🌙 Waiting for Midnight: A NYE for Those Who Don't Do Loud Countdown

A Vietnamese home-style New Year’s Eve for those spending the night in Berlin.

On New Year’s Eve, many things in Berlin revolve around noise, countdowns, and party plans made weeks in advance.

For a homebody like me, I often feel a little out of place.
And this year, I suddenly don’t feel like spending the holiday alone.

So I’m opening my kitchen for a spontaneous, cozy and low-key New Year’s Eve gathering.

The Story
It was a culture shock for me to realize that New Year’s Eve in Europe doesn’t have a strong family focus.

In Vietnam, it does. In my family, New Year’s Eve get-together has never been about showing up when dinner is ready.

One family hosts, but everyone helps.
We arrive hours early.
We cook together, snack in the kitchen, drink a little wine, talk, and catch up.

The food is finished before midnight, but we don’t eat yet.

At midnight, we gather, make a toast, welcome the new year, and only then do we sit down and eat together.

This evening follows that tradition.

What the evening looks like

• Cooking together
  I’ll show you how to make Vietnamese fried spring rolls using my family recipe. If you’re curious, I’ll also share how I prepare other dishes on the menu.
• Year-end reflection
  Before eating, we’ll take a short pause to reflect on the year that’s ending. You’ll be invited to write a short letter to yourself for the year ahead. I’ll keep your sealed letter and send it back to you in January, and then remind you to open it one year from now.
• Midnight
  We eat and celebrate together after midnight.

The NYE Menu

• Chả giò chiên – Vietnamese fried spring rolls
  (we’ll roll them together; some will be fried for the night, and if there's leftover, you're welcome to take some home. So don't be shy and bring your Tupperware!)
• Cánh gà chiên nước mắm tỏi – garlic fish sauce fried chicken
• Thịt ba rọi quay – crispy roasted pork belly
• A small, sweet dessert surprise

Drinks (tea, water, & a reasonable casual-drinking amount of wine/beer) are included.

No vegan or vegetarian option will be available for this dinner.

Stay up to date on future events:
📌 Meetup: https://shorturl.at/oqEOS
📌 Instagram: @homecookedstories.trang
📌 WhatsApp (event announcements only): https://lnkd.in/erGdGMYr

Good to Know
📍 Location: Pankow, Berlin
(M2 tram stop Prenzlauer Promenade / Am Steinberg — exact address shared after RSVP)
📅 Date: Tuesday, December 31, event starts at 8:30PM and meal starts after midnight
💶 Contribution: €40 per person
(includes food, drinks, and the full experience)
👥 Seats: Limited to 6 guests

Payment details will be shared after RSVP confirmation.