New Year's Eve
Bring fireworks into your living room
New Year's Eve can also be a great celebration in a small family circle.
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This year there are strict rules on New Year's Eve – including a ban on firecrackers. Are there alternatives to traditional fireworks?
New Year's Eve will be different this year than many people know. For most of them, the fun of fireworks is simply part of it. However, the federal and state governments have issued a ban on the sale of firecrackers and rockets. Igniting in public is also prohibited in most federal states. So how can you still bring a festive atmosphere into your home?
These rules apply on New Year's Eve
There are clear rules in this country for December 31st. There is a nationwide ban on showing and gathering and in some places even strict curfews. Contacts must also be significantly reduced again: a maximum of five people from two households can come together. Big parties are officially canceled, but the New Year can be celebrated on a small scale and with simple tools.
Virtual fireworks
How about a virtual fireworks display? There is a wide selection of these on YouTube, including popping and crackling noises. The videos can simply be played on the television. If you have a projector, you can even project the colored lights onto the wall. In addition, this year, as always, the New Year's Eve party at the Brandenburg Gate can be seen live on ZDF from 9:45 p.m. The celebration takes place without an audience, but with numerous stars and artists, not to forget the countdown at midnight.
There is also the option of creating virtual fireworks in 3D with the help of various show planning software. It is possible to develop your own fireworks, create a 3D environment and add your favorite music to the whole thing. Most programs have been developed with the help of professional pyrotechnicians.
Light show and confetti rain
Since the fireworks will not take place this year, the city of Cologne has come up with something special. With the "Lights on. Year off." the city wants to organize "the largest fireworks display in the world," says a press release. The plan: "At midnight at the turn of the year the lights in Cologne households are switched on, the lights should come on for five minutes every now and then." The aim is to "make the city shine" without firecrackers and rockets. Citizens can tape or paint their windows to add a bit of color.
If you don't live in Cologne, you can use a disco ball, a light projector or a special light bulb to organize an atmospheric light show in your living room. All three tools are available online, as are confetti cannons, which provide an additional eye-catcher – and at least a loud bang. They are now also available in many environmentally friendly versions.
What about sparklers, snap peas or table fireworks?
One thing is clear: the sale of fireworks is strictly prohibited in most federal states this year. For those who have already bought firecrackers or who still have them from the previous year, there is no specific ban on igniting them. Experts and politicians, however, advise against equipping themselves with missiles from abroad. The reason: For hospitals, accidents caused by fireworks are another, additional burden that could push the health system to its limits.
What about sparklers, snap peas and table fireworks? The products belong to the F1 category and are called youth fireworks or year-round fireworks. As the name suggests, this can be sold and ignited all year round without registration. So nothing should stand in the way of a little fireworks fun in the living room at home. It is important not to use these products in public, but only in private.