New Year’s Eve in Hungary always sounds simpler than it is. But after eight of them here, Andrew and I have learned that Szilveszter rarely follows a script.

We’ve done it all. Properly dressed-up nights out. Quiet evenings at home. Loud Karaoke nights. Plans changed at the last minute. If there’s one lesson, it’s this: in Hungary, New Year’s Eve rewards flexibility.

This year feels different again. Christmas has just passed, and I hope yours was a good one. Ours certainly was. Full, warm, and family-centred. Now the city has shifted into that strange, reflective pause before the year turns. It’s unusually cold. Fireworks are banned or tightly restricted. And many of the events people expect to see advertised still haven’t appeared. That catches newcomers out every year.

New Year’s Eve is also my birthday, which adds an extra layer of anticipation. This time, we’ll be celebrating with friends at a restaurant by the Danube, with one of our oldest friends visiting from Canada. I’m genuinely looking forward to it. Good food. Good wine. Familiar faces. After Christmas, and after this year, that feels exactly right.

If you’re trying to work out what New Year’s Eve in Hungary actually looks like on December 31, 2025 – not in theory, but in real life –  here’s what experience has taught me.

Szilveszter Is a Hungarian Holiday

Hungarians don’t treat Szilveszter as an extension of Christmas, and they don’t treat it like a long night out either. It sits somewhere else entirely.

It’s a closing ritual.

That’s why the evening often feels restrained compared to expectations. Dinner matters. Being with the right people matters. And the night builds very deliberately toward midnight.

You’ll hear the word Szilveszter everywhere in the days before December 31. Hungarians use it naturally. Expats often mix it with “New Year’s Eve”. Both are understood. But Szilveszter carries cultural weight in a way the English phrase doesn’t.

What Actually Happens at Midnight in Hungary

This is the moment that catches many first-timers out.

At midnight, Hungary doesn’t erupt straight into celebration. Instead, everything pauses.

People stand. Conversations stop. The Hungarian national anthem begins.

You’ll hear it everywhere. At home. In restaurants. At public gatherings. On television, broadcasters play it nationwide. In many restaurants, staff lower the music or switch it off completely.

This isn’t background noise. Hungarians take this moment seriously.

If you don’t know the words, that’s fine. No one expects you to sing. However, you should stand. People notice when you don’t. At midnight, the focus is shared attention rather than excitement.

Only after the anthem ends does the mood change.

Then glasses are raised. People say Boldog új évet! And only then do fireworks start to make their presence known.

Understanding this sequence matters. On New Year’s Eve in Hungary, midnight isn’t about spectacle first. Instead, it’s about acknowledgement.

What the Rules Say vs What You’ll Hear

Fireworks are one of the most misunderstood parts of New Year’s Eve in Hungary, especially this year.

In 2025, fireworks are banned or tightly restricted, with higher fines and limited time windows. There is also no official, city-wide fireworks display in Budapest to plan around.

That’s the legal reality.

The practical reality is less tidy. Szilveszter remains one of the loudest nights of the year. Fireworks still happen. Sometimes close by. Sometimes for longer than expected. Enforcement exists, but it’s uneven.

This gap between regulation and reality is important to understand. “Restricted” does not mean “quiet”. It means unpredictable.

If you have pets, plan accordingly. If you expect an organised public show, you’ll be disappointed. And if you assume the rules guarantee silence, they won’t.

Food, Luck, and the Traditions People Still Care About

Hungarian New Year traditions aren’t really about belief. Instead, they live in habit, memory, and conversation.

Every year, the same foods come up. Lentils, for example, are linked to wealth and abundance. Pork is considered lucky too, because pigs move forward rather than scratching back. By contrast, many people avoid poultry altogether, as it’s said to send luck in the wrong direction.

Then there’s kocsonya, the famous pork aspic.

My father loved it. For him, it was part of what made the season feel complete. Personally, that’s where I draw the line. I’m very happy to wish luck without a bowl of aspic on the table.

That mix is typical. Most families keep the traditions they genuinely enjoy and quietly drop the rest. In the end, what matters isn’t strict compliance, but the shared understanding around the table.

Why Planning Szilveszter Is Always Tricky

Even after years here, this still catches me out.

Many restaurants and venues only announce their Szilveszter plans a week or a few days beforehand. Fixed menus appear late. Ticketed events surface suddenly. Planning too early often leads to frustration.

This isn’t disorganisation. It’s cultural. Szilveszter is treated as something that crystallises late.

Transport is similar. Services run, but not always at the frequency newcomers expect. Taxis can be scarce after midnight.

Flexibility isn’t just helpful on New Year’s Eve in Hungary. It’s essential.

About Those Fireworks

Fireworks are one of the biggest sources of confusion around New Year’s Eve in Hungary. This year, that confusion is justified.

Celebrating the New Year with fireworks will look very different in Budapest in 2025. Under newly tightened municipal rules, most fireworks and pyrotechnic devices are banned across the vast majority of the city on New Year’s Eve. The fines for ignoring those rules are significant, and the city has been clear about enforcement.

The restrictions apply:

• Across all of Budapest before 8:00 pm on December 31 and after 2:00 am on January 1
• All day on December 31 and January 1 in designated protected areas
• Year-round in highly protected zones

Police will patrol public spaces on New Year’s Eve in cooperation with public area supervisors, and enforcement has been explicitly announced. Violating the regulation can result in administrative fines ranging from 200,000 to 1,200,000 HUF.

Petards remain strictly prohibited throughout Hungary, at all times of the year. Using them can lead to fines of up to 200,000 HUF, in addition to safety risks. (Source: Budapest Police / municipal decree, December 2025)

New Year’s Eve in Hungary FAQ

Is December 31 a public holiday in Hungary?
No. December 31 is a normal working day. January 1 is the public holiday.

Are fireworks allowed on Szilveszter 2025?
Budapest enforces strict fireworks rules for New Year’s Eve 2025-2026 to enhance safety, reduce noise, and protect residents and animals. Category II and III fireworks face significant restrictions, while firecrackers remain fully banned nationwide.

Is there an official fireworks display in Budapest this year?
No. There is no central, city-wide official fireworks event.

Do people really sing the national anthem at midnight?
Yes. The anthem is played or sung nationwide, and people stand for it.

Do restaurants need advance booking?
Yes. Many operate with fixed Szilveszter menus and limited seating.

Ending the Year the Hungarian Way

As Andrew and I head into another New Year here, I feel grateful. For friends around the table. For family, near and far. For the chance to mark a birthday and a year’s end in a place that now feels familiar in its rhythms.

I hope wherever you are, you’re able to welcome the year with people you care about too.

January will be busy. I’m preparing the 2026 edition of HOW TO HUNGARY and waiting on early-January government decrees so everything is fully up to date. There’s more coming. More posts. More expert interviews. More practical insight for living here well.

If you’d like to keep following along, you’ll find me on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. And if this article helped, share it with someone facing their first Szilveszter and wondering what actually happens.