New Year's Day

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Lesson Transcript

Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Germany Series at GermanPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind German holidays and observances. I’m Matt, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 1 - New Year's Day.

In this lesson, we will discuss how people spend “New Year’s Day”, called Neujahr or Neujahrstag, in Germany. In Germany, New Year’s Day is celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, so it’s always on January 1st. Because it is a public holiday, most shops remain closed and people usually don’t go to work.

On the 1st and for the few days that follow it, people wish each other a Happy New Year by saying Frohes neues Jahr!

Now, before we get into more detail, I’ve got a question for you - Where in Germany does the annual New Year Ski Jumping, which is known as Neujahrsskispringen, competition take place?

If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later, so keep listening!

January 1st is a day of rest for the majority of the public, as most people are quite tired after long New Year's Eve celebrations, or Silvesterabend in German. Some people go for outings with their family or friends. Some of them meet for a New Year’s stroll, called Neujahrsbummel, or for a cosy brunch, or even just coffee and cake. People living in different regions of Germany prepare different types of local delicacies over the New Year, and will come together to eat them.

On January 1st, those who are religious take part in the New Year's church service, and music lovers attend a New Year's concert. Many Germans watch the New Year's speech, known as Neujahrsansprache by the German Chancellor on television. In the speech, the German Chancellor summarizes the most important events of the year gone by, and talks about their expectations of the New Year. Many associations and clubs, on New Year's Day or for a few days later, invite their members for a New Year's reception. At these events, speeches are usually held during or after the meal.

Since New Year’s is so close to Christmas, many people use the opportunity to take a long vacation starting from Christmas and ending in January. The weather is very cold during this time of year in Germany, which means it is the best time to go skiing in the mountains. In Germany you can do this in the Alps, for example, which are a popular skiing destination.

Many people in Germany give good-luck charms to others as gifts on New Year’s, often hidden inside sweets made of marzipan. Popular charms are the lucky pig, chimney sweep, four-leaf clover, horseshoe, lucky pennies or 1 cent coins, and the lady bug.

Now it's time to answer our quiz question-

Where in Germany does the annual New Year Ski Jumping competition take place?

The New Year's Ski Jumping competition, one of the most prestigious competitions in ski jumping, has been held for the past 60 years in the area called Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The second stage of the Four Hills Tournament, it is located in the state of Bavaria, in southern Germany.