Why New Years in Germany is Unrecognizable to Americans!

When we celebrated New Year's in Germany for the first time, the holiday was almost unrecognizable to us as Americans! There were so many differences from what the holiday is called, what you eat, what you give to each other and so much more! Happy New Year and einen Guten Rustch into 2021! 😊
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1:06 - Intro
2:02 - Silvester?
2:50 - Happy New Year!! ...or not?...
4:10 - Black-Eyed Peas & Melted Cheese?
6:22 - New Year's Resolutions
6:48 - Sponsored by Lingoda
8:20 - Indoors or Out??
11:50 - What Do We Give?
13:10 - Ultimate German NYE Tradition
14:44 - Your Traditions
15:18 - Bloopers
Filmed: Kaiserslautern / Ramstein, Germany - December 2020
#AmericansInGermany #German #MovingToGermany
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Do you have a New Year’s Resolution?? Tell us what you are wanting to work on this upcoming year! 😃 Also, don’t forget to use our link and voucher code to get 10€ off of your first month with Lingoda Sprint!!🏃‍♂️ Link: bit.ly/PassportTwo_Lingoda Code: WIN102

[@RAF-KEBBACHE98]

Thanks guys for this video

[@andrear.berndt9504]

Stayin´ healthy is my only resolution for the New Year. On NYE we´ll stay indoors and calm the dog! Guten Rutsch and Happy new Year!

[@Alicia-wq7ud]

😱 Bonn is in NRW

[@PassportTwo]

Yup! And now we live in Rheinland-Pfalz 😊

[@Hanmacx]

@@PassportTwo Will you watch "Dinner for One"?

[@davezwieback4208]

We usually have Raclette and watch Dinner for one before starting World War 3 with fireworks 🤣 guten Rutsch euch beiden!

[@PassportTwo]

hahaha, that sounds like the perfect German New Year! 😂

[@JaneSmith-rx6kx]

Wir auch,same here.... And a boardgame or two,und ein-zwei Brettspiele

[@wandilismus8726]

@@PassportTwo bei uns gibts i.d.R . Kassler, Kartoffel- und Nudelsalat Frikadellen und Würstchen

[@petrabeschorner459]

Same here in the north!🎉🎉🎉Too bad, the scaring away of evil spirits didn't work a year ago!

[@jina6429]

Hahaha, we too (West Germany). I Love firework 😂😂 but on a Bridge its for pros 😂😂👌

[@simonab.242]

We also used to do " Blei giessen" as kids, where you melt small lead figurines, pour them into a bowl of water and then try to tell the future by the shape you get! it is now prohibited but apparently you can get alternatives made from different materials

[@PassportTwo]

Oh! I had heard of this but didn't realize it is now prohibited...is. it because of lead poising fears? 🤔

[@ThomasfromAustria]

@@PassportTwo Firework isn't allowed in many cities and nobody cares.

[@simonab.242]

Yes apparently it was not healthy to touch the pieces and inhale the fumes!!! I also just realized it is prohibited, since I haven't done it in years... but apparently there are alternatives made from Zinn and normal candle wax ( or you buy it in switzerland where the EU law is not in effect)

[@peterrabbitn787]

@@simonab.242 a lot of people switched to candle wax. We always did candle was and used up all the leftovers from Christmas

[@jorgbecker5028]

@@ThomasfromAustria not cool at all

[@nettcologne9186]

"Dinner for One" is an original German production by NDR (broadcaster) from Hamburg with British actors in English. That's why the British don't know the film .. funny or

[@PassportTwo]

Great information! Completely missed that bit of history. Thanks for adding! 😃

[@jensschroder8214]

Swiss television then recorded the show itself. The scene is a bit shorter. Punctually it was a play that was being staged in England. But it has not found widespread use.

[@UliPoppe]

@@PassportTwo yes, the recording had been in Germany - it was supposed to be recorded without audience, but Frinton insisted on a live audience, god bless him ;-) ... the NDR then asked employees of the Broadcast Station just before the recording, and without this screaming woman in the audience it never had become the blockbuster it is now ... imho ;-) de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One

[@pinpointmediadesign]

The funniest thing happened to me: I sat in a motel room in October of 1995 in Los Angeles, California, flipped through the countless TV channels and came across Dinner for One... Hahaha... Couldn’t believe it.

[@Seren_dipity]

There are also German version with German actors and different dialects.

[@freibier]

Took me a few New Years watching "Dinner for One" as a child to understand the innuendo at the end, when the butler carries Miss Sophie to her bedroom and he asks her, like so often during the sketch, "the same procedure as last year?", she replies "The same procedure as every year" and he turns to the camera and says with a grin "I'll do my very best" :-)

[@andreasbraess3759]

So was it me to me, but some of course I first understand in later years and what he mean with his last "I'll do my very best" I know only since three years but this what child better not understand before it get adult. ;D

[@paulozavala3232]

Im 43 and for some reason this year (1 day ago) was the first time i got it. Haha.

[@ylva68]

We always watch Dinner for One here in Sweden. We celebrate with family and friends and some fireworks and champagne.

[@PassportTwo]

It does seem like the movie is spreading around the continent a little 😃

[@janpracht6662]

@@PassportTwo Dinner for One has English actors, but the film was shot in Germany by NDR (in Studio Hamburg). It was not easy to get Freddie Frinton (the butler) to Germany. He had fought in world war 2 for England and still hated all Germans...

