Why Germans Call New Year’s Eve 'Silvester' 🎆 | The Fascinating History Behind It

🎉 Why do Germans call New Year’s Eve Silvester? The answer lies in fascinating history and quirky traditions!

In this video, I’ll share:
✔️ The story of St. Silvester and his role in history
✔️ How his feast day became linked to New Year’s Eve
✔️ Fun German customs like Bleigießen and lucky charms
✔️ Modern-day Silvester celebrations

From religious roots to fireworks and Raclette, we’re diving into the traditions that make this holiday so special in Germany.

💬 What’s your favorite New Year’s tradition? Comment below!

📽️ Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to Get Germanized for more fun German culture insights. Frohes neues Jahr! 🥂

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[Angelaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Today a cashier in the supermarket said to me "Guten Rutsch" and I was very puzzled. Now I understand what it was :) Thank you!

[tammygant]

I lived in Germany for several years as a kid (U.S. Army brat), and I've studied German at a year long language school and have read, listened to and investigated a lot of German culture yet I never heard New Year's Eve referred to as Silvester until I was listening to another German youtuber yesterday...and then your video popped up! This is fun to know.

[bryansproles]

Interessante Geschichte. Ich habe an Silvester Geburtstag :)

[G.Harley.Davidson]

Good to see you back again ! Frohe Weihnacten und eienen Güten Rutsch

[hovanti]

Here in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (a long time ago there were many Germans settlers here; many in my high school class had German names), many people still have a pork and sauerkraut meal on New Year's Day. I usually do, just because it's traditional.

[dianapengitore]

I had never heard of Saint Sylvester even though I grew up in the Saarlaand region of Germany. Our traditional New years Eve meal consisted of pickled herring, boiled saltwater potatoes, and sour cream. Simple but good.

[stacyroberds]

Thank you for this great explanation. I’ve wondering about this for a while and you cleared up a few mysteries. ❤ Happy New Year!

[grewdan]

My family is German American and I grew up with a traditional New Year's Day meal of boiled cabbage with potatoes and carrots. In the pot, a silver dollar coin was placed. Everyone would take turns spooning out a blend of cabbage, potatoes and carrots and whoever got the silver coin in their bowl was said to have "money all year". I still do that occassionally but no one in my household particularly cares for eating this.

[eva-mariacoughlin]

Guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr zu Allen! 🎉

[marcello]

Happy Siklvester und guten Rutsch ins neuen Jahr!

[ExtremeTeddy]

Ah, danke. Direkt im neuen Jahr etwas Wissenswertes gelernt 🥸

[gogeek]

I will remember "Guten Rutsch" and now I know why "Silvester" is called that.

[gogeek]

Speaking of "A Dinner for One, " I have a DVD copy of an old print (with graininess). The physical comedy is pitch-perfect, adding to the other humor.
But< if you think about it, it is ultimately a sad scene, a widow that outlived her friends trying to have a yearly celebration with the only person with her, a slightly clumsy butler "James".

[christiankastorf]

A Northern tradition has almost died out. It is called "Rummelpott" or even longer "Rummelpottlaufen". It means that children up to their teens put on funny costumes as people do on carnival and go from door to door to sing songs (in Low German) and collect goodies. They may use home-made percussion instruments or other sound making devices for that and that explains the name of that tradition. In the (very) old days they covered a pot with a firmly streched pig's bladder that has a stick poked through it. Today a thick plastic foil could serve the same purpose. When this stick is pulled up and down it causes a rumbling sound. Background? The same old thing: scaring away evil spirits by looking even more scary and making spooky sounds.

[BeataBeata-vi]

In Poland we also celebrate Sylwester. In here it even makes more sens as we celebrate sth like name day.

[eva-mariacoughlin]

Wir hatten Herring Salat und Bowle, Berliners and Würstchen!

[AFGhaneAFGhane-km]

vielen Dank an den Channel ... nun habe ich endlich die Erklärung für Silvester ;) ... An Alle: Einen guten Rutsch ins Jahr 2025!!!

[RnR-Rebel]

Interesting as Constantine was a Pagan Pope😊. Love you showing all the German traditions, as that part of my family was very Americanised. I’m half Italian (like I’ve said I’ve got mongrel ancestry😂) & we do a similar spread on NYE. At midnight we bang pots and pans out the front & back doors at midnight (fireworks illegal in NY boooo) to rid the evil spirits, bring in the good! Frohe Sankt Sylvester Nacht! Jet 😘💚🥂

[nathanlaird]

English pointer: Constantine is pronounced ConstanTEEN. (last vowel short i, not long i). Thanks for the content, wish it were in German, but I understand you are reaching a wider audience with English.

[jakubzneba]

here in czechoslovak is it silvester too