Of Pretzels and Pigs

One of the many fun elements of being in Germany for the holidays has been experiencing the different traditions. New Years is much as you would expect--fireworks, champagne and kisses at midnight. But whereas Americans have a diapered baby in a top hat as the personification of the start of the new year, Germans celebrate with pretzels and pigs. No one we asked seemed to know how the pretzels fit in, but everyone had childhood memories of receiving them on January 1. As for the pigs, there is a German expression: Du has Schwein gehabt, which directly translates as You had a pig, but really means You are lucky.

Wir wuenschen dass ihr Schwein habt in dem nuenen Jahr. Wishing everyone luck in 2011.

Marzipan piggy and pretzel, with a dime for scale.