German New Years Traditions

 As Jessica noted the other day, as we were wandering around Karstadt, Germans seem to place a lot more emphasis on luck for New Year's than we do in the states. (photo left) Everywhere you can buy little trinkets with symbols of luck: a pig, a mushroom, a chimney-sweep, or a four-leaf clover. Yes, those things are all lucky. You can call someone a Glückspilz or a Glücksschwein, a "lucky mushroom" or a "lucky pig," like in English, "you lucky dog" or "lucky duck."

Some other New Year's traditions include Bleigießen, or "lead pouring" and watching the show "Dinner for One" on TV, fireworks, and eating Berliner donuts (called "Pfannkuchen" here in Berlin).  Bleigießen is apparently like reading tea leaves, except you pour melted lead into cold water. Then read the shape for its future prediction. The show Dinner for One is apparently the most-played segment on TV. They have it every year. It's 11 minutes long, and you can watch the clip below. Germans think it's hilarious.  More on the show Dinner for One from an article on Slate.com.They think it's partially so funny because you get drunk every year and watch it.