A Happy New Year's it was! (12/31/11-1/1/12)

I'd say this was one of the best New Year's we have EVER had! Yay for Germany, Berlin and our new awesome German friends!

Terry and Heather arrived Friday afternoon to join us in time for a Berlin New Year's. Originally we had planned on being near Brandenburg gate to see all the crazy and the fireworks. But all week people had been telling us that it's really not fun or worth it. We thought the city did fireworks, but were told numerous times otherwise. The fireworks are just small ones that people buy, and there are no rules about them in city limits so there are many, idiots if you will, who aim them into the crowds and are wasted and acting stupid. This didn't sound appealing to us at all, but Julia and Chris invited us to a New Year's party hosted Julia's best friend, Nadine, and her husband, Thorsten. This was a much more appealing alternative for us.

Everyone brought something really good to share, and Julia suggested we bring something American. Terry, Heather, Skye and I racked our brains trying to think of something easy. We thought about doing buffalo wings, but it would have been too messy, too hard to make buffalo sauce (can't find it around here, unfortunately) and Germany doesn't really have a lot of spicy food, so we didn't want to set everyone's mouths on fire! Terry thought of the most brilliant snack ever! PBJ! On white bread, of course! And luckily, Terry and Heather brought some peanut butter from Trader Joe's (since that's also hard to find in Germany). It was perfect, we cut the crust off of half of them and cut them all into small triangles. Little piece of America!

Everyone was dressed up very nicely and Nadine and Thorsten had a beautiful apartment! One of the reasons they like to host a party every year is that they have a 2 year old daughter Lelia (pronounced Lay-lee-a), then they don't have to hire a babysitter. Lelia is ADORABLE! She was also very well behaved, very social and hung out with us all night! I hope our kid is that awesome one day....one day very, very far away (far away in my opinion, but my German New Year's fate may not agree, more on that later). 

There were 3 other couples besides Nadine and Thorsten, and Julia and Chris. We got to meet Julia's brother Frederick and his girlfriend, Susann who were visiting from Trier. Then Julia and Chris's friends Sven and Nilou came too. Nadine and Thorsten have some neighbors, Aileen and Ulrich who had twins the very same day Lelia was born, a boy and a girl, Dea and Dino and they all came which made Lelia excited since she had some friends to play with. Everyone was so fun and so sweet! And they all spoke English, not necessary for Skye, but good for Terry, Heather and me. They were also very sympathetic to my broken German!

All the food was laid out beautifully in the Kitchen and the dining room table had cheese, bread, fruit, and candy on it with pretty candles and chilled champagne. Everything was so good! Once we were finished eating the music got louder, and the dancing began! Even Lelia danced with us all! It was a great music selection, and everyone was having an wonderful time. Suddenly midnight was already about to hit! I couldn't believe where the evening had gone! It was just so great talking to everyone and getting to know them, and trying to squeeze in some German practice!

We got to do a fun German New Year's tradition too! There are these tiny metal pieces that have a New Year's design in them. You put them on a spoon, hold fire under it and melt it. Then you dump it into a bowl of cold water and it instantly changes shape. Whatever the shape of your piece becomes, is your fate for the new year ahead. I'm choosing NOT to believe this because Skye and I got...well...a sperm! AHHHHH!!! So I'd like to state here and now that this fate will not come true for us, not this year! LOL!

Who says you can't have fireworks inside? Nadine and Thorsten had indoor fireworks! It was great! Colorful ribbon flying everywhere, confetti everywhere and we even had sparklers! Not to mention the great view of the city from their balcony where we could see all the surrounding fireworks (at a safe distance where they weren't being aimed at us!). For many Americans the party ends shortly after the New Year. But we brought in the New Year wayyy past midnight! The party was only beginning! There was more dancing and even a little singing! Everyone was happy and excited and we all had an amazing time!

We returned home around 3am, slept in on New Year's day and had a late brunch near our apartment with Terry and Heather. It was a nice relaxed New Year's day.

The only bad part: Julia, Chris, Nadine, Thorsten, and everyone else all live in Berlin (or elsewhere) and we can't hang out more often! Unfortunately, Cologne is a 4.5 hour train ride away. Luckily we'll be moving to Berlin sometime in June, so we'll get to see everyone again!

delicious food buffet!

Dining room table, very pretty

Heather, Terry and Skye

Nilou and me

Julia and me

Heather and me.....I'll have to get my pic taken with Nadine and the others next time!

And the dancing begins!

Julia and Chris take it away!

Even Lelia joins in the dancing! So cute!

Yay! Fun sparklers!

Indoor Fireworks!

I decided to decorate Skye with the firework guts!

Such a fun night!

Nadine, Lelia and Julia toast to the New Year!

Happy New Year kiss!