[@HenryLoenwind]

@@janpracht6662 And there's also a Swiss version that was recorded 2 years earlier. As far as I'm aware, that's the one shown in Sweden, too.

[@Al69BfR]

Before Raclette was wide spread in Germany we ha Fondue at Silvester where you deep fry your meat in a pot of boiling fat. Everyone has some long forks to put the meat on (or whatever you want to fry) and than put it into the pot. But there is also Cheese Fondue which is molten cheese instead if fat and you put baguette on your forks to dip into the cheese.

[@SilverShamrock4]

"dinner for one" is actually a german TV production (NDR) recorded in front of a live theatre audience in Hamburg. The sketch itself is of course by a british author, played by british actors.

[@andreasbraess3759]

In some years I try to look as many national German translations as possible and wish that I could have this Dinner on Sylvester be I get 90. :D

[@kreuzzuegler5740]

Ekel Alfred in "Ein Herz und eine Seele - Der Silvesterpunsch" vergessen :D Wünsche einen guten Rutsch!

[@PassportTwo]

Guten Rutsch! 😊

[@Baccatube79]

"Ditt is Punsch, du dusslige Kuh! Punsch! Punsch! Punsch!!!" Guten Rutsch allerseits!

[@aenwynsnow2828]

Kenn ich gar nicht. Ist das was Regionales?

[@Baccatube79]

@@aenwynsnow2828 nee...

[@jensm.402]

@@aenwynsnow2828 Was ziemlich altes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aojWXoiio6x6rtk

[@ronschellekens5111]

Normally in the Netherlands the firework is the same as in Germany! This year there's a ban on fireworks.

[@PassportTwo]

Ya...it really is a bummer that the fireworks are banned. Won't be the same!

[@Call_me_daddy6]

my idea was i drive to the netherlands and buy fireworks,then i saw the dutch ppl banned it too like in germany, damn sad 2020.fuck corona

[@andreasbraess3759]

@@PassportTwo But on the other hand I hear the have even this year as in years before confiscated illegal firework, from East Europa what have no German permission that can real hurt someone, and from Bonn your self how careless some people hand this, that is what hospital not need in this year, so the ban it. If I even fear that would help.

[@aenwynsnow2828]

Too many injured. It seems a good idea to ban private fireworks. I stayed inside in the last years anyways to avoid being hit. One major professional firework per city seems more sensible to me. They are more fun to watch anyways...

[@swanpride]

@@andreasbraess3759 Which is exactly why I was against the ban. There are actually barely any people who get hurt from German firework outside of the overcrowded places, most injuries on Silvester are the result of alcohol (accidents due to drunk driving and drunken people attacking each other). Due to the ban, there will most likely be more injuries from illegal firework.

[@zer0delete]

I live in Kentucky and my mom always makes vegetable soup so that we can eat cabbage on January 1st to “attract wealth”. I want to move to Germany.

[@Galland_]

well...did you attract it?

[@hanswerner8253]

Joke is in you, that tradition may very well be a german one, as we so it here as well . Welcome to the land of the "Krauts" XD

[@ormsucher]

Cheerio, Ms Sophie!

[@PassportTwo]

Guten Rutsch! 😊

[@martinschulz326]

Skol!

[@margretblaswich]

Cheerio, Mr. Winterbottom 🍾😉

[@timschtimsch4043]

da shame prosheesha ash ev'ry year! :-)

[@dagmarszemeitzke]

The same procedure as EVERY jear, James!

[@ericdaseichhornchen9444]

Another tradition for new year's eve here in germany is "Bleigießen" (Molybdomancy). Its a kind of oracle where you melt tin or lead and drop it into cold water. The shape and the shadow of the created pieces are used for fortune telling.

[@emilwandel]

In Vienna the people will dance a walzer with their date. They sell hearts to hang around the neck and than you can dance to your walzer heart. Every Couple sort of dances to their own little heart.

[@Seren_dipity]

In Vienna many, many couples dance a waltz in the streets at the Graben near Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral) and the Christmas decoration is like chandeliers to look like a real ball room.

[@rofl0rblades]

Rummelpott!!! As far as I know, it is a Schleswig-Holstein exclusive tradition where you basically go trick or treating, mostly for kids and teenagers, the former often being chaperoned by adults. When you go up to a house and stand at the door you loudly chant a song, which differs from place to place, but most people use "Fru, maak de Dör op!" (Women, open the door!) with varying lyrics, demanding treats (or else!). For adults and many teenagers most home owners, instead of sweets, will also pour some liquor shots in the glasses that the guests carry with them and often join them drinking. Fun, but can get out of control quickly, having a shot every 5 min. or so while also handling fireworks. It is a challenge to be conscious at Midnight :D

[@ann-katrinb.5759]

My new years tradition is to watch the "Neujahrsspringen". Its the first ski jumping competition of the year in Partenkirchen.

[@furzkram]

Watching "Dinner For One" on German TV on New year's Eve is a MUST!!!!

[@BerndFunken]

Yes and on all channels it happens on a different time, so if you are a fast switcher you can watch it even six or seven times in a row xD

[@furzkram]

@@BerndFunken this year I found it only on WDR, or was it NDR?

