How do Germans celebrate New Year's Eve?
The turn of the year in Germany is called "Silvester" and there are some traditions followed at this time.
How do Germans celebrate New Year's Eve?
"Silvester" is named after Pope Silvester I, who had a terrifying reputation during his time. He was known for making non-believers choke on fish bones in his presence. The "Jahrestag” of the Pope's death falls on 31.12.335. Therefore, "der Aberglaube” says that it is better not to eat fish on “Silvesterabend”.
Friends and families often eat "Raclette" or "Fondue" in “geselliger Runde” on this evening. Both are dishes that everyone prepares and cooks? themselves at the table.
With "Raclette", everyone fills a small pan directly at the table, puts cheese over it at the end and bakes it in a table oven.
"Fondue" originated in Switzerland and here pieces of bread are dipped in melted cheese or pieces of meat and vegetables are dipped in hot fat, which is also placed in a pot on the table.
Just Before midnight, people typically start the count down and “anstoßen” with prosecco or champagne at 0:00 : "Prost Neujahr!"
This originally comes from "Prosit Neujahr", from Latin and means something like "Lass es gelingen!". “Guten Rutsch" (lit: good sliding) not only means "have a successful transition into the new year", but also a good start and success for planned projects.
For the Germans, a New Year's Eve without "Feuerwerk" is unthinkable and from midnight onwards there is a lot of lighting of fireworks and cheering.
“Schweinchen” and “vierblättrige Kleeblätter” as well as “Hufeisen”, made of marzipan or sweets are given away as figurines and are symbols of good luck and good fortune in the new year.
January 1 is a holiday throughout Germany. Moreover, on 31.12. the stores close earlier than usual (14:00 or mostly 16:00 - small stores at 12:00).
And from 0:00 we wish and greet each other with "Frohes, neues Jahr!".
We wish you a "Guten Rutsch" and an amazing, sucessful, happy year! Lots of love, friends, and your personal success and wellbeing in Germany!
If you need help: Schedule your personal consultation call for free to see how we can support you with the German language and culture to reach your goals!
Vocabulary:
Silvester – New Year’s Eve
der Jahrestag (Pl. -e) – the anniversary
der Aberglaube – the superstition
die gesellige Runde - convivial company
anstoßen (trennbar) - to toast
Lass es gelingen! - Let it succeed!
das Feuerwerk (used as singular) – fireworks
das Schweinchen - little pig
vierblättrige Kleeblätter (das Kleeblatt) - four-leaf clovers
das Hufeisen - the horseshoe
Frohes, neues Jahr! - Happy new Year!