Dinner For One: What's Behind This Bizarre German New Year's Eve Tradition? | Meet the Germans

Many Germans watch the same black-and-white British comedy sketch every single New Year's Eve. Rachel Stewart gets into character and explains all in this Meet the Germans remake of Dinner for One.
Rachel moved from the UK to Germany in 2016. As a relative newcomer she casts a fresh eye over German clichés and shares her experiences of settling into German life. Every two weeks she explores a new topic - from allotment gardens to money to language.
Has your country got any unusual New Year's Eve traditions? Tell us in the comments.
You'll find more Meet the Germans videos here: • Meet the Germans
#MeettheGermans #Dinnerforone
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[@biiianciii888]

I was sincerly shocked when I realised other countries don't do this

[@Ludix147]

I just moved to northern Europe, and here in Sweden they do it!

[@m.4645]

In Austria it is popular😂

[@AboveSomething]

@@m.4645 same in switzerland, must be a german-speaking thing 😂

[@drdewott9154]

Denmark also airs it every year, 20 minutes before midnight Same as every year James.

[@mathilde5394]

Alison Pauline Moore we watch it in Norway too! But on the night before Christmas Eve.

[@jkobstube4314]

My world was shattered when a Brit told me that this isn't British at all, but a German production

[@MasumiSeike]

wait what?!

[@medoma1000]

@@MasumiSeike the video is a german production, but it was in original produced by british for the theater as she explained in the video (where two german producers found them)

[@selina9462]

WAIT WHAT

[@fds7476]

It was originally a British Vaudeville act that a German TV exec picked up for New Year's Eve in the 60s.

[@DelfyDaun]

Oh god...

[@Anna-zi7sx]

It’s not Silvester without dinner for one

[@FiveOClockTea]

Was wääär Silvester, Silvester ohne Dinner for one~

[@maxmusic5380]

Definitely a Human *New Year’s Eve

[@leysaphira347]

@@maxmusic5380 Silvester is the word that's being used in Germany. They don't say: "Neujahrs Abend"

[@auntiejuly]

@@maxmusic5380 *smart ass 😂

[@grafvonrotz2233]

Ley Saphira You can't take random words and not translate them, this it not how translation works :D.

[@Angel_EU34]

You look awesome for 90 Rachel. Must be all that healthy german food.

[@stevenbartel5008]

Yeah... healthy.....

[@RachelStewart04]

My skincare secret: Schupfnudeln

[@sumrandomguy4860]

@@RachelStewart04 Mit Sauerkraut und Speck

[@generaldurchbruchmuller7284]

*helth*

[@halowerder3356]

@@sumrandomguy4860 Kraut is very healthy haha

[@DavidCruickshank]

am british, never heard of it. but if a whole country loves it then i shall go watch it.

[@RachelStewart04]

Let us know what you think...!

[@Baccatube79]

The thing is: the sketch itself is rather silly, but it addresses the issue of late age sexuality pretty early. The reason it became ao very popular is not really that it is so very funny in and of itself but the gleeful shrieks of that very lady in the first row. You'll be laughing with her in spite of yourself.

[@Turbo-ic8lw]

You have to watch it on the 31st of december as we do it in Germany. Every single year. It‘s so great.

[@kiliipower355]

For many young people the film also has a tradition...as a drinking game! Whenever James stumbles or pours himself one, there is a drink. And believe me, many don't know how the film ends. ;-)

[@catherinerobilliard7662]

I'm a Brit and only heard of it a few years ago. Now it's already part of our New Year’s Eve tradition.

[@Falbala146]

I remember eating in a restaurant with family and we toasted each other with "Cherio, Miss Sophie!". Then this lady sitting at the other table near us told her friend in English "See, I told you, everyone here knows this sketch"

[@lenastorm6280]

As someone from Austria, I'm shocked that other countries don't do this? How can you not watch this awesome movie every year?? It's like christmas without Home Alone or The Santa Clause or The Last Unicorn!

[@nomnom9769]

It's like christmas without Die hard.