[@mattprentice1372]

I'm Scottish and new year's eve is called Hogmanay , we have an evening meal around 10pm generally lentil Soup & steak pie , we then wait until the 'Bells' (midnight) to toast new year but we must not leave our homes until we are 'first footed' this means someone has to visit us with Whisky for drink , Shortbread for food and a lump of Coal for heat , Tradition has it that it needs to be someone tall and dark haired , So there you have it a very Scottish Hogmanay !!

[@luckyqualmi]

Never heard of that. Very interesting (and a bit strange too)! :)

[@mattprentice1372]

Remember we Scots invented new year 😉 Auld Lang Syne is a Scots Folk Song.

[@HuSanNiang]

When I spent my time in Scotland I never got these things but the parties were great.

[@PegasusNbW]

In Austria, the new year is rung in ad midnight by the Pummerin (Austrias largest bell and one of the largest free swinging bells in Europe) broadcasted by national television and radio, followed by the Donauwalzer - so, how stereotypical, Austrians waltz into the new year.

[@NoNoTheGreenOne]

In Austria we are watching/listening to the Bummerin (the bell from St. Stephan's Cathedral) on TV ringing in the new year at midnight followed by waltzing into the new year to the Blue Danube Waltz.

[@maze4788]

In northern Germany there is a tradition called "Tunscheren bringen". You prepare some fancy decoratet basket with candy and other nice treats for your neighbours. In the early evening of Silvester children are send out to secretly deliver these gifts at the neighbours doors. It's a mix between hide and seek and playing Santa. If a kid is caught, they will be "forced" to have Cookies and sweets before they are released. There is even a special waffle served called "Neujahrskuchen".

[@maze4788]

This seems to have an ancient history, even germanic origin. www.westfaelische-hanse.de/erleben/tradition-und-atmosphaere/die-tunschere-eine-schoene-tradition/

[@cmulliner8985]

Guten Rutsch an euch! Bin froh euch dieses Jahr gefunden zu haben, ein sehr netter Blick auf die eigenen Traditionen und ein guter Einblick in die amerikanischen. Alles Gute an euch!

[@bartolo498]

"We're going back now. We accidentally entered a f***ing war zone..."

[@stephanteuscher6583]

We usually hug our friends and kiss our wifes. One time I got confused... It got ugly. =;-)

[@juliegirl1989]

Things have gotten out of hand with the fireworks in the last few years. I love shooting fireworks, but only where it's safe! I once celebrated Silvester in the center of Cologne and I literally feared for my life, people were so reckless. But it's no harm shooting off a few fireworks where everyone can keep a safe distance. I'm gonna miss this tradition terribly this year... 😟

[@AK-kq8xq]

Hi. In Germany it is not allowed to call a bubble wine champagne (since the end of WWI, if I remember corretly), so we call it sekt. When you find a bottle of champagne in a store it is usually from france. There are also some New Years day traditions, like the new years concert of the Berliner or Wiener Philharmoniker on TV, Katerfrühstück (some people might need to have this after a NYE party, can you guess what it is?), if you enjoy sport, you probably attend a new years run or bike event, as a family or with friends you have a new years brunch and then there is the Neujahrsspaziergang and -Kaffee. If Neujahr is a Sunday then is not uncommon to start the day with watching Die Sendung mit der Maus on tv. It is a children tv show like Sesamestreet and most germans grew up watching it (and still watch it as adults). I can recommend it, if you want to improve your german speaking skills. There is also a big sport event on tv called Die Vierschanzentournee, where you have the Neujahrsspringen on the 1 of January.

[@irian42]

Fondue with meat is the traditional new year's eve meal in my family (Hamburg) - nowadays it's more of a hot pot though as we use some vegetable stock instead of oil.

[@swanpride]

We are big on raclette, but this year we try proper swiss fondue, with a lot of cheese and a lot of alcohol.

[@derteeminator9333]

Oha another one from the fondue fraction. Cheese fondue here as "traditional" Sylvester dish.

[@swanpride]

@@derteeminator9333 Frankly after trying it this year I am more partial to raclette. I mean, I guess cheese fondue is a little bit more fun when all involved dip in the same pot (something we avoided this time around), but I prefer the variety of raclette.

[@tonil6757]

"2020: Like looking both ways before crossing the street and then getting hit by a submarine. Because it's the craziest year ever." - Clarke Smith, 9 yrs. old

[@aeternusvotum]

I have lived in Germany for my whole life, but since my parents aren't German, there are many German traditions I don't know about. So, in short, after almost 30 years, this New Year was the first time I've heard and learned about Raclette after three separate friends told me that they had it for New Year 😂 As for the kissing, it seems to be common with younger people or families. I remember when I first had my partner, we were just together for a few weeks and I was still shy. So many friends were shocked afterwards and all asked me "You didn't have your 'Neujahrskuss'??" 😅

[@wolkenschirm]

In my family and village it is considered „bad luck“ if you have laundry hanging around to dry between christmas eve and new years day 👚👕👗👔🩳

[@irian42]

Did you mention "Berliner"? Eating donuts is definitely a German New Year's tradition!

[@Aine197]

Wasp In the Southwest, we eat Berliner/donuts for carnival. The traditional thing for New Year is the New Year‘s Brezel, which is made from a sweet yeast dough. A tradition for New Year‘s Eve is Bleigießen, where you melt little pieces of lead (or a substitute because lead is poisonous) on a spoon over a candle, then cast the liquid mass into a pot of water so that it cools down quickly and forms strange shaped. Depending on what the cast shape looks like, you get simple predictions for the next year out of a little book.

