The "Dinner for One" Tradition (2024)

FAQs

The "Dinner for One" Tradition? ›

“Dinner for One,” is a short black-and-white sketch about ten minutes long that is played on all the big German television networks on New Year's Eve. It was first broadcast in Germany by Norddeutscher Rundfunk, or NDR, in 1962.

Broadcasting countries. The sketch has become a viewing tradition on New Year's Eve in German-speaking countries, where up to half the population may watch it every year on New Year's Eve. Some die-hard fans even copy the meal served in the sketch.

Dinner for One, also known as The 90th Birthday, or by its corresponding German title, Der 90. Geburtstag, is a comedy sketch written by British author Lauri Wylie for the theatre in the 1920s.

Dinner for One has been so popular, for so long, that its English catchphrase "the same procedure as every year" has become an intrinsic part of the German language.

(Over the decades, the tradition has spread: It also plays annually in Sweden, Denmark, Austria and elsewhere.) In Germany, “Dinner for One” screens on the TV channels of the country's many public broadcasters, sometimes several times a day on Dec.

“Dinner for One,” is a short black-and-white sketch about ten minutes long that is played on all the big German television networks on New Year's Eve. It was first broadcast in Germany by Norddeutscher Rundfunk, or NDR, in 1962.

British TV comedy Dinner for One is getting a spin-off series in Germany, with the country's most famous film studio producing six brand new episodes. Beloved in Europe but virtually forgotten in the UK, the 1960s sketch sees Freddie Frinton playing a butler to May Warden's Miss Sophie, an upper class English woman.

Every evening on the new years eve is a very special television event in Germany. It's called "Dinner for One". It tells the very funny story of an old lady called Sophie who celebrates her 90th Birthday. Her butler James represents Sophie's friends which have died long years ago.

Between each course, James asks Miss Sophie if he should follow "The same procedure as last year?". To which she replies: "Same procedure as every year." At the end of the meal, A very intoxicated James helps Miss Sophie to her feet and offers his arm. She takes it and starts to lead him up the staircase.

And then, during Christmas, it is also a tradition in Germany to watch the movie Drei Haselnsse, fr Aschenbrdel, which is literally in English, “. Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella ,”, but is also known in English, as “ Three Wishes for Cinderella .”

What is considered impolite in Germany? ›

Having a loud conversation, talking loud on the phone, or listening to loud music are considered very impolite as you will disturb other people. German people love to have their privacy. If you see a closed door, it doesn't mean that the person inside does not want you to come in.

Dinner. In Germany, the evening meal is called Abendessen or Abendbrot – the latter is actually more like a supper, and literally translates to 'evening bread'. Following a hearty lunch, Germans traditionally enjoy a lighter dinner, with breads, hams, sausages, cheeses, and pickles all being very common.

When dining with Germans, be especially mindful of proper manners. They eat continentally—with the fork in the left hand (tines down) and knife in the right hand throughout. Do not pass the fork back and forth between hands. Don't set down your knife to use the fork alone.

In Germany, the evening meal is called Abendessen or Abendbrot – the latter is actually more like a supper, and literally translates to 'evening bread'. Following a hearty lunch, Germans traditionally enjoy a lighter dinner, with breads, hams, sausages, cheeses, and pickles all being very common.

I think it says more about how the Germans view our sense of humour than it does about how they view us as people. Unfortunately, every German knows Mr Bean, Monty Python, and Dinner For One and their knowledge of British comedy is usually limited to these 3 examples.