ECONOMIC TURMOIL: New Year’s Firework Tradition Fizzling Out
By ABC-7 Reporter Marissa Monroy
EL PASO –The slow economy has led many New Year’s revelers to scale back on their newyear celebrations. But is the economy also putting an end to fireworks tradition?
Following the fate of many retailers during the holiday season, clerks at fireworks stands said the economic turmoil has had a major impact on business.
“You got a lot of people saying: ‘Hey,I can’t spend as much on certain things anymore,'” said vendor Art Ramos. “They’re cutting back. I mean, I’m even cutting back, especially with the fireworks.”
With this in mind, Fireworks might not be making as much noise this New Year’s Eve.
“Normally, I spend about two or three hundred bucks, this year it was $122, so it’s a big difference,” said Melissa McCormick.
Ramos said sales have been slow the first couple of days he has been open.
Others said they have refused to let the economy take the pop out of their fireworks celebration.”It is a tradition to get fireworks for New Year’s to start off the new year with a bang,” said Mark Manriquez.
Other residents in far east El Paso County echoed Manriquez’s sentiments. Some said the fireworks tradition is a safer option to other New Year’s Eve traditions, such as shooting your gun into the air.