[@Cera3]

yep, we also eat Berliner/Pfannkuchen/Krapfen at NYE after we return from the war zone outside :D

[@MinecraftPony155]

Yeah it's even in Animal Crossing

[@aenwynsnow2828]

That is a regional thing, I think.

[@MusicStopsTimeMST]

I live in Hamburg and absolutely hate that Berliner Cult on NYE. I am German and a Berliner is just a regular sweet bakery item from where I grew up in NRW. The only NYE related food I know i raclette. I love it and don't need anything besides.

[@APerfectPinnapple]

Yeeees. Dinner for One. It was so confused that no one in the states had heard of it. We still do this and when we host the occasional new year's party we subject everyone to it. CLASSIC lols

[@theTrixtaa]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Rauchen gehen "Rachn geh" / Rauhnächste: I don't know if anyone has mentioned it before, but we have a tradition that is taken very seriously in some rural areas in Austria - especially on farms (I'm not sure about Germany). Depending on the variant, it is performed at least at Christmas, New Year's Eve and on January 5th. Put simply, we go with a pan, that has herbs and incense and glowing coals in it, in every room to smoke them out. After that everything is blessed with holy water.

[@0al797]

Austria (especially Vienna) has its very own New Year's tradition: On Jan 1st 0:00 the Pumerin (which is Austria's most famous bell in St. Stephens cathedral) is "ringing in the New Year". Usually (not this year) lots of people gather at St. Stephens square to hear the Pumerin. Austria's TV station (ORF) is boadcasting the Pumerin every New Year, followed by a performance of the Vienna Philharmonic playing the Donauwalzer ("An der schönen, blauen Donau" - "The Blue Danube"). So everybody is dancing a waltz wherever he and she is... And a further New Year's tradition is to visit the New Year's Concert (Neujahrskonzert) by the Vienna Philharmonic - either in person (not possible this year) or via TV (broadcast in 90 countries worldwide, I think). And of course I kiss my sweatheart! :)

[@lkrnpk]

I just realized there's a bit of "An der schönen, blauen Donau" right at the start of Kommissar Rex intro :D

[@Matahalii]

funny little tradition at a party is serving german donuts and eating them together. These donuts are normally filled with jam or marmelade, but this night there is one piece filled with mustard and all are watching each other who got it.

[@d34d10ck]

I don't know if I'm alone in this, but I didn't get the punchline at the end of "Dinner for one" for the longest time, when the butler takes the lady up to her bedroom and she says: "Same procedure as last year?" on which he replies "I’ll do my very best."

[@cmulliner8985]

Same here

[@chrisbysize]

You have to know that a butler has a certain distance as servant. He is not supposed to get intimate. So the scene implies 4x fun in bed.

[@andreasbraess3759]

@@chrisbysize I thought only once as replace of her best friend. By way he seamed not any more drunken as before.

[@ottosaxo]

"Guten Rutsch" is very informal. A friendly and neutral greeting before New Year is "Kommen Sie gut ins neue Jahr!"

[@MichelCantigneaux]

Silvester : more specifically, 31st December is Saint Sylvester's day in the Catholic Calender of Saints

[@andreasth3r3b3ll3]

Seccond film every year running on Christmas is Die Hard, no one really can explain this, but a lot of people watch it.

[@mahari7285]

In Northern Germany we have the tradition of "Neujahrsrundgang"...where people go out on New Year's Morning and visit each of their neighbors and friends at home for wishing a Happy New Year and (most important) have a drink or a shot...😄

[@penicek]

Hi, im from Austria - and i must say several years ago, it was the same as in Germany - rockets every where in the city. But nowadays this is forbidden and only one official firework starts at midnight. So at home we see "Dinner for one" on tv. At Midnight tV shows the ringing of the Pummerin (largest bell of St. Stephens Cathedral) and then the Danube Waltz is played and everbody dance. And yes we say "Prosit" :) Usually we eat raclette or goulash or goulasch soup.

[@MrMastermind85]

It's also relatively often to watch "Feuerzangenbowle" with Heinz Rühmann. Some watch it around Christmas some at new years eve... It's a superb Movie to watch and get some good prank ideas...

[@MrMastermind85]

I allways become the urge to play with other people clocks or watches, or want to try to feed chicken with in strong alcohol diped breads to watch them in ther human behaviour...

[@MrMastermind85]

And the history teacher in that movie is the kind of teacher who is a super cool one... like my physics and math teacher in my a level classes.

[@Dutchbelg3]

I am originally from the Netherlands. Oudjaarsavond (New years eve) is usually already preceeded by a lot of fireworks even before midnight. The traditional snack is "oliebollen" a kind of many forms -kind of donut with or without raisins. And "appelflappen" (kind of apple beignets) with powdered sugar. But there is usually a nice array of other snacks too. At midnight you kiss who ever is elebrating the New Year with you and wish them a happy New Year. Usually bottles of Champagne are opened and there are toasts. And then a crazy amount of fireworks (bangs and flares) is lighted by almost every one. Loud bangs can be heard till 2 - 3 AM.

[@1Naenie1]

you can say "Frohes neues Jahr" everywehre in Germany. It's like a fallback ^^

[@Trashloot]

I feel like you can say any of the variants without anyone misunderstanding you. The map was funny but nothing anyone should worry about. Most likely you will get so many new years wishes that you'll know what people around you are using ^^.

