Prosit Neu Jahre

Every culture has it's own unique customs for ringing in the new year and Austria is no different.  One of the customs here is the giving of charms to bring good luck in the coming year.  All over town the Christmas stands of last week become the good luck charm stands of this week.  Lucky Pigs and Chimney Sweeps are the traditional charms, but the variety includes cats, elephants, and even silly pig hats.  We visited a friend at her stand in the Alterlaa complex and the trade in luck was brisk indeed. 

The Alt Stadt of Wien takes the celebration of the New Year seriously. The wide shopping streets and narrow old lanes are hung with glimmering lights, the ubiquitous puntsch stands are crowded with chilled revelers while waltz lessons are offered in the open spaces between stands. The night is alive with crowds and light and music. Stages for live music are set up at the larger plazas.  In the walking street between stages, DJs spin waltzes alternated with rock n' roll.  

To get to the Alt Stadt, we had to run the gauntlet of the Opera Ghouls.  These poor costumed touts try to corral tourists into buying tickets for one of the many classical music programs that run everyday here.  

The revelers begin to gather as the shadows grow long and the last cold night of 2015 begins. 

When in Rome. Yours Truly with a Cubano puro and a pig mug.  Good luck for me!!

Our lucky 2016 pig mugs getting an early start on the midnight kissing. Table space at the stands is at a premium so we improvised our own from a plastic garbage can.  

As the last of 2015 waned, the crowds grew. Frequent hot drinks are a requirement for warding off the chill. Have Pig Mug, will travel. We strolled beneath the magic lights as folks drank, laughed and waltzed on the cobblestones. 

One of the many music stages set up in the Alt Stadt. This band was ripping through some nice renditions of R&B standards with the lead singer doing a pretty fair Joe Cocker tribute.  I joined in on "Try a Little Tenderness," which cracked My Baby up.  

Full night and full chill did nothing to slow down the crowd at the Rathaus. The lights and music transformed the city hall into a winter fairyland. 

Here is a video link to the festivities:

http://youtu.be/6bB_N9Ijhfc

The Jumbotron says it all. 

The Habsburg Palace wearing it's finery for the last night of the year. 

Chilled through and tired we headed for the warmth of home.  The party gets crazy by midnight and our frozen toes were not going to last any longer.  Home and warm we rang in the New Year in our own way as the fireworks exploded all around us. 

The citizens of Wien take New Years Eve fireworks to heart in a personal and spectacular way.  Hours before midnight our neighborhood was echoing with explosions and the night lighted by the flashes.  There was no need of a clock to know when 2016 arrived.  The cachopony and dazzling display of rockets left no doubt. 

Warm and snug in our bed, we finally drifted off into the first sleep of the New Year despite the continuing barrage of fireworks.  

2015 has been a momentous year for me, a life-changing and amazing year. I look forward to the promise of 2016 with awe and joy.  I wish all of you the same joy for the coming year and Prosit Neu Jahre!!!