Many years ago – in 1988 to be precise – I moved to Germany. I arrived there on December 30th and the person I was staying with was very eager to acquaint me with his New Year’s traditions, which basically consisted just of one: sitting down and watching a short 20-minute comedy sketch called Dinner For One.
Apparently everyone in the entire country did this.
It was also one of the very [very!] few things that was shown in the original language on German television.
Personally I thought it was a lovely tradition, and instantly developed a soft spot for Miss Sophie and her faithful [and hilarious] butler James.
So on this New Year’s Eve, I would like to invite you, dear readers, to their delightful little dinner party. A little something to watch if you get bored this evening.
It’s in two parts, but you can ignore the guy at the beginning if you want – the action starts about 2.50 minutes in.
[Part I]
[Part 2]
Thank you for reading and participating in this blog over the past year, and may 2010 bring you and your loved ones many, many blessings. Extra big and special thanks to those of you who have generously supported this effort in big or small ways — your contribution is treasured and valued.
GLEÐILEGT NÝTT ÁR – OG TAKK FYRIR ÞAÐ GAMLA!
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Gleðilegt ár og takk fyrir frábærar færslur!
Gott nýtt ár, Alda mín. ^^
(I might add that I’m still not entirely sure when it is or isn’t appropriate to say “mín” like that, BTW, so if it wouldn’t be here, please just chalk it up to my ignorance – it’s not intended to be creepy-stalky or anything like that.
)
Heheh. Sounds just like my Sie-du problem. — but no offense taken, I assure you.
Gleðilegt ár bæði tvö!
Thanks and the same for you. I am going to watch this show on TV in a few minutes – but for it I will miss the fireworks in Reykjavik.
Thank you, Alda!
Lived in Germany for fourteen years; you brought back great memories with this post.
It is funny, that this ’Dinner For One’ sketch is so popular in Germany but apparently virtually unknown in UK. And indeed, we don’t get many programs shown in their original language in Germany.
Ich wünsche ein frohes, glückliches und erfolgreiches neues Jahr 2010!
German comedy? Started early at the New Years’ wine eh ?
Excellent! What fun. Thanks for that.
Bonne Année!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Alda me gal!
As far as I know, “Dinner for One” was made one year before I entered this globe – and being born in Germany, there was no chance to grow up without it – but I still love it, and a New Year’s Eve without it is just unthinkable!
Last weather report of 2009
Alda have a great New Year holiday and looking forward to another year of great stories … should that be well written?
Takk Fyrir
I treasure your blessings, and give my own to you and your family. May 2010 bring many wonderful things to you.
Thanks for making a difference.
Happy New Year! Enjoy your TV!
Will the President give Icelanders a present by vetoing the Bill?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/6918183/Icelands-president-turns-cold-on-Icesave-deal.html
Thanks for a priceless post, Alda!
Freddie Frinton was a name I remember my (English) father mentioning, but this is the first time I have seen him in action for myself. What lovely timing!
Happy New Year! – Gleðilegt Ár!
happy new year from germany!
and i missed dinner for one this year…
Gledilegt Nýtt Ár!
2010 is going to be awesome, I can tell.
All the best to you and yours Alda, and all of Iceland too.
Cheers!
Happy New Year!
I’d like to second Stephen Cowdery and thank you for making a difference. Happy new year!
Really appreciate and value what you do and how you do it, Alda. Your writing is a rare (at least in the blogosphere) blend of sense, grit, compassion, insight, and intelligence. Always feels like a search for truth and accuracy, never to satisfy petty interests or for self-aggrandizement. All in a clear, sturdy voice, with just enough flair. Really, bravo. You’re one of my regular reads, even though I’ve only been in Iceland for a total of six hours
. Hope to add to that total in the future…
Oh my. Thank you very much!
– All of you.
I didn’t know about “Dinner For One”, so good to discover a German tradition.
And Happy New Year!
Hi and Happy New Year from Dublin!
We are facing into a dreadful year ahead and just said goodbye to bad one too. Cheering up is just what’s needed, thank you. I just recently found your blog and am reading it for insights into what is coming here soon. There are some mutterings about leaving the Euro, and how that would make things easier, but I wonder what the real impact would be? What happens at a household level when a currency drops like a stone, it’s hard to visualise.
Hoping and Wishing the New Year is a prosperous one for all.
Slan. CJ.
This November I visited Germany
http://www.journeyman.cc/dogfood/story/article_92.html
Where my hosts insisted that I watched ‘Dinner for One’ and confirmed it was a New Year tradition… So best wishes to one and all here, and lang may yir lum reek.
Happy new year Alda. just surfaced wow its the 2nd already !!!