[@juwen7908]

Here near Berlin you would say Prost or Prosit Neujahr only when you toast with someone around 00:00h, after that you would only wish Gesundes Neues (Jahr) for the next couple of days. And yes, between christmas and NYE we wish a good slide to the new year 'Guten Rutsch' 😃 Greetings from Berlin 😎

[@andrewozenilek5596]

Raclette is a relatively new tradition on New Years Eve. Like you said it's a Swiss meal and took Germany by storm in the 1980s. Prior to that it was mostly Fondue, not the cheese one, but the meat Fundue where you ftick a piece ofmeat on a large fork and into a pot of hot oil. Then, when your bite-sized piece of meat is done, you dip it in a variety of sauces. I liked that too and it is still done on Silvester in many households. I think the kissing thing is common amongst couples here as well. You forgot one tradition that is "Bleigießen" Where you heat up a piece of lead and dump it into water, then interpret the shape it took to determine your luck for the year.

[@kuerbis-chen3613]

One good luck gift that you have missed is chimney sweeps in all shapes and materials. Touching a real chimney sweep is considered good luck all year round, just like the other good luck charms you have mentioned - but they seem to appear in every store right around Christmas to make traditional New Year's gifts. Seeing your clip of Silvester in Bonn reminded me of why I like to stay inside at that time and would not mind if fireworks were forbidden at all (or at least limited to one professional show hosted by each town). Not only would paramedics, firefighters, police officers, doctors and hospital staff have a nicer, more quiet night, but I also think of all those pets and wild animals who are terrified by the noise and fire...

[@Mondhase2000]

Potato salad and sausages is usually the food for Silvester in my family. But because my husband and I got officially became a couple, it's an even more special day for us. So we celebrate the day with a Lachs-Krabben-Auflauf. Salmon and North Sea crabs with canned fruits, whip cream and cheese and a lot of basil. Sounds crazy but is what we call Fressppulver. 😂😋😋All sorts of fluffy bread or rice to it. So yummy. And I grew up with the tradition of hugging and kissing all your family and friends right after the countdown is off and the new year has started. Since I don't live close to my family (they live at the coast in the north and I am in Lower Saxony), I always call them shortly after the new year started.

[@andreasth3r3b3ll3]

Raclette, Fondue and hot stone are nice, because there are no big preparations, and everyone cooks/grills his own dinner. So all have a lot of time to drink the nice Bowle.

[@SABRINA.ARMY.BTS.]

I live in north Rhine Westphalia around 30 min from Münster and here we have the tradition to eat Berliner ( filled donuts) for New Years Eve ! I work in a bakery and we sold yesterday from 8 am - 12 pm Almost 1000 of them !

[@fireant451]

Raclette is a tradition all cheese lovers should get behind.

[@martinavanb4908]

I used to live in the U.K. and had never heard of Dinner for One until I moved to Germany. At midnight we popped a champagne and watched the fireworks from the attic room, which was fabulous. We were warm, safe and despite the fireworks ban there was still plenty to look at.

[@dw8931]

In Austria the ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Company) radio station will count down the seconds to midnight, followed by the sounds of the Pummerin (the biggest bell of St. Stephen's Cathedral, it was mentioned already below) and then the Donauwalzer, Johan Strauss's most famous waltz (and one of the longest as well). Many will use it to dance into the New Year. At least in Vienna, after midnight people eat fish-shaped biscuits from tail to head, as this should keep you lucky throughout the next year. (I Never understood why the direction should make any difference, though...) As pigs, chimney sweepers, four-leaf clover, and gold coins are considered signs of good luck, a lot of sweets of these shapes (often combined with each other, like a pig with a gold coin in its mouth or a chimney sweeper with a four-leaf clover at his hat) are given as presents to the other participants of the party. Very common are also little plastic coins, again shaped as pigs, chimney sweepers, etc., which are to be kept in the wallet for the rest of the year in order to prevent running out of money.

[@andreaszeman8868]

You start at the tail, so the fish can pull you into the new year while swimming forward. At least that is how I learned it.

[@gepee3654]

Wow, the street you were on to watch the fireworks really was crazy. I like the fireworks ... somewhat ... but always watch from my balcony or some other safe place, preferably somewhere high up. I never bought fireworks myself, as I know they are pricey and bad for the environment. But still, I'm so used to having them every year of my life, and when you leave the house on new years day, the air still has to have the lingering smell of the fireworks. Well, time to have a totally new experience this year, wonder how it will feel.

[@Speireata4]

My tradition is: hiding inside until the danger is over. I hate the fireworks so much. Each year my hate and fear get bigger.

[@sakkra83]

My family watches also "Der Silvesterpunsch" episode from the show "Ein Herz und eine Seele". Don't know if that is a North-German thing or just family tradition.

[@Laurin-nm8yx]

My family plays big board games after the dinner (Fondue or Raclette) like Monopoly or something else. We live in Bavaria, Germany.