[@lisip.708]

I love it and watch it every year, and I'm Asutrian too😂😂

[@MovieClipsGerman]

Das letzte Einhorn? Ne ne

[@leptailiin]

Ikr

[@etzerdlasgaudistuben5300]

AEIOU

[@robertheinrichvonseyfenste267]

Lots of Dutch people, especially near the German border, watch this sketch too every yer

[@theGoldjey]

In Switzerland too! :)

[@MYLOVELYBOOKNOOK]

@@theGoldjey Luxembourg as well :D

[@flo-theo]

Be aware that that constitutes sufficient reason for Anschluss. Look forward to it.

[@oof5020]

@@theGoldjey Mini Familie zwar nid, aber ich kenn au es paar wo's do machen. ^^

[@robertheinrichvonseyfenste267]

@@horentyche5398 so?

[@uncinarynin]

The most British thing ever is having never heard of the most British thing ever.

[@kingamiko382]

I didn't even know this wasn't a tradition outside of germany.

[@benedikteihle8632]

German Amiko It is though, we always watch it in Norway

[@kingamiko382]

Benedikte Ihle That's nice to know :3 Especially because I never really learned anything about traditions in Norway

[@SandraNowlookout]

It is also a tradition in other countries too

[@Kaiser_laura]

It’s also a tradition in Denmark ;)

[@eurotop40]

It IS in Switzerland as well.

[@rosalemön]

I'm German but I somehow always read the subtitles when they're speaking German??lmao

[@leptailiin]

I thought i was the only one who does this

[@hannahg8439]

Dude same

[@Akronymus_]

Easy answer: Reading has become an automated task for you, hence you automatically reading text that appears legible.

[@Cyb3rWolf]

Yeah for me it's way easier to read the subtitles than to think german :D Even though I'm german too lol

[@rosalemön]

Nice to know I'm not the only one!

[@sophiewroteacomment]

I think its because of its airing time. There are three classic movies to watch over the holidays, “Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel“, “der kleine Lord“ and “Dinner for one“. They all air at times, where there is an odd time gap to bridge. Wether the duck needs its time in the oven, or people are waiting until its 00:00 on New Year's Eve. The mayority of people is on holidays, the times with family and loved ones is kinda straining, so everybody just enjoys to watch a classic movie together in silence for one and a half hours :D

[@Nidiamo]

That's not entirely true though since it airs several times throughout the day (last year I counted twelve different options to watch it) ...

[@LiaOda]

*Aschenbrödel ;)

[@andreas1453]

Weihnachten bei Hoppenstedts

[@felixkarl2522]

Sylvesterpunsch

[@juwen7908]

In many families it's also obligatory to watch "Ekel Alfred" on sylvester. This episode called "Sylvesterpunsch" of the series "Ein Herz und eine Seele" is soo black humor. And in my family it's also common to watch "Tratsch im Treppenhaus", a play of the Ohnsorg-Theater (Hamburg 1966) at the New Years morning. Greetings from Berlin and Merry Christmas

[@leon_1170]

I’m so surprised that this isn’t done by english speaking countries

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

I have the whole original 1960s Dinner for One sketch on DVD. You can't get more German than that.

[@asmylia9880]

I got it on VHS...please never challenge a true German.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

@@asmylia9880 Ah snap! beat me to it.

[@juliaalenakraus8842]

I got the DVD from my parents for christmas.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

@@juliaalenakraus8842 This is how i got mine too :D

[@kezwikHD]

So true! Not a single new years eve passes without watching dinner for one.

[@magn999Official]

In Denmark they air this sketch every year 20 minutes to midnight on New year's Eve on the public service channel. They've done so since 1973, except for one year where they chose not to do and it caused quite a stir. Because it wasn't the same procedure as every year 😅

[@pami333]

So.. the Brits infected the Germans with this sketch, and the Germans infected their neighbours... Well, I can't blame anybody, there are (much) worse things to spread. ^^ But I feel a little unconventional today, I think I'll watch Dinner for one in September :D

[@CC-bu2gv]

@@pami333 well it all one big pool of sexually transmitted diseases...

[@fiberologist]

I just learned on reddit that the Netherlands cancelled it. I can't blame them for it. It's not my cup of tea anymore as a german. The same with "Loriots Weihnachten bei Hoppenstedts" which is with out a doubt infinitely funnier than dinner for one but when aired the umpteenth time it's more of a chore to fake being amused when watching with relatives. And I know some of them have similar feelings.

