New Year's Eve/Day in Germany 1840s-1860s

Gifts were exchanged on New Year's, and foods included German gingerbread made with honey, aniseeds, almonds in the shape of hearts that could be as large as half a yard and a foot wide. Herrings, lentils, wassail-bowls, and Glee wine.

Several countries with different New Year's activities are listed at end of post, and some upcoming virtual talks. More on German honey Medieval Gyngerbrede, HERE. Lebkuchen honey dough rested for months, HERE. Buckwheat Honey Gingerbread in France HERE

1864 Mayhew
Christmas, in Saxony, is regarded as a feast comparatively secondary to that of the New Year; for though there are three days' holidays connected with the Nativity, still the feast of Weihnachten, which signifies literally the holy or consecrated nights, from weihen, to dedicate to sacred purposes (Latin ven-eror) is by no means of the same joyous character as with us. [UK]

Whereas New Year's Day in Germany, as in France, is regarded as one of the chief holidays of the twelvemonth. … the gifts which with us are usual on "boxing-day," are in Germany invariably reserved for the first day of the New Year. So, again, instead of any feast being held on Christmas Eve, the orgie is reserved among the Germans for the last night of the old year, when everybody thinks himself called upon to eat lentils and herrings, and to sit up drinking wassail-bowls till midnight, so that the New Year may be duly welcomed in; while on the morrow, all who can in any way afford the expense, think themselves bound to make a "Partie," as it is called, or, in other words, to join in some excursion into the country.

1842 Howitt
New-Year's Day is kept in Germany as a thorough holiday. There is service at the churches; business is at a stand; and like Christmas-day, it is far more observed than a Sunday. New-year's eve is perhaps the most merry time of the German year. In almost every house are parties met to conduct the old year out with dance and sport. About five o'clock in the evening, the church bells ring, and guns are fired off in all directions. …

Glee-wine, a sort of negus, and punch, are brought in after supper, and just before twelve o'clock. Every one is on the watch to win the New-Year from the others; that is, to announce the New-Year first. Accordingly, the instant the city bell is heard to commence tolling, "Prosst Neu Jahr!" [“prosst being no German word, but a contraction of the Latin prosit.”] starts from every one's lips; and happy is he who is acknowledged to have made the exclamation first, and to have won from all the others the New-Year. …

With the punch and glee-wine came in also one of those large ornamented and nice cakes for which the Germans are so famous, and large cakes of gingerbread in the shape of hearts, with almonds stuck in them. They make an indispensable part of the entertainment of New-year's eve; and accordingly, you see them reared in and before the bakers' windows, and on stalls, in thousands; some of them at least half-a-yard tall, and a foot wide. These gingerbread hearts are in much esteem also at Christmas; and, indeed, on many occasions. In almost all cases, the German gingerbread, which is peculiar, being mixed with honey, and often flavoured with aniseeds, and is in no respect to be compared to the delicious gingerbread of England, assumes the shape of hearts, and at fairs and wakes, as we have observed, after the national custom, is, being much gilt and coloured, made a medium of love and sentiment by the appendage of verses. On this Eve the servants of every house, by right of ancient and indefeasible custom, have their feast of punch and their great gingerbread hearts, each servant one.

After the New-year's wishes have been read, a game of very old standing on this occasion is introduced, a game known to most people in England acquainted with old fashions; that of the flour, the water, and the keys. Three plates are set on a round table in the middle of the room. In one is flour, in another water, in the third a bunch of keys. The young unmarried people are by turns blind- folded, and walking round the table, pitch upon one of the plates. These have, of course, been shifted while the person about to try his or her chance has been under the operation of blindfolding, so as to occupy quite different relative positions to what they did before; or are sometimes shifted and then replaced, so that the person naturally supposing that they have been changed, shall try to avoid the unlucky ones by aiming at a new point, and thus shall actually have a greater chance of passing the lucky one. The lucky one is that containing the keys. Whoever gets that, is to be married to the person of his or her choice; he who pushes his new-year's eve fingers into the flour is to marry a widow, or vice versa, and he who dips into the water shall not be married at all. This simple lottery occasions its share of merriment, and then goes on again the dancing.


1854 Balou
New Year's day, in Germany, is a domestic scene, fraught with the elements of conviviality, but evincing the equally natural trait of social affection and friendship. How affectionate are the attitude and expression of father and daughter. How comfortable seems the gent seated at the table, with glass upraised, to pledge his vis-a-vis, who is startled by the merry, unceremonious blast of the watchman's horn. Then we see a youthful couple, who are evidently lovers, or soon might be; and, in a corner, two young men-who, undoubtedly, are not rivals, are hob-nobbing in the exuberance of good fellowship. On this day old Vater Rhein will not be forgotten; and national songs in praise of Vaterland and the Rhenish juice will be sung with enthusiasm by loyal hearts.

SOURCES
Ballou's pictorial drawing-room companion. v.6 Boston: Jan 7, 1854 image: "New Year Festival in Germany."
Howitt, William. The rural and domestic life of Germany: with characteristic sketches of its cities and scenery. Collected in a general tour, and during a residence in the country in the years 1840, 41 and 42. London: 1842.
Mayhew, Henry. German life and manners as seen in Saxony at the present day… London: 1864.

PAST BLOG POSTS ON NEW YEARS HERE

New Amsterdam (NYC) HERE and HERE
England. Presents for landlords in the 16th century HERE
France. Bonbons HERE
Scotland. Hogmanay HERE
Maryland. Egg nog. HERE
New York Cookies/ New Year Cookies HERE
London. Men only parties HERE

UPCOMING TALKS deleted



CALENDAR OF VIRTUAL FOOD HISTORY TALKS HERE

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