Due to the wonders of modern technology we are watching the New Year's Eve live 'cabaret' show on Hungarian television on our TV screen. Hungary has a long tradition of having such shows and they can be fun sometimes. Not sure how many watch them as they can be pretty 'naff', but at least they have a countdown at midnight. After that, there's the National Anthem and then Hungary's equivalent of the King's speech, delivered by the President. We may have a glass of bubbles. Then WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc. light up and my wife spends the next hour or so exchanging happy new year messages, or has they say say in Hungarian, BÚÉK! - an abbreviation/shorthand of the Hungarian for 'Wishing you a Happy New Year!'

#BUÉK #Hungary

2) Búék
„Ich wünsche ein glückliches neues Jahr“ heißt auf Ungarisch „Boldog Új Évet Kívánok“. Diesen Satz mehrmals an Silvester zu sagen, um anderen ein schönes neues Jahr zu wünschen, empfanden die Ungarn anscheinend als zu anstrengend. Deshalb kürzten sie ihn auf ganze vier Buchstaben – und so entstand das Wort „Búék“.

B steht für „Boldog“ (glücklich).
Ú für „Új“ (neu).
É für „Év“ (Jahr).
K für „Kívánok“ (ich wünsche).

In diesem Sinne ein etwas verspätetes Búék von mir! 🎆

#búék #qualipost

Hungary, 1976. In Hungary the new year's greeting is often abbreviated to BÚÉK (Boldog új évet kívánok!/I wish you a happy New Year). It's common to see this in advertisements, postcards and in the text messages and social media posts at this time of the year. For many years BUÉK (the U without the correct accent, as in this image from 1976 below) was common practice, but now BÚÉK is officially the only acceptable form.

BÚÉK!

Fortepan [207030] / FŐFOTÓ

#fortepan #Hungary #NewYear #BÚÉK

Budapest, 1965. New Year's Eve is a big occasion in Hungary, so much different to the basically non-celebration I grew up with in Aotearoa. In Hungary it's a huge party night that can easily go on into the early morning. Eating delicious stuffed cabbage (töltött káposzta) after midnight is common. But here we see New Year revellers in Budapest under the ever watchful eye of the Communist police.

Source: Fortepan [65285] / Magyar Rendőr [Hungarian Police]

#fortepan #Budapest #NewYear #BUÉK

We always watch Hungarian TV at noon here in Aotearoa so we can toast in the New Year there. It's a hard watch these days with the anti-EU rhetoric, and barely disguised christian-nationalistic motifs abounding, permeating the media there.

Still, to all Hungarians out there in the fediverse, "Boldog Új Évet Kívánok!"

#Hungary #Hungarians #BUÉK