[@spacefan36]

so it's like in Germany and Austria?

[@m.s.5370]

I'm definitely ready to watch this again in 11 days... The same procedure as every year!

[@joeya.1043]

Obviously. Although we have a VHS recording of it hidden somewhere too

[@violettaschmieder2096]

James has even become a stereotypical stand in for the word butler Whenever i would ask snth from my mum and she was annoyed and wanted to tell me to do it myself, she instead said "JAAAAMEES" in a very obnoxious voice and that signalled to me that she wasnt my butler

[@annaf3915]

My friends' invite to their New Year's Eve party just says "Same procedure as every year, Miss Sophie?"

[@juliane2102]

Haha same here

[@cooky2991]

So that's why James is the generic Butler name. My family is just like that, but I never figured out why the butler's name was James when we talked about it out of context.

[@jainamaden156]

We love them in Sweden to. The one time he misses to stumble over tiger head. LOL.

[@sourcererseven3858]

And then he stops in his tracks, wondering what happened 🤣

[@petereggers7603]

@@sourcererseven3858 ...just to stumble over it imedeately again in the opposite direction... 😂😂😂

[@sigertjohansen]

Not only in Germany. I am danish and I've seen this every year since my birth. The reason is the new year would probably not begin without it. Imagine that if we miss it on TV for some reason, we watch a recorded version...

[@LadyAxe13]

South African television aired this every single New Year's Eve since I was a child. When the new government in 1994 took over, they stopped our New Year's tradition of DINNER FOR ONE, so now, at 48 years old, I STILL watch this every 31 December....on KZbin!!!

[@martijndekok]

I'm familiar with this through some German friends. I'm Dutch myself. I absolutely love this play and tradition. I will need to re-watch it because I used to be able to match the actors word-for-word and that has subsided. LOL

[@serainaburge6928]

In the German speaking part of Switzerland people watch this too. I was shocked when someone told me this isn't a British production.

[@martinostlund1879]

It’s a must i Sweden too, every new years eve.

[@haydenwu2405]

Oh you watch it too

[@Kraechtshammer]

I've always watched this. Last year I found out half of my friends didn't even know, nevermind liking it. This year, our group celebrating New Year's is considerably smaller.

[@evelinstetter3884]

In Sweden we also look at this every christmas eve since beginning of 1970-ies. I was astonished when my son living in the UK told me that it is not known there.

[@roshangomez]

That's interesting! and to see that a German show, Didi's comedy show was popular in my Indian household as it was aired on Doordarshan sometime in the early 90s or late 80's! Used to watch it with my grandmother.

[@RachelStewart04]

Ah very interesting!!

[@varana]

Wait, what? In German? That's funny. :)

[@deadlypendroppingby]

Palim! Palim!

[@Baccatube79]

OMG... German TV sold that??? Ludicrous!

[@AnSe902]

Eine Flasche Pommes bitte.

[@zoedesoire7052]

I am German 🇩🇪 and I must admit that almost every German usually watches Dinner for one on new year😂 to be honest I don't know why. My parents started it and it's a tradition 😊❤️ but I never realized that before I watched this video😂

[@W4l0p]

Same procedure in Finland also. Every new year

[@lea_sparks]

Me a German trying to find out why my people love that show

[@isoldes.5775]

Lea Schmidt ich hab das das erste mal letztes Jahr bei ner Freundin gesehen. Ich frag mich das auch....

[@baul997]

Yep same

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

Ich weiss es auch nicht. Und nach dem video bin ich auch nicht schlauer als vorher :C

[@ArdaSReal]

Hab zum ersten mal davon gehört

[@BlackCenturx]

@@JunkyDruffy Vielen Dank.

[@UnseenCruelty]

Being german and reading the english subtitles while the people speaks german. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@ZgermanGuy.]

Yea movies have done their toll on me

[@cogniterra]

My old college friends who majored in German just turned me on to this today, and I'm delighted! Am sharing it with my fellow American FB friends. I had never heard of it before. Must be other gems like that!

