New Year In Germany Facts

Many germans prefer to send a new year s card rather than a christmas card.

New year in germany facts. Germany is rated highly as a place to grow old life expectancy in germany is almost 81 years one year higher than the oedc average 83 for women and 78 for men and just over 26 percent of the population is currently over 60. The roman catholic church was the one to adopt 1 st january as new year. A good and blessed new year or simply prosit neujahr.

New year s eve traditions often include old superstition which has been passed on for centuries. Well 1 st january as new year was marked by georgian calendar. Despite the shared date most german silvester traditions actually stem from a far older pagan celebration called rauhnächte.

Some also use the new year s card to tell family and friends about events in their life during the past year. When the gregorian calendar was reformed in 1582 the last day of the year was placed on december 31st combining silvester s feast day with what we now call new year s eve. The sight of the majestic cologne cathedral silhouetted against the night sky bursting with fireworks is worth all the trouble in the world.

Germans call new year s eve silvester in honor of pope sylvester i who died on december 31 335. In the evening german television broadcasts the same sketches and short films each year. 1 st january was accepted as new year in 46 bc by julius caesar.

New year s eve in germany is called silvester. The last day of the year is the saint s day of pope silvester who died 31 december 335. Other linguists relate the expression to the archaic german meaning of rutsch a journey.

Other great vantage points to enjoy one of the best fireworks shows in germany are the banks of the river rhine and the rheinpark. Many people begin the new year at midnight between december 31 and january 1 with sparkling wine and fireworks. It is on january 1 also known as the first day of the year in the gregorian calendar.