Donuts, firecrackers, streamers, ringing of bells and a toast with sparkling wine at midnight.
Thus, December 31 is traditionally considered celebrated New Year’s Eve. But what exactly are we celebrating? Where does the festival come from? How do people in other countries do it? What else happens on the last night of the year?
Read all about typical New Year’s Eve traditions and whether New Year’s Eve is a public holiday here. There are also ideas for a great New Year’s Eve celebration and delicious tips for eating and drinking.
The origin of all New Year’s celebrations
The end-of-year festival was celebrated in the Roman Empire from at least the beginning of 153 BC. celebrated. At that time, the beginning of the calendar year was shifted from March 1st to January 1st.
The name comes from Pope Silvester I, who died on December 31, 335 AD. But the last day of the year is not called that everywhere. The term New Year’s Eve is used in Italy, France, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. In most other countries it is called differently: old year or old anniversary. The day after that, January 1st, is then called New Year’s Day.
By the way: The Teutons already celebrated a festival with fire to drive away evil spirits.
How to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Germany
If you don’t go to the theater or a New Year’s Eve ball on the last evening of the year, you can meet friends and family at home for a New Year’s Eve dinner. Social cheese fondues are very popular. A raclette meal is just as delicious and cosy. You drink something good with it, for example a Feuerzangenbowle, talk and the time until midnight flies by.
If it does get boring: In between you can also play board games or cast lead and use the results to interpret the future.
Danger! Since 2018, casting has been banned because of harmful fumes — at least with lead. Instead, wax or tin is used. Both work just as well.
The last seconds of the old year are then counted down together. When the clock finally strikes 12, people toast each other, hug and wish each other Happy New Year!
It is also customary to wish everyone a “Happy New Year” at the turn of the year. The “slip” is not meant literally, but comes from the Yiddish term “rosh”, which means “beginning”.
Lucky charms are very typical and popular on New Year’s Eve: chimney sweeps or little pigs made of marzipan, a real horseshoe or colorfully wrapped chocolate ladybugs. Real lucky clover plants in small pots are also great gifts and pretty decorations.
Good luck in the New Year is wished with four-leaf clover and a chimney sweep
Cracker peas, table fireworks and colorful crackers that you pull apart and surprises and confetti fall out of are also said to bring good luck for the New Year.
What also goes with it: the black and white film classic “Dinner for One” from 1963. Did you know? The original film by Briton Lauri Wylie is an NDR production with English language and cast.
This is how other countries celebrate New Year’s Eve
★ Denmark
The Danes smash dishes on New Year’s Eve. Entire china services are thrown at the front door of the person who is wished luck. Another Danish tradition: jumping off a chair at midnight.
★ United Kingdom
London has the largest fireworks display in Europe. The song to go with it: “Auld Lang Syne”. It is sung throughout the kingdom to commemorate deceased relatives, friends and acquaintances.
★ Italy
In Italy it is customary to wear red underwear at the turn of the year. This is supposed to bring good luck in the new year.
★ Austria
Whether in the disco, on the tram or at home: Here you can dance a waltz at midnight. Only then does it start shooting.
★ Spain
The tradition here is to eat twelve grapes at twelve o’clock sharp – one grape per chime. If you don’t make it, choke or miscount, this means misfortune for the new year. If it works, you can make a wish.
Who has New Year’s Eve off?
In principle, only those who are on vacation. According to the Federal Holidays Act (BurlG), New Year’s Eve is not a public holiday.
Unless this day falls on a weekend, there is a general obligation to work. So if you want to have time off, you have to take a holiday. Whether it has to be a full day or just half a day is up to the boss.
Incidentally, the same applies to Christmas Eve (December 24th).
Ideas for a nice New Year’s Day
Don’t feel like raclette and celebrate on the couch at home? Here are some alternatives for a successful turn of the year.
★ Holiday trip for New Year’s Eve
You can also experience the turn of the year somewhere else. How about, for example, at midnight on St. Mark’s Square in Venice, in a snow-covered mountain hut in the Alps or you welcome the New Year even earlier than those at home: On the Harbor Bridge in Sydney (Australia) there are huge fireworks in summer temperatures.
★ Chilled out in the spa
Many spas offer special programs for the New Year. Such a New Year’s Eve in the wellness oasis has many advantages: You recover from the stress of the holidays, you don’t have to do anything, you are spoiled and there is no hangover on January 1st.
★ Would you rather party?
But then very relaxed and without stress! Simply invite your friends (and their children) to cook together. Or: Everyone brings something for the buffet. Add to that your favorite music and enough good drinks and the turn of the year will be really nice!
Spicy cocktail recipe for the turn of the year
New Year’s Eve is a good opportunity to drink something special. For example one
★ Gin East Buck
This sparkling, Asian-inspired cocktail thrives on the harmony of warm, spicy ginger and fresh citrus notes.
For a person:
- 40 ml gin
- 80 ml premium ginger beer (or optionally premium ginger ale)
- 2 lime wedges
- 1 lemongrass stick (optional)
Fill a highball glass with ice cubes and squeeze out the juice from a lime wedge. Add gin and top up with ginger ale. Garnish with a lime wedge and a lemongrass stick.
Eat well on New Year’s Eve
After all the heavy Christmas menus, something fresh and light is the order of the day. Gladly seasoned and nice and colorful to look at. Here comes a spicy starter that can be prepared in the morning:
★ Red glass noodle salad
Ingredients for 6 eaters:
- 200 g glass noodles
- 250 g red cabbage (store bought or homemade)
- Salt
- 6 tbsp lime juice
- 3 teaspoons sesame oil
- each coriander and mint to taste
- a ripe mango
- 100 g salted and roasted peanuts
- 3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
That’s how it’s done:
- Pour boiling water over the glass noodles in a bowl and let steep according to package instructions.
- Mix in four tablespoons of lime juice and two tablespoons of sesame oil.
- Wash the coriander and mint and chop the leaves. Peel the mango, cut the flesh into thin strips. Drain the pasta and cut slightly smaller with kitchen scissors if you like. Mix the herbs, mango, peanuts, another tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoons of lime juice and some salt into the glass noodles. Leave for the day.
- Squeeze the cabbage a little before eating. Layer the red cabbage and noodles in martini glasses. Mix the remaining cabbage marinade with the chilli sauce. Season to taste with lime juice and salt. Drizzle over the salad to serve.
In addition: Meat or fish from the grill or from the pan. Scampi also taste great with it.