[@divahc1]

My mom and I watch the Freddy Frinton and Mae Ward version every year. My friend, whose birthday is New Year's Eve, also visits and watches with us. We always tell our friends about it. Funny thing- when I sing in church, I have to step over a speaker on the floor to get to my mic. When I sat down again, my mum leaned in and began to tell me that I remind her of the butler stepping over the rug, which is exactly what I was thinking as I stepped over it to return to my seat.

[@jean7464]

I read this Post and thought "oh.. dinner for one ?" Then I clicked on the link and knew I was right xD

[@mymixture965]

You can add austria to the list. Remember "sound of music", nobody in austria knows it, but it is famous all over the world.

[@MetroidMother]

Also "Die Feuerzangenbowle" is watched by a lot of Germans on New years eve.

[@MasumiSeike]

yeah that's a good one too :D mostly is on before diner for one

[@KoljaGamer]

And don't forget ”Ein Herz und eine Seele“. :D

[@MetroidMother]

@@KoljaGamer and at Christmas you can't miss "der kleine lord" and "3 Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel" as well as "Sissi"

[@palentor]

Ackermaaaaaan.

[@frauleinzuckerguss1906]

@@MetroidMother The last two are more Christmas related though

[@Victoria-qb3dr]

I'm British and I have never heard of it until I started learning German 😂 I'll be sure to watch it one day though 😊

[@maryhighsmith8408]

It's the best New Years Eve tradition. It's hilarious and funny. In love with it since childhood.

[@thompsonsmith7798]

Hello Mary How are you doing today?

[@lunagebehart8663]

I'm German and it always seemed strange that we'd watch this sketch...But it's always entertaining and a nice tradition! We all enjoy it in my family!

[@peterfromgw4615]

It's been shown here in Australia from time to time. The Freddy Finton version is just brilliant!!!!! Classic British humour. Tschuess aus Australien.

[@butenbremer1965]

Thank you all so much for addressing and sharing this wonderful piece of ENG-GER culture! "Dinner For One" will for ever be the bonding part between our cultures. I will always love you for this piece of art, Britain. Ich bin ein Deutscher mit US-Hintergrund, der den britischen Humor liebt!!! In 50 Jahren wird man nur noch über "Dinner For One" sprechen, aber nicht mehr über den WWII und einer eventuellen "Feindschaft" zwischen GER-ENG. in den 1930er Jahren. I am so happy BBC has finally caught up on my most favorite German reruns on German TV

[@dweuromaxx]

Lovely comment, thank you 🙂

[@tarjei99]

It is also a standard in Norway. Always shown on the evening before Christmas eve.

[@paddy_black]

The whole family watched it again this new years eve! When I was about 15 I went in extreme mode and searched the programs of all German and Austrian TV stations and wrote down when it aired on each one. I think that year I saw Dinner for One at least 7 times :'D

[@kunoknollenbuddler2167]

When I was a child, I was allowed watching this up to that point, shortly before the actors would enter up stairs. It was common, mum sent me exactly at that time getting a limonade from kitchen. 😁

[@femaleforester]

when I watched it as a kid I didn't even understand what he meant with "I'll do my very best" so we were good 🤣

[@denisenova7494]

Same. I never understood it except a few years ago.

[@thechaser5015]

The same procedure as every yör James

[@kkaassist]

The Chaser *Jahre

[@becciKeks]

We watched it every year when I was a child and I can't wait to show it to my own children one day :D My now husband knew it, but didn't watch it with his family, so I introduced it to him and now we still watch it every year :)

[@stuartwoodburn2653]

Your Chanel is brilliant! I married a East German, I though the granny house obsession with bread was just her nature. Now it’s not just her and her mum and dad love Dinner for one, she could not wait to show me the show. I had never heard of it, I am in my 50’s, great presenting and professional production thank you it’s made me laugh.

[@sai9058]

Finnish here, we do the same! I feel like watching it isn't THAT common but it's shown every year at the same time

[@nataliemunoz8600]

I'm from Chile 🇨🇱 and I NEVER heard about this before. Very interesting tradition 🇧🇪 Greetings!

[@RealAngelOfMusic]

This is so freakin iconic 😍😂 I watch this every year here in Austria 😍😍😍😂😂😂

[@elementoryking4452]

My dad and I watch it every year. Yes. A beautiful tradition!

