What is unique about Christmas in Switzerland?
Other than the Christmas' Eve dinner and the visit from Santa Claus, there are more cultural traditions that take place in Switzerland during the last month of the year such as the advent calendars (some towns actually use real houses' windows) and the processions of villagers with masks and cowbells banishing the evil ...
In Swiss villages like this, home windows serve as life-size Advent calendars — and like the paper calendar counterparts, one newly decorated Advent window is lit up every evening in a different house, building excitement as Christmas approaches. The debut of an Advent window often comes with a party.
Nicholas (so named after Nicholas of Myra, Patron Saint of children) comes to visit the children of Switzerland. This Swiss version of Santa Claus is called Samichlaus in the German-speaking part, and Saint-Nicolas in the French.
Norway. Perhaps one of the most unorthodox Christmas Eve traditions can be found in Norway, where people hide their brooms. It's a tradition that dates back centuries to when people believed that witches and evil spirits came out on Christmas Eve looking for brooms to ride on.
And at Christmastime, everything is wonderfully festive: music plays, the churches are full, people dress up in their finest, and everybody is in the happy holiday spirit. Families celebrate together, decorate the tree, sing carols, bake cookies, eat special dinners, and give one another gifts.
Christmas markets are very popular in towns and cities where you can buy all kinds of Christmas foods and decorations. There are big light displays and you can enjoy some more hot Glühwein! There are many local traditions of parades and carol singing in Switzerland.
The main Christmas celebration, known as Heiliger Abend, is on December 24. Many Swiss people decorate their Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, and presents are exchanged after dinner. For children, presents on Christmas Eve usually come from the Christ child.
Weihnachten—Christmas Day in Switzerland.
“Schöni Wiehnachte!”, “Joyeux Noël”,”Buon Natale!” and “Bellas festas da Nadal!” “Merry Christmas!” in all four of Switzerland's official languages! (From first to last, Swiss German, French, Italian and Romansh.) Switzerland is magical during Christmas time.
December 6th is St. Nicholas Day and in many European countries, it is considered an integral part of the run-up to Christmas. In Switzerland families get together on St. Nicholas Day and take part in the local St.
What is a strange Christmas tradition?
Pickle in the Tree | Germany
One legend says that the Christmas pickle originated in Spain, when two young boys were held as prisoners inside a pickle barrel. The heroic Saint Nicholas rescued the boys and brought them back to life. Either way, a pickle on the Christmas tree is a tradition we can totally get behind.
The first time the birth of Jesus Christ was attributed to the date December 25 was in the 4th century, according to early Roman history. Early celebrations of Christmas are thought to have derived from Roman and other European festivals that marked the end of the harvest, and the winter solstice.
Krampus, in central European popular legend, a half-goat, half-demon monster that punishes misbehaving children at Christmastime. He is the devilish companion of St. Nicholas. Krampus is believed to have originated in Germany, and his name derives from the German word Krampen, which means “claw.”
The most popular choices for Christmas dinner are Filet im Teig (pastry wrapped pork fillet with sausage meat), Fondue Chinoise (meat fondue) or Schinkli im Teig (pastry wrapped hot ham) with potato salad.
Samichlaus is a Swiss Santa Claus with a long history dating back to the 14th century. He was known initially as St. Nicholas, and he would visit children on December sixth to bring them presents.
On the shores of Lake Geneva, Montreux hosts a Christmas Market each December that features more than 150 decorated and illuminated chalets. Visit Santa Claus (who arrives direct from Lapland in his reindeer-drawn sleigh), as well as an authentic Christmas Village in Caux.
The most important of all holidays in Switzerland is the Swiss National Day, which falls on 1 August every year and is technically the only official federal holiday.
When do people exchange presents in Switzerland? At Christmas time, the most popular day for children (and definitely some adults) is when they finally get to unwrap their presents.
Basel Christmas market
It's official, Basel is not only the best Christmas market in Switzerland, it's also been selected as the Best Christmas market in Europe for 2021 and you can admire it too between 24 November and 23 December.
At the beginning of December, Santa and his helper Schmutzli move into a small cottage by the forest pond near the city of Zürich. From here they visit children at their home, which is a continuing tradition in Switzerland where parents call Samichlaus ahead of time. Santa can also be visited at his cozy cottage.
Does Switzerland have a Christmas tree?
Most Swiss people do have a christmas tree at home from mid December to the 6th of January. In Switzerland, many trees are not sold in shops but rather on the streets during the week before christmas. Naturally grown christmas trees are still very popular among Swiss people.
White Christmases are unlikely but not impossible, says expert. However, the meteorologist explained that a white Christmas has become increasingly rare in the lowlands of Switzerland in recent years.
Christmas trees, aka Weihnachtbaum in German, are not hard to find in Switzerland. But there are a few fun places to get your tree in the Zurich area. Zurich has three forests where you can buy locally grown trees and even has two days where you can cut down your own tree.
The Catholic, Protestant and Russian Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on December 25. The Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox and Romanian Orthodox churches, among others, celebrate Christmas on January 6 and the. The Armenian Orthodox church celebrates Christmas on January 18.
Ethiopia and Eritrea. Christmas Day is a public holiday in Eritrea that is celebrated on January 7 or on 27 Tahsas of the Ethiopian calendar. Christmas is called Ledet (ልደት) in Eritrea or Gena (ገና) in Ethiopia. Many Christians in the two countries fast for 40 days, in a fast called the Fast of the Prophets).