[@PassportTwo]

That is a fun family tradition! 😃

[@ThomasfromAustria]

Hi everyone, here in Austria we give pigs and chimney sweep lucky charm. The new year starts with danube waltz or the sound of the bell Pummerin (Stephansdom Vienna). Btw. the fireworks in Bonn is a walk in the park compared to the Vienna fireworks. Wish you and your lovely community A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

[@PassportTwo]

Thanks for sharing your Austrian traditions! 😃 Figured Bonn might be a bit smaller of a spectacle than the much larger cities, but still was crazy for us! 😅😂

[@ThomasfromAustria]

@@PassportTwo kzbin.info/www/bejne/rl60kqxom56iaZI Link of Pummerin

[@f2karin]

You forgot to mention Mundl here the best of the Silvester special: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHOWi2h3gdGheas

[@ThomasfromAustria]

@@f2karin Ein echter Wiener geht nicht unter . Edmund Sackbauer at its best. Hahahahaha. Unfortunately not available in english.

[@f2karin]

@@ThomasfromAustria die haben lingoda die lernen sowieso deutsch

[@haraldpeter5828]

I love your accurate research about all your topics, with some youtubers there is often alot to complain or not correct, but you always really do a perfect job in researching all the information and different angles on the topics addressed. As someone who has lived myself many years in the US, UK and of course Germany, I can relate a lot to most, if not all of your videos. Thank you very much. It's always great fun and very informative to watch your videos !!!!

[@darkredvan]

Bockwurst mit Kartoffelsalat, Dinner For One und Ein Herz und eine Seele. And yes, to wish Ein frohes Neues Jahr before midnight is definitely a no go (unless in writing on a Christmas Card to people you definitely will not see or call on New Year’s Day (or the next week, when you can wish a belated new year’s wish). Beer (or any other alkohol is ok, but at midnight you toast with at least one glass of Sekt (or Champagne). We also have a load of chips, salty sticks, and crackers. Usually we call our nearest family to wish a happy new year just after midnight.

[@kiliipower355]

I lived in the countryside as a child and teenager. There, the fireworks were combined with the "Starenschreck" (starling fright). The cartridges that were loaded at that time are probably illegal today. The window panes shook when they were fired.

[@Seren_dipity]

The Austrian Airways had a special flight exactly at midnight during the fireworks over Vienna. They fly eight-shaped rounds and tilt the plane a bit so that everyone has a chance to see. I don't know if they will do that again. As there are so few flights coming in and going out, it is possible to fly very slowly and low to see better if the weather is fine. This was quite an experience I wouldn't miss. You see up there how many fireworks people shoot into the sky. It is really amazing. I didn't know that.

[@spielpfan7067]

In Austria everyone watches Dinner for One too. After Dinner for One there will also be "Neujahrsball" and on the 1st of January at about midday they will show the famous Austrian Neujahrskonzert.

[@karinland8533]

So, in my family and friends group we do not kiss into the new year. We hold the glas with Sekt klink it, wish a frohes neues Jahr and hug or kiss each other. And repead with every person in the room

[@MechmanGetrieb]

I´m German but I didn´t know the reason why Silvester is called Silvester actually. Thanks for sharing that!

[@dagmarszemeitzke]

The first meal in the new year in my Family is "Königin-Luise-Suppe" (Queen Luise Soup) 1 onion chopped and glaze over in a pan, 1 tablespoon honey over the onions, steam it for a while, 1 can oxtail soup (or goulash soup) over it, than 1 can green beans with the liquid inside the pot, boil up, than season it with a teespoon of curry and a teespoon of sweet paprika than boil up again Anteil the soup ist ready. The soup is good after many Sekt, Bowle etc...

[@PassportTwo]

Wow, sounds really good and we had never heard of it! Thanks for sharing 😃

[@holleholl3057]

Actually, "Guten Rutsch" is partly derived from the hebrew "Rosch ha schana" which simply means "Happy New Year". As for you wonder why "Dinner for one" is broadcasted in its original english version, well, the two actors really did not like Germany that much (although they liked the money, they got for their appearance) and simply refused to play in german even if the text they would have had to learn is not that long or complicated if they had done so. The play was recorded on a stage in germany before german public, though, andif they show the "uncut version", they even show the original german announcer who explains the "setup" for this play (Ms. Sophie celebrating her 90s birthday alone with her butler James playing all the guests who have all passed away quite a long time ago...)

Nope, "Guten Rutsch" has nothing to do with Hebrew. It's an undying myth (that somehow who hasn't, unlike Donnie and Aubrey, done their research would of course claim in the comments).

[@nonnadiona2659]

@ ist rutsch nicht einfach ne Form von rutschen?

[@peterkoller3761]

In Austria: eat pigs trunk - and NO chicken! (reason: a pig digs forward with its trunk, a chicken digs backward with its legs) and at midnight: dance or at least listen to the Blue Danube Waltz jan 1st: watch the new years concert during breakfast (=brunch), and then the Neujahrsspringen (ski jumping)

[@oliverschneidewind5503]

Here in Berlin it is common to serve Berliner (some kind of filled donuts). Usually one is felt with mustard. It is a kind of oracle, whoever gets caught is particularly lucky in the New Year.

[@leDespicable]

In our family, it is a tradition to have the Danube waltz play shortly before midnight. I think that's more of an Austrian tradition, but my mother grew up practically next to the border to Austria, so maybe that's why.

[@Seren_dipity]

In Austria there is the countdown on TV and then the Pummerin rings in the new year (läutet das Neue Jahr ein), which is a special bell of Stephansdom (= St. Stephen's Cathedral). The Pummerin seldom rings, only at special occasions like New Year's Eve. After that a Waltz is played and the State opera Ballet dances at an Austrian castle or fancy place. Many people also stay at home and watch this on TV, have a waltz and drink a glass of sparkling wine or watch the fireworks from their windows.

