New Years Eve is also called as ‘Sylvester’ in Germany. With January 1st being the day of New Year, all the major festivities and celebrations go on a day before ion December 31st, which is also called as New Years Eve.
It is the time when a lot more than usual parties and a lot grand than ordinary parties are privately and socially organized. People take time out to cherish the good moments of the past and optimistically celebrate the coming time of New Year. It is also a moment to move ahead of the past troubles and failures, which life has conferred upon one.
Celebrations on New Years Eve in Germany
The morning and evening of the day of New Years Eve is mostly spent in relaxing. However, those engaged with the responsibilities for the evening celebrations, remain hectically busy in preparations. There are many who spent their time by making a visit to the Church, offering prayers to supreme God, and also engaging in church service which goes on till the midnight.
Evening is the original point of time, initialing celebrations for New Years Eve. People start getting in to social parties, and with the passage of the evening, it turns into a jam-packed throng. Most of these social parties are typical European style parties, flaunting delicious dishes and vibrant music. Many cities also host cultural programs and music shows in the evening.
Some people love to spend the time with their friends and family, and therefore, instead of getting over-social, they organize a party in their home only. A special feast with equally special drink and dine on platter is arranged for all those invited. Making and serving the traditional dish of raclette to everyone at home as well as visitors, is abidingly followed by all households. Also, it is ensured to have adequate arrangement in place for music, dance, and most of the times, burning firecrackers.
The capital city of Berlin hosts the biggest and most spectacular New Years Eve celebrations in Germany. Millions of visitors from around the nation and world visit Berlin City to be a part of the extravagant festivity. Alexander Platz and Brandenburg Gate are the biggest party stages in the city. One is really required to arrive in early evening hours on New Years Eve to get inside in any one of them, as both of them are jam-packed prior three hours of the midnight, allowing not even a single leg to step in.
Over the years, new traditions have grown up in popularity and significance to be considered as a part of the list of already existing traditions. Burning crackers, raising toasts of champagne at midnight, exchanging gifts on New Years Eve are considered as symbols of good luck. Also, all of them and the four leaf clover are considered to be the symbols of New Years Eve.
There is also a prediction making tradition, which is popularly called as ‘Bleigiessen’, as a part of which a small amount of lead is melted in a silver spoon, with candle down burning it. The molten lead is then poured in a contained filled with cold water, and the shapes as solidified in that water, are the grounds on the basis of which future predictions are made for a person.
A special evening telecast of special films, short life stories, and sketches on New Years Eve, has also grown up to be a highly anticipated custom in the lives of the people of Germany.