#german-new-year-traditions

#german-new-year-traditions

The Berliner donut, a round, jam-filled doughnut, is made from lightly sweet yeast dough and is typically finished with powdered sugar or icing. Traditional fillings include jam or citrusy marmalade, while modern versions may use cream or chocolate.

Easter Monday is a legal public holiday nationwide in Austria, treated like other established public holidays such as Whit Monday or St Stephen's Day.

The ritual has been performed for at least 500 years, but nobody knows how or why it began. The ornately dressed mummers, in groups of six, polyphonically yodel and ring bells.

"Our fans in Asia are an important part of the FC Bayern family. Their commitment - whether in fan clubs, at public viewings or online - creates a connection across continents. We're very grateful for that. We wish everyone a peaceful, fulfilling and successful new year,"

Participants in the Lunar New Year parade paper dragons through the streets of Manila, Philippines.Ezra Acayan (Getty Images) A crowd of people walk through Manezhnaya Square, decorated with Chinese New Year motifs in Moscow, Russia.Anadolu (Anadolu via Getty Images) A fleet of drones projects the silhouette of a horse to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Yangzhou, China.VCG (VCG via Getty Images)

Whether it's called Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day or Mardi Gras, many countries choose to celebrate the last day before Lent by indulging in something sweet or fatty. In the UK and parts of the US, this usually means a big plate of pancakes in the morning. In Denmark there are special buns known as Fastelavnsbolle, Whether you celebrate it for religious reasons, or just because of a love of pancakes, it can be a real treat during these winter days.

You join us this dry January day as a survey shows that fewer people in Germany are drinking alcohol, with consumption down sharply over the past decade.