Large crowds gathering at fireworks shops as New Year's sales period begins

Fireworks stores were already bustling with people picking up orders on Monday morning, as this will likely be the last year that residents of the Netherlands are allowed to set off consumer fireworks at the turn of the New Year. Long lines of people waiting to collect orders formed in front of many stores.

Compound fireworks have been particularly popular this season. They typically involve decorative explosives fused together into a single cake box. Fireworks sellers are seeing more people buying fireworks together in groups to be set off by friends and families. Roughly 300 euros will be spent per order on average, with some easily spending three- or four-times that amount.

There's been a huge influx of customers picking up their orders at the sales point, Pronk Vuurwerk in Sint Maarten, Noord-Holland. The proprietor, Bart Pronk, said they have done everything they can to ensure the three-day sales period runs smoothly, with "military precision."

They have created additional parking space, and have staffed more parking attendants. Customers are greeted with fresh coffee and oliebollen, the traditional fried balls of dough coated in powdered sugar, which are sold as a New Year's treat. "It's a party. We are creating a real experience."

The upbeat mood is also evident at fireworks retailer El Blanco, which has several stores in the southern province of Noord-Brabant. "It's very busy with customers picking up their orders. We've already sold a huge amount," said store representative Jan de Wit. "We are welcoming customers with sausage rolls and coffee."

Frits Broks also said he has his hands full with his Vuurwerkhallen shops in Zoetermeer and Rijswijk. "The first lines of people have already picked up their fireworks." The compound cake boxes are also very popular, he said.

"Just light it once and you're done. You get a fantastic fireworks show."

Many Dutch people also went to Germany to stock up on fireworks. It has been very crowded at a fireworks store in the German town of Meppen, which is not far from the Dutch border. The legal fireworks sales period in Germany began last night.

An estimated 300 euros has been spent on pre-orders of fireworks in the Netherlands, according to online sales figures provided by Leo Groeneveld, the chair of Dutch pyrotechnics association Belangenvereniging Pyrotechniek Nederland. That said, orders topping a thousand euros is not at all uncommon this year, especially when factoring in neighbors celebrating together this year.

"One person provides the fireworks and the other the oliebollen," Groeneveld said.