[@hannofranz7973]

As you may not see the other person in between Christmas and New Year, it is somehow common to wish: "frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr" in one, especially on Christmas cards. There isn't much superstition in that unless you are likely to spend New Years Eve together. What you were pointing out, refers mainly to birthdays.

[@smileyobrien]

Ich habe noch nie von den Glücksschweinen gehört. Bei uns gibts ein Fondue. Früher mit Öl, nun mit Brühe... und zu Neujahr den geilsten Eintopf des Jahres mit den Resten.

[@Leenapanther]

2013 habe ich angefangen in einer Bäckerei zu arbeiten. Nach Weihnachten verkauften wir sehr viele Glücksschweinchen. Dieser Brauch war mir auch neu.

[@aenwynsnow2828]

I had been on the island Rügen many years for new year's and they had a professional firework at the pier in Binz which was beautiful. We did have Raclette, too. 😉 If I was at home I usually went to a party with buffet in my favourite club and stayed on the dance floor at midnight. After midnight, you hug everybody you know and wish them a happy new year. I wasn't aware of local differences of the way you say it. No party this year...

[@conbertbenneck49]

As a born New Yorker, when I was about 18 years old I went to Times Square on New Years Eve to watch to ball fall. In those days the crowd was small. I found it stupid. As I got older, and married my German-born wife, both of us had the same feelings so, after a good dinner - possibly a cheese fondue - and a bottle of wine, we'd head for bed around 10:30. I would say we have probably celebrated that way for the last 40 years. A Gluecks Schwein (a good luck bringing pig) is an absolutely necessity to get the New Year off to a good and successful start. (My guess is that that expression comes from German farmers. If you had a pig you were lucky -and if your harvest was bad, you still had something to eat)

[@Seren_dipity]

We have a special kind of biscuit here in Austria, which you find only around New Year's Eve in the shops: Manner Glücksfische (= Good luck fish). And you are instructed to eat them from the tail, else luck could swim away from you.

[@gerdpfitzenmayer7021]

'Dinner for one' is a german produktion filmed in England with english actors, and the leopard is actually a tiger.

[@robertzander9723]

Usually as a supervisor in a Restaurant, i work at this time. So we are responsible that everyone has a wonderful time and can enjoy the holidays as much as possible 🍾🍾🥂🍀 I like that because everyone is in a good mood and likes to celebrate. Vienna is a wonderful city to celebrate the Christmas time and new year 🥂🎉🎊 of course. If I have time to celebrate, traditionell is to dress up, decorate the apartment, having a good time with the family and/or friends, eating some well prepared food like Raclette or Fondue, then watching the episode "Silvesterpunsch" from the TV show "Ein Herz und eine Seele" and of course "Dinner for one". We do a tradition from Spain, we eat twelve grapes at twelve o'clock on every strike of the bell. 🕛🔔🍇 The chimney sweeper is also a sign of luck. 🍀🐷🎩🌠🐞🌈 In diesem Sinne, guten Rutsch euch beiden, genießt den Abend.

[@heha6984]

Euch beiden vielen Dankf für Eure Videos 2020! Ich wünsche Euch vor allem Gesundheit und ein "Prost Neujahr"!

[@calise8783]

We love watching Dinner for One and eating Raclette. My very first German New Years Eve was spent in the center of Stuttgart on New Years 1999 into 2000. It was like being in the very center of a fireworks display. It was crazy! I have always kissed my sweetheart/husband at NYE as well as toasted with every other guest. Oh and we do Bleigießen or now Wachsgiessen to predict our fortune for the future year. My parents came to the US from Italy, so growing up we always had to eat 12 grapes ( or anything round) to represent coins/wealth for the coming year.

[@zappelfillip]

Kissing at midnight is a tradition in Germany as well. And no, it's not taken over from the US. It's there forever (at least for 40+ years).

[@ankabu4509]

In unserem kleinen Dorf am Rand des Odenwaldes , war es Tradition , dass Kinder am Neujahrsmorgen von Haus zu Haus ziehen, klingeln und Knallerbsen werfen. Dann wünschen Sie den Bewohnern ein frohes Neues und bekommen ein paar Münzen oder etwas Süßes.

[@derschattenpoet]

xD you caught me right offguard. I WAS preaparing my keyboard to comment that you forgot "Dinner for One" ^^ But you missed a few other thinks. 1. "Bleigießen" (Pouring lead) It is a way of fortunetelling where you heat up and drop molten lead into water to then try to read from the formed shape. Unfortunatly it got forbiddes due to toxicity. 2. "Wunschrakete" (The Wish-Rocket). You write down your wishes for the new year on a piece of paper and tie it to a rocket. Than after midnight you ignite the rocket and shoot your wishes right to the heavens or stars. 3. "Glückskekse" (Fortune-Cookies) Many people do open one at Silvester and try to interpret it for the new year to come. 4. Silvester-Decorations (duh) . Lots and lots of Airstreamers and Confetti and funny accesories on people like glittering hats, bowties, googles and so on. 5. Glückspfennig (GoodLuckPenny) thats an addition to the pig, a single "Pfennig" (former german currency) sticks halfway out of the pigs back to resemble a piggy-bank (Sparschwein). To find a single Pfennig somewhere has allways been a sign of incoming financial wealth.

