Coplay Saengerbund, 205 S. Fifth St., held its Silvester Feier New Year’s Eve celebration Dec. 31, 2024. Well-dressed attendees were delighted to gather for the festivities, and the social hall was nicely decorated, making the celebration special. The event was billed as a “Ring in the New Year with a European flair.”

Attendees were asked to celebrate their German and Austrian heritage at the event with a 6 p.m. Champagne toast, to coincide with midnight in Vienna, Austria. Balloons released from the ceiling bounced all over the attendees as celebrants sang and danced to “Auld Lang Syne.”

The New Year’s Eve celebration began 3 p.m. with a buffet. The cost per attendee included a hot meal, beer, soda, juice and water. Cake with coffee/tea was also served. A cash bar was available.

The Emil Schanta Band played ethnic Austrian and German music, as well as traditional New Year’s songs. There were hats and noisemakers to help ring in 2025.

“Auld Lang Syne,” originally a Scottish song written by poet Robert Burns in 1788, is nostalgic music that was adopted for a variety of purposes around the world.

During the American Civil War, it was sung by Union soldiers hoping the war would end forever. Some Union officers thought it was bad for morale and unsuccessfully tried to suppress the song.

Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered the Army band play “Auld Lang Syne” at the surrender signing ceremony.

The name “Silvester” comes from a fourth-century Roman saint — Pope Silvester I. When the Gregorian calendar was reformed in 1582, the last day of the year was set as Dec. 31. This combined St. Silvester’s feast day with what we now call New Year’s Eve.

“Feier” is defined as “celebration.” New Year’s Eve is known as Silvester or Silvesterabend in Austria.

This was the seventh year the event was held at the Saengerbund.