[@DwynTwo]

I remember watching this on NYE's when I was like 8 with the neighbourhood kid (one of my best friends back then), his older brother and my older brother while anxiously waiting for it to be midnight. That was like the best NYE ever. Sadly, my family is over Dinner For One now... I still love it

[@a.castree4010]

Before I moved to Germany in the 80s I had never heard of this. But since living here I understand why it's so popular, the typical British humour combined with German sounding names make it a great hit over here.

[@adz693]

The Sky Arts channel in the UK have started showing it on New Years Eve for the past few years so maybe it'll eventually catch on in Britain as well.

[@dweuromaxx]

Oh really! Cool to know :)

[@robontube12]

Sugar in the morning!!!!! I declare this bazar open!

[@palomino73]

You' look'n younga'dn eva !

[@petereggers7603]

You're the nicest little woman... you'a the nicest little womaaan... ever breathed... [looking very close] ...eva breathed...

[@petereggers7603]

@robontube12 I'm quite sure, that the line "Sugar in the morning" refers to the song "Sugartime" (from 1958) which goes like this... Sugar in the mornin' Sugar in the evenin' Sugar at suppertime Be my little sugar And love me all the time ...

[@wandererswanderingdaughter1756]

I'm happy to see that I'm not the only German watching videos about someone explaining my weird culture to me 😅

[@kenttheboomer721]

Feli sent me here.... As an American I can say I have only heard about this in the last week. All I can say is, It's a Wonderful Life!!!

[@DerHerrMitR]

Dinner For One in as many variations as posible is a staple on New Year's Eve in my family.

[@josie3757]

Ah, was wäre Silvester ohne dinner for one

[@Midvagur]

It’s also a tradition in Faroe Islands :-) along with Dean Martin, Ken Lane & Foster Brooks - The Bar/Airline PIlot

[@sammayer4887]

In Norway, they play this on December 23rd, to kick off the 'same procedure' of Christmas TV as every year. My relatives there still remember the one time in 1992 where it aired 15 minutes too early. People got so angry, it had to be aired again later that night 😅

[@Erik_Emer]

In the States, some take the tradition to watch the first two movies of "Home Alone." But I was shocked to find out that Koreans also do this, not as a family tradition, but as a way of spending time alone, since South Korea doesn't celebrate Christmas as a public holiday, but rather a couple's days. There's even a phrase for this. "What are you doing this year?" "Oh, you know. Spending time with Kevin."

[@DoktorIcksTV]

In the meantime I haven't watched Dinner For One anymore since I almost choked with laughter. The sketch is perilous!

[@cupcakeknight4349]

I own an apron saying "same procedure as every year" and I love to Wer it while baking Christmas cookies ^^

[@ichbinben.]

This is such a classic! I love it, if I have children one day, I'll show it to them as well. It never gets old.

[@MforMovesets]

And because I watch it once a year, I keep forgetting the timing and dialogue. So it never gets old... well... it is old.

[@AndersGetherSoerensen]

It is also shown on Danish television every New Year's Eve. In Denmark it is called "90th birthday" and has also become an institution in the lives of Danes.

[@helloimweird8860]

We watch this on new years in Sweden too!!!

[@ggroch95]

In Poland one tv channel has been airing "Home Alone" on every Christmas Eve for 20something years. One year they tried to drop it and it caused nation-wide outrage and petition to bring it back. They brought it back and they air it every year :)

[@berg1066]

My sister just told me that they are sleeping together at the end and I was like totally brain fucked because I never noticed it before although I've been watching it for years, like hits blunt

[@kratzikatz1]

It is worth than that! The butler has to do the work of 5! 😈

[@wanjaiwanowa3747]

Perfekt drinking game! We really do love it!

[@mellisamonica3271]

OMG! I always watch this on NYE with my husband.. always made me laugh ♥️♥️

[@totallyanonymousbish9599]

Can't wait to watch it tomorrow♡

[@tadeoguerrero7892]

I had this my first time in Germany with my former boyfriend in Silvester. I loved it. Now I understand that I was being blessed by the German tradition. 😅

[@Niinsa62]

It's a Swedish tradition too, to watch this at New Year's Eve. And we watch old Disney movie snippets at Christmas Eve, like Donald Duck in "Clown of the Jungle".

