparklers, but nothing which explodes or spews fiery discharge. So, after gallons of champagne, booze and other intoxicants, let's all go outside and bring in the New Year with a sparkler for each guest. Right. In South Carolina, the law on discharging fireworks is far more liberal, but even if it wasn't, few citizens would obey. Fireworks to many of us seems as natural as eating, an entitlement akin to that of a Constitutional right.

We love the loud report which comes from blowing up things with fireworks. We adore launching rockets with blazing comet trails up into the night sky. We really like to slide the extra large pack of firecrackers into places where unsuspecting folks think that machine guns are turned upon them. This it to say that we, as a state, are just mad for this stuff. Many municipalities restrict the discharge of fireworks, but it's perfectly legal to sell fireworks even when or where it may be prohibited to use them.

Where there is a demand for a product, there will be vendors to supply it and we've got a' plenty of them in South Carolina. You find many of them at or near our state lines to serve folks from states which are less understanding. Since it's legal, vendors are not shy about promoting their wares. Pictured above are some shots from a popular fireworks dealer in Ravenel, SC. Do you think that excited kids are not going to notice Herbie's and force the family car off the road at his stand? It certainly caught our eye.

We were taken not only with the colorful display, Black Bart's and all, but with Herbie's disarming candor. He clearly states that his goods go from twenty-five cents and up. MOSTLY UP ! He advises. There is truth in advertising after all.