Five German New Year Traditions

It’s almost time for New Year’s Eve. How do they celebrate the changing calendar in Germany? There are big bangs, good food, and a few other strange little quirks to look forward to. New Year’s Eve in Germany is called Silvester, relating to the Pope Sylvester I who died on New Year’s Eve in 335 CE.
Fireworks and a German New Year
For a culture so into rules and order, the completely bonkers fireworks free-for-all that is New Year’s Eve in Germany can be very confusing for newcomers. There aren’t official organised fireworks, it’s all about buying fireworks at the grocery store yourself, and standing on the street or local park and letting them off yourself. Children gather with their parents, and are even encouraged to light a few fireworks themselves. I know, it’s a bit crazy. The last few years has seen more backlash against this tradition, as the levels of smoke and ash in the skies during this period is intense, as are the piles of fireworks packaging left in the streets the next day. Some cities like Berlin and Munich, are even designating a few central streets to be fireworks-free.
Fondue and Raclette in Germany
Because New Year’s Eve can go on for awhile, Germans have sensibly made their traditional party foods to work for an extended evening celebration. Fondue and Raclette are classic choices, and are easy to pick at over several hours. Cheese fondue usually includes several types of Swiss cheeses melted with a bit of white wine and garlic, gently bubbling in a special pot in the centre of the table with either an electric heating element or a small burner underneath it. Fondue forks with extended handles allow all your guests to take cubes of bread, small boiled potatoes, and cubes of steak and dip them in the cheese. It’s as glorious as it sounds. There are fondue variations that involve hot broth or oil in the centre of the table, and guests cook their own small pieces of meat or vegetables. Raclette is similar in that involves melted cheese, but instead of forks and a dip, the Raclette grill in the middle of the table has little trays for perfectly sized slices on cheese to get bubbly and hot. Often the grills will have a flat, hot surface on top for cooking pieces of meat or vegetables. You eat these little hot pieces of loveliness with potatoes, with Cornichons and sliced meats on the side. Traditionally, people would cut open a wheel of Raclette cheese and put the cut side in front of the fire, periodically slicing off the warm, oozing cheese. Little tabletop Raclette grills make this meal a bit less messy, but still joyfully cheesy.