New Year’s Eve is one of Slovenia’s most important holidays, but the celebrations surrounding the event have changed considerably over the years – and those changes have often been driven by political considerations.

Traditionally, New Year’s Eve was overshadowed by Christmas and the caroling season, which lasted until Epiphany in early January. Carolers made their rounds on St. Sylvester’s Day, as New Year’s Eve was known, and shared their good wishes for the New Year – usually in return for food or money --, but specific traditions associated with that day were few. On either New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, famers would traditionally clear their trees of snow to ensure a good harvest in the coming year.

In recent years, however, New Year’s Eve has again been moving away from its status as a replacement for Christmas. More and more people are celebrating the holiday on the streets. The city of Ljubljana alone organizes several concerts each year for the thousands of revelers who count in the New Year in the capital.

At the stroke of midnight, much of Slovenia is illuminated by fireworks. In fact, fireworks are seen – and particularly heard – for weeks before New Year’s Day, despite legislation restricting their sale to only a single week. Each year, several people are hospitalized as a result of this relatively New Year’s Eve obsession – yet another face of a holiday that has changed so much over the years.