Silvester is the German name for New Year's Eve – owing to the fourth century Pope Sylvester I. Eventually made a saint by the Catholic Church, his feast day is observed on December 31.  December 31 is not a public holiday. However, post offices, banks, stores and other businesses may close earlier than usual.

Some people hold private celebrations at home. They invite friends and family members and prepare a festive meal, often in the form of a buffet or Raclette. Television programs relating to New Year's Eve can play an important role at celebrations at home. The film Dinner for One, which portrays a butler serving an English Lady her birthday meal, and the New Year's Eve episode of the series One Heart and One Soul (Ein Herz und eine Seele) are annually broadcast in the evening of December 31. The rest of the evening is filled with humorous sketches, games,  game shows and images of public celebrations in large cities.

For those who go out on Silvester, good luck charms and New Year’s greetings are often exchanged. Acquaintances may give good luck charms to each other in the form of ladybugs, four-leaf clovers, horseshoes and pigs. The phrase Guten Rutsch! is another common Silvester greeting. While many Germans now use it to wish someone a good “slide” into the new year, the word Rutsch more likely comes from the Yiddish word Rosch – which means beginning or head.

Midnight is often marked by fireworks and fire crackers, which often times continue to go off until well after 1:00 in the morning. Many people drink and toast with champagne or other sparkling wine. 

Some New Year's Eve Traditions