ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Die große Nacht im Eimer

Die große Nacht im Eimer is a German phrase that means "a big night down the drain". It typically refers to a fun and exciting night out that did not turn out as planned and ended up being a disappointment or failure.

Imagine you are planning a big party with your friends. You are very excited and have been looking forward to it for weeks. You have invited everyone you know, bought snacks and decorations, and even prepared some fun games to play.

On the day of the party, everything seems to be going well. However, as the night progresses, things start to go wrong. Your guests are not having as much fun as you had hoped, the games are not as exciting as you thought, and the snacks are not as tasty as you anticipated.

In the end, the big night that you had been looking forward to for so long ends up being a disappointment. All your planning and preparation went down the drain, and you feel like you wasted your time and energy on something that did not live up to your expectations.

So, in short, Die große Nacht im Eimer means that something that you were very excited about did not go as planned, and you ended up feeling let down and disappointed.