Costner: Spring Festival

There's nothing quite like driving home to the sounds of high explosives after a good meal of pulled pork. Despite a generally quiet demeanor, it is incredible to see the interest people take in these parts to ear-shattering kabooms that accompany some of the rockets used during Spring Festival. For each of the past 10 or so nights, the explosions have been practically continuous, beginning early and the morning and continuing straight through until now, almost midnight. I am not sure where the tradition comes from, and what the bombs are intended to do--scare spirits away? Attract distant spirits closer? All I know is that the face of your average man on the street is changed during this season from a mask of general malaise, to a tinge of a smile, with a spring in his step and a ni hao for all passers-by. It is uncommon to see people grant strangers such consideration in public, holding doors and standing patiently in line, as they do during Spring Festival in Beijing.