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

Yep, I read a lot about that. That Disney thing just never really took off for us back home.

[@pix-noxius]

This was so nostalgic watching this

[@gloryikuku8621]

Dinner for one is my best meet the german "dinner for one " sketch because it make me remember Mr Winterbottom

[@Michael-wn4jj]

Poor James, his last duty in the Lady's bedroom will be at hardest 😁

[@garias1975]

I love Rachel. I like her episodes in Meet the Germans.

[@hhgttg69]

this is shown in australia on sbs each year too

[@lunaolivia7085]

It’s true!!! We watch it every new years eve, at least once 😂🙌🏻❤️

[@wosborne5535]

In Canada, there are always Christmas Carol movies before every Christmas. I like this Dinner For One German tradition better :)

[@drillkens]

Even my parents, wo didn't speak englisch, watched it back in the day...

[@tramachi7027]

Dinner for one is as much off an yearly tradition as "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel" for, around and after christmas :)

[@sif_2799]

Me and my family also watch it every Silvester. When I was younger and didnt understand a thing I found it so boring but now I like it 😅

[@Theternityyy]

When i was younger, i always laughed about how James stumbled over the Carpet or drank out of the Vase.

[@TheDistortion93]

How. How do other countries not do this. Especially the Brits.

[@Kurostyle21]

German in my twenties: Never watched but I am well aware this is tradition

[@RachelStewart04]

Sorry 🤷‍♀️

[@Lavender_Louis]

Same procedure in Austria😁

[@Phoenix-jf7kt]

In my household we watch the original, the one with Otto Walkes and Ralph Schmitz and a few other covers one after the other!

[@derPlastikarm]

Das ist overkill

[@Phoenix-jf7kt]

Clearly!

[@Ninchennase]

Dinner for Brot!

[@RachelStewart04]

Lena - oh wow 😂

[@Larry_Stylinson]

I’ve seen the sketch multiple times over the course of my 26 years of existence (in fact at least once a year and sometimes even in the middle of summer when I wanted a good laugh, thanks to having it on DVD) and even went with my mum to see it being performed for the first time in Plattdeutsch on New Year’s Eve at the original filming location in my home town Hamburg. It was still funny but nothing beats the original... And in my humble opinion the tiger skin rug is the third character in this sketch... without it it would only be half as funny...

[@JohanDanielsson8802]

Here in Sweden, we also have it on TV at new year´s eve, but with subtitles.

[@germanguy4383]

No new year without dinner for one!!!!!

[@dweuromaxx]

Absolutely not!

[@doc_al]

Oh my god, against the stiffness of all the Germans in the video the original Dinner for One was a crazy wild party!

[@ajithkumar02]

Lovely seeing her after long time.

[@Sadowsky46]

Super gemacht!

[@FaeSparrow]

Hey Ihr Kartoffeln! Hab fast vergessen dass fast Neujahr ist. Danke für die Erinnerung!

[@Apokalypse456]

Kommt immer so überraschend direkt nach Weihnachten :P

[@Lee.Higginbotham]

I was at a German friends house in the 80's where I was stationed and saw this on tv. We still say same procedure as last year!! I didn't realize it had such a cult following!! Here in the US you can't get away from It's A Wonderful Life near Christmas!! I make sure I watch Christmas Vacation!! Squirrel!! 🐿🐿🐿

[@tinaperez7393]

Natl. Lampoon's Xmas Vacation is my sister's favorite Xmas movie.

[@Semmelein]

Much love for Rachel - she's doing a great job! 😊

[@RachelStewart04]

Semmelein thank you 😃

[@_meri_el]

Jedes Jahr aufs neue 😁es gehört einfach dazu

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

Happy holidays Rachel, wherever you're spending them!

[@RachelStewart04]

Patrick Fitzgerald Thanks - same to you! 😀

[@kevinhoppe1625]

The sketch is so popular that we are making own versions of it (Dinner für Brot)

[@Ilogunde]

"Because, I´m Mrs. Sophie and I´m traging these nice Ruschenkleid..."