[@lucieherrick6934]

Ham, black eyed peas, collard greens and cornbread. South Carolina, USA

[@anoukanouk5595]

New Years resolution this year: get through this situation. As for traditions: there is Bleigiessen, when you pour liquid lead into water and the shape it takes, tells you something about your future. The year before I was born, my parents did this, as they did every year and saw the shape of a baby in the lead. Traditional food in my family is either potato salad and Wiener or Sauerkraut and Kassler, a smoked pork chop.

[@PassportTwo]

I think we can all agree with that New Year's Resolution! 😅

[@bookishgirl316]

I want one of these ice cream sundays. Looks great.

[@jensschroder8214]

What we did on New Year's Eve until 2019/2020: We had our last church service, this ends with a meal together. Then we went to friends and continued celebrating there in the house. Shortly before midnight we go out to see the fireworks or to start one ourselves. After that, we hug and wish each other good things. Then we drove home at 2 a.m. and slept long at New Year's. Sadly, everything will be canceled in 2020/21. We'll eat cheese fondue in our family and spend the evening on TV. Then we will see the recording of the fireworks and dinner for one. We will drink champagne or something sparkling non-alcoholic again.

[@Rsama60]

My typical new years resolution is: No resolution. Our new years eve dish? We usually alternate between Raclette and Fondue. Both are not original German but meals you can easily enjoy in a party setting and have fun (and usually overeat) Of course we go outside at midnight have a toast, kiss everybody around you and go crazy with the fireworks. We did not have that in New Jersey, illegial in that state. Btw, I heard that the Chinese symbol for luck is a roof with a pig under it. You have shelter and something to eat. Not sure if its true but sounds good. Dinner for one is British but a German thing, it has been aired the first time in the UK about 2 years ago.

[@salam-peace5519]

We eat Raclette for both Christmas and New Years Eve, you can also make it vegetarian (or vegan if you find a good vegan alternative for the cheese), we usually use potatoes, mushrooms, bellpepper and corn. Everyone can buy fireworks for New Years Eve in Germany and at midnight everyone starts it at the same time (it can be very stressfull for pets), but this year fireworks are not sold for the first time because of Covid-19. We usually stay indoors and only go outdoors for a short time to see the fireworks at midnight. It is also common to say "Guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr" as a new years wish before the new year starts, it literally means "Have a good slide into the new year". I'm German, if you ask me why Dinner for One is so famous in Germany, I don't know it either.

[@Jacob_._Roberts]

About 5 years ago I made a New Years resolution NOT to make any more resolutions. I've kept that resolution. 😀

[@Trashloot]

You missed bleigießen (melting lead over a candle and then pouring it into water. Then you guess what figures you can see in the solid led blob and look them up in a little fortune book. We also do like to count the new year in-> drink sect -> crash the phone lines by wishing everyone a happy new year -> start blasting all the evil ghosts with fire works.

[@ralfchristophersen6521]

The 90th year birthday, as we call it i Dänemark, is instructed by a German instruktor in 1963, with Brittish actors and filmed in Germany.. It is also a tradition in DK.

[@melindar.fischer5106]

In Kansas City, Missouri, when I was very young, perhaps up until I was 7 or 8 years old, my family would stay up until midnight and then go outside on our front steps and bang pots and pans with metal spoons to "ring in" the new year. We blew party horns 🎉 on our front steps too some years. I have no idea if this was a common NYE tradition, regionally or nationally, or if it was just a family tradition.

[@jorgbecker5028]

I just cannot believe that you did not mention 'Dinner for one' 😳

[@Der_Kleine_Mann]

They do, at the end. But they totally forgot to mention Blei gießen😔

[@jastu9841]

Dinner for One isn't even a British production. It was produced and shot in Germany just using British actors. That's why the explanation and intro to the characters is in German. They even had real audience in the studio for the laughter, it's not from tape.

[@joergf6]

In Niederdeutsch/Platt sagt man auch "Oolt johrs obend" zu Silvester. Am 1. Januar gibt es in Ostfriesland "Rullekes" eine spezielle Art aufgerollte Waffeln ähnlich der Eiswaffeln. Es gibt auch zunehmend mehr Leute, die nicht am Feuerwerk teilnehmen. Stichwort "Brot statt Böller".

[@butenbremer1965]

"Raclette" is indeed the most communicative way to spend New Year's Eve together among a group of friends or family members in GER. Anybody would likely accept an invitation for an "Raclette" Silvesterabend. Yes, it's a Swiss tradition. It is so much fun because the preparing and eating process takes a couple of hours.... I never spent any Euro/Deutschmark on fireworks in my entire life btw - I hate "Böller" since some were thrown at me when iI was little.

[@gerdpfitzenmayer7021]

Fireworks on New year is for celebrating the new year's beginning and as tradition to keep all bad ghosts away from our homes.

[@andibuletten6206]

The Germans do also like to do the "Bleigießen" on Silvester. We put some lead(ed) Glücksschweinchen, Kleeblätter or Pilze in a special spoon, let these figures melt by using a candle an pour the molten lead into a bowl filled with water. The figure that arises tells your future. Most of that figures look either strange or like a Sperm😂 Stay save and healthy. All the best for you both in 2021.

[@kimdammers3838]

And, yes, in Goettingen we had to watch "Dinner for One."

[@Der_Ed]

Also a great use for raclette is to use pizza dough, put some in your pan and build a small pizza!