New Years Eve in Leipzig

Blograffitiers:

I wrestled back and forth about making this post (I "vacillated" eh M-Hoss?).  Truthfully, I had decided not to until showing the video to Aunt Hannah and Uncle Curt and they convinced my it carried weight.  I didn't think the video did the event justice and I was a bit ambivalent about my nonsensical ramblings on video tape that was not supposed to be viewed by others.  However, after they viewed it, I was reassured that perhaps there was merit in the video, if not just comedic.

One of the greatest things to happen over here occurred on the evening of December 31, 2011.  Commonly this night is referred to as "New Years Eve"but is properly the final day of any given year in the Gregorian.
calendar.  In Germany this day is referred to as "New Years Eve Sylvester" since December 31 is the feast day of St. Sylvester.  Since we arrived here with our son in tow we have received spirited verbal warnings as to the festivities of said evening.  Most people told us to stay inside, bolt up the door, turn on a noise maker, and silently pray to the Almighty that the morning come swiftly.  Needless to say I was thoroughly intrigued.

On the day of New Years Eve it was quite warm in the German state of Saxony.  We packed up L Rizzy and headed out of town to the home of Lisa's friend from Arizona.  We arrived at around 2 and planned to stay until 5 or so, insuring that we could be home before whatever mayhem was going be unleashed.  While L Rizzy played with their similarly aged daughter, we had some wine and appetizers.  When the clock struck 17:00 we made a beeline for the exit.  On the tram ride home we were surrounded by a train full of Germans with lots of booze and even more fireworks.  Everyone was laughing and having a great time.  We made it home without incident but even at 18:00 we started to hear the crack of firecrackers going off around the city.  We put L Rizzy to bed and settled in for what we thought would be a really long night.

Over the next few hours, the frequency and intensity of the cracks and booms steadily increased.  Approaching midnight, the activities crescendoed to a fever pitch and we were enthralled.  At first we watched from inside out apartment out the balcony but eventually moved to the balcony to take it all in.  Finally, after some convincing, I took the video camera down to the streets, risking life and limb for the sake of the story.  What I was able to experience and capture will haunt me for the remainder of my days.  Mind you this will not be a scary, nightmarish type of haunting.  No, no.  This will be a haunting of the sort that each and every New Years Eve from now on will pale in comparison to the fireworks extravaganza that was Leipzig on December 31, 2011.  Enjoy the show, and sorry for my random babble.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RTDzxAlMXQ



Quotonnage:

"New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls and humbug resolutions."
- Mark Twain