photo: Marco Förster
It’s that time of the year again! To be exact, it’s the end of that time of the year.
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and if you’re anything like us: You don’t have anything planned yet. Berlin is bursting with opportunities to transition into the new year. With all these offers, it’s hard to know the Do’s and Don’ts of the festivities of the year. Luckily, we made a selection for all sorts of different types of New Year’s Eve. Whether you feel like a fancy dinner, going outside into the fields of flying firecrackers, dancing at some major parties or just staying home, hiding from the fuss: We got your back! With our suggestions for each kind of evening you won’t miss a thing. Have a blissful year’s ending, we hope to see you healthy and happy in the new year ahead. “Guten Rutsch!”
A Festive Dinner
Let’s start with the most important. Food. The basis for all the alcohol (hopefully, no… obviously) coming your way. To end the year, you should absolutely treat your taste buds to some deliciousness. What is there more beautiful than some good food? With nice people around you and no dishwashing-fuss, a dinner at the end of the year is always a great idea.
Check out our festive restaurant guide that includes some options for NYE and we also have some special dinner parties in our event guide!
photo: Mani Berlin
* * *
Party Hard at the Clubs
There is no better occasion to party than the NYE celebrations. What to choose, though? On new year’s eve there are many options, we listed some of our favorites in our event guide including a hip hop party at Prince Charles, a theater extravaganza at Gorki, a techno night at Griessmühle, some queer fun at Schwuz and a few more!
photo: Peter Gesierich, xuru.eu
* * *
Celebrate Outside in the Line of Fire
If you are brave and not afraid of fireworks, you might want to spend the night outside at a nice place with other brave people. The reward of celebrating outside is an indescribable feeling and atmosphere of togetherness and Berlin. We love the bridges it builds between people. While maybe even standing on a bridge. Berlin’s overpasses are a favored spot to watch the fireworks shoot into the sky. To name a few, in Friedrichshain you have the Modersohnbrücke, Oberbaumbrücke and obviously the Warschauer Brücke. In Kreuzberg, the Admiralbrücke is a well-known location.
Some other nice spots are the Schillerkiez with its beautiful church, the Gendarmenmarkt in all its glory or the Mauerpark where you used to shop at the flea market. To watch what’s happening from above the city’s ground, the Viktoriapark in Kreuzberg has a nice little platform to stand upon, or the Wasserturm in Prenzlauer Berg is a cozy place to spend your NYE. But these are just a few ideas – find your spot, maybe in your neighborhood, and fill it with joy! And if you feel like having your head in the clouds you should make sure to get on a rooftop you can access or celebrate at Klunkerkranich in Neukölln. For more details, you already know it: Check out our event guide!
* * *
Traditions at Home
Germany has, like any other country, some seriously funny traditions. Let me walk you through a tradition-filled NYE-party at home. You meet, you drink. Punch for example. You drink while eating some fondue, raclette or – if you are hyper-traditional – some fish, i.e. carp. After dinner, you could do some lead-pouring, tarot-readings and check your horoscope while drinking and eating some “Pfannkuchen” (a sort of jam-filled donut, in other parts of the country called “Berliner”). Custom has it, that one of the “Pfannkuchen” is, unlike the others, filled with mustard. Or onions. Or sawdust, depends on your luck. To wash it down, you could drink some “Feuerzangenbowle” a hardcore variation of the punch, where you hold a piece of rum-infused sugar over the punch and burn it down. While drinking the Feuerzangenbowle, you could burn some sparklers and table fireworks. Finally, if you are not obliterated yet, don’t forget to carry around a flake of the carp in your wallet for the whole year ahead – it’s supposed to bring lots of luck.
* * *
Ignoring the Fuss
Ok, we get it. Planning New Years Eve is not always fun. With a million requests and things to plan ahead, your phone is practically in flames. Sometimes, you’re just not feeling it and staying home and ignoring all the new-years-madness seems to be the best idea. We totally feel you there and this is why we want to support your plans of absolutely nothing. Why not build a blanket fort, maybe with your best friend or by yourself (I.N.D.E.P.E.N.D.E.N.T) and watch some awesome movies?
Get some drinks and icecream and crawl up with the following movies that have the New Years Theme in them.
A classic and must-see is “Dinner for One” from 1963, where Butler James and Miss Sophie celebrate New Year’s Eve in a very unique way. “Bridget Jones” is always a good idea and while you’re already at it “Happy New Year” from 2011 has the festivities already in its title. “Four Rooms” from 1995 is a classic, Hugh Grant in “About a Boy” will melt your heart and “Mermaids” from 1990 has Cher in it. Nothing to add here. Cuddle up and have a cozy, stress-free transition into the new year!
photo: Mavilka
