This is how they celebrate Christmas in Switzerland
When we think of Switzerland, we quickly think of cheese fondue and raclette, and yes, they do that at Christmas dinner too, although they also eat many other things. They don't have a real traditional dish for Christmas, but that is partly because Switzerland is rather divided. For instance, just think of the French-speaking part and a German-speaking part. We have listed some nice Christmas traditions from Switzerland for you.
Who brings the presents?
Let's start right away with a nice difference, because who brings the presents is not the same everywhere. In the French-speaking part, this is simply done by Father Christmas, but in the German-speaking part, the Chrischtchindli is responsible for it. The latter is the baby Jesus, who brings presents with the birth. When the presents are given varies a bit. Some do it on Christmas Eve and others on Christmas Day.
Wienacht
Near the town of St Gallen lies the place Wienacht. In Swiss German, Wienacht is the word for Christmas (Weinachten in German). Every year, children send letters containing their wishes to Wienacht, addressed to the Christkind. The post office manager is kind enough to answer these letters one by one.
Samichlaus
Another person who brings presents is Samichlaus, or St Nicholas. He comes on 6 December, along with his helpers, the Schmutzli and a donkey, to bring small gifts and treats. The name Schmutzli is derived from the Swiss German word dirty. He looks similar to Samichlaus, but exactly opposite. He has a long, dark beard, he wears a dark robe and sometimes has soot patches on his face. He often carries a broom, a whip made of branches and a sack, with which he has to frighten naughty children. The faithful donkey carries the presents on his back.
Samichlaus Day is an important tradition and is mainly a day for the family.
Adventsfenster
Surely, the Adventsfensters really belongs in the list of fun Christmas traditions. We are probably all familiar with the Advent calendar, where you can open a box every day from 1 to 24 December, which then contains something tasty or fun. In Switzerland, they take a slightly bigger approach and decorate house windows. Every day, a beautifully decorated window of a house is unveiled. They do this in a festive way, while enjoying a snack and a drink. In some cases, an entire house is even turned into an Advent calendar.
Guetzli
Finally, biscuits are an important part of the Swiss Christmas tradition. They call these biscuits Guetzli and there are many different varieties. They also like to give the biscuits away and package them carefully.
Of course, the Swiss also love Christmas traditions like a beautifully decorated Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, nativity scenes and cosy Christmas markets. They also go to church on Christmas Eve and afterwards have a nice meal together. This Alpine country has a lot to offer, so spending Christmas in Switzerland for once can give you a very nice experience.
Curious about other Christmas traditions in the Alps? Read more about traditions in Austria and Southern Germany here.
Frohe Weihnachten, Joyeux Noël
