There is little doubt that the tiny land locked country of Switzerland is one of the most beautiful places in the world. With its majestic snow-capped mountains, pristine lakes, lush green meadows and fairy tale villages, Switzerland at the risk of sounding cliched is a paradise on earth. While it is a popular destination throughout the year, winters are extra special in the land of the Swiss as it is the season of Christmas. A season of celebration, joy and getting together amidst twinkling lights and mulled wine, the festive season in Switzerland is quite unlike any other. From soaking in local traditions to enjoying special festivals and visiting the quintessential Christmas markets, Switzerland is indeed a great place to enjoy the spirit of Yuletide.
Native Rituals
Switzerland is a country that has 26 cantons comprising of several cities, towns and tiny villages. It is interesting to note that each of these cities and towns have their own little traditions which make the festive season special. In the days running to Christmas, some towns in the German speaking region of Switzerland, like Richterswil on Lake Zurich celebrate Räbechilbi wherein several tons of turnips are carved to make lanterns. Filled with glowing lights, these creative lanterns are taken on a procession all over the town. The atmosphere is festive with stalls retailing knick kancks and local treats set up in the town square. While this is not traditionally associated with Christmas; it definitely kicks starts the beginning of the holiday season. Räbechilbi is celebrated on the second Saturday of November and is therefore close to Thanksgiving and Advent which is incidentally the fourth Sunday before Christmas day. For the uninitiated, Advent officially heralds the Christmas season and marks the period of waiting, prayer and preparing for the big day.
During Advent, it is a common sight for homes, store fronts and street squares to be decorated for Christmas. From Christmas trees decked up with ornaments and elaborate lighting to the setting up of Christmas markets and fairs, the spirit of joy and cheer is hard to miss. And when it comes to lighting, the town of Baden located just under 160 miles from Zurich is a must visit. Special light displays are prepared throughout the town with every street and alley boasting of magnificent lighting. Structures like angels, fairies and the other alluring figures are specially crafted for the occasion by artisits. Liechterwecke is a local tradition when these lights are officially inaugurated. Children of the town are given little bells and they march to the town centre where the lights officially come on and stay till just after New Year. Liechterwecke has been a tradition since several years and after the lights come on, children are served Spanishbrödli, a local puff pastry while mulled wine is distributed for the adults.
Connection, Community and Celebration Galore
Given that Christmas is a season of joy and giving, there are several native customs that bring people together. Carol singing and parades are common in several places across the country especially the Bernese Oberland region where groups of people wear large cow bells and go around the town singing carols in a bid to ward off evil spirits. In Zurich, the ‘singing Christmas tree’ is a highlight of the festivities where a special multi storeyed Christmas tree is installed and members of the choir actually get inside the tree and sing. This endearing tradition that is over 25 years old attracts a huge number of locals as well as visitors.
Candle dipping is yet another tradition that is an integral part of the Christmas festivities in Zurich. It is an activity that is popular with families where they gather to dip wicks in smouldering wax and prepare their own candles in the process. It occurs each year in the Bürkliplatz locality close to the Zurich lake and it is a chance for families to bond together, slow down and engage in an activity that is comforting and almost therapeutic.
Further, St Nicholas Day which falls on 6-Dec has a great significance in Switzerland as it is on this day that Samichlaus visits children. The latter is similar to Santa Claus albiet he is younger and accompanied by his friend “Schmutzli”. Samichlaus gifts children goodies like nuts (walnuts, peanuts etc), oranges, gingerbread and chocolates. Thus, 6-Dec is known as Santa Day and on the eve of Santa Day, some towns even have a procession called Klausjagen, or “Santa-chasing”.
Attractive Christmas Markets
Switzerland is famous for its eclectic Christmas markets with every town and village hosting their own markets. Most of the markets start as early as November and run through the festive season. Cities like Zurich, Geneva and Basel have markets in multiple locations and are replete with stalls selling bespoke Christmas tree ornaments, handicrafts and gourmet specialities. Montreux nestled on Lake Geneva is known for being one of the most beautiful and largest markets while the Pilatus Christmas market which runs for a short duration in November is the highest in terms of altitude in the whole of Europe. Visit markets in small towns like Appenzell and Einsiedeln for a slice of the old-world charm and an authentic experience. These are some of the best places to shop for handcrafted gifts and home-made treats. The markets of Basel and Lucerne are known to be especially beautiful. Irrespective of which market you visit, each of the Swiss Christmas markets have their own charm. It is a perfect outing for the entire family and apart from shopping for gifts and artefacts, it is a great place to sample local delicacies like fondue, roasted chestnuts, Gebrannte Mandeln (roasted and flavoured almonds) and Glühwein which is German mulled wine.
