In Germany, New Year's Eve is called Silvester, referring to Saint Sylvester's feast day.
German speakers use Silvester for December 31, the final day of the Gregorian calendar year. The name comes from Pope Sylvester I, whose feast day in the Western Christian calendar falls on December 31. It is therefore a calendar name rooted in a religious observance, even though modern celebrations are generally secular.
German Silvester customs include fireworks, gatherings, midnight toasts, and watching the short comedy sketch “Dinner for One,” which became a recurring New Year's television tradition in Germany. Some people also use lead-pouring or wax-pouring traditions to make symbolic predictions, although lead versions have faced safety restrictions.
Silvester should not be confused with Weihnachten, which means Christmas, or with New Year's Day, called Neujahr. The word specifically identifies New Year's Eve, not the entire holiday period.