Magical Christmas in Switzerland: Zurich. Introduction
Preparations for the warmest family holiday in Zurich begin at the end of November, this is when the first Christmas markets begin to open, and the wonderful smells of spices, toasted nuts, and fresh buns appear in the air. 
Day by day there are more and more garlands and lights... It’s worth mentioning separately about the lights: in December the Limmat River, and behind it Lake Zurich, become truly magical. According to good tradition, on a certain day chosen for the Lichterschwimmen festival, anyone can light a candle, the lights descend onto the water, one after another pouring into a golden stream of hundreds of similar ones.
It's no secret that the main means of transportation around Zurich is the tram. But Christmas is a time of miracles, and they even apply to transport. During the pre-holiday festivities, you can come across a very special trailer, jingling merrily as it runs.
It is ruled by none other than Santa himself, and he has angels as his assistants.
Such an unusual transport was created especially for children (who, as you understand, behaved well last year :)), during the journey little passengers are treated not only to the beauty of Zurich, but - which is much more interesting at this age - sweets and fairy tales.
And if the sweets collected during the trip were not enough, then both children and adults are strictly advised to take a walk through the center of Zurich with a stop at a pastry shop or coffee shop.
But once you step into the fondue hut, it becomes clear: there is a special charm of winter time that is worth waiting for.
One of these houses is called Piz Europa (Europaallee Passage), and it was there that my companions and I went for dinner and a mood that cannot be found anywhere else except in such traditional places.
Boiling broth, chocolate...whatever lovers of this idea dip their thin long forks into. But away with the crafty inventions called “Chinese” and long live the cheese fondue.
Despite all the apparent simplicity, the recipe and proportions, of course, are the secret of every hut, every housewife. But the general outlines are known: there are many varieties of cheese fondue, depending on the canton and the types of cheese. Families and large groups come for this dish - believe me, there is so much cheese that there is enough for everyone.
What can you find on the menu? A good 6 types of fondue! From Alpine and Moitié-Moitié (with Gruyère and Friborg vacheran) to the somewhat unexpected with truffles and champagne.
Before this, guests will certainly be offered a salad. Let's say green with fried bacon and a hard-boiled egg.
Or flatbread with onions and herbs, cooked in the oven.
And then they will light the burner and bring that long-awaited fondue. Let's say you choose Emmental and Gruyère - great! They are mixed with white wine and kirsch (cherry liqueur), seasoned with nutmeg. Here are the pieces of bread, which are attached to thin long forks and immersed in melted cheese.
Don't forget to make a wish if you're eating fondue for the first time!
Dessert? I don’t think anyone gets around to it :) Although, lemon sorbet or cream with meringue pieces should be good. Check if there is room for it ;)
Finally, night Zurich from the roof of our hotel -
December 28th, 2013 , 03:26 pm
In the first part of the story, I would like to show a little the city itself and its surroundings, how you can see Zurich not only during the holiday season, but also on weekdays; tell me why I love this city. 
The feeling of Christmas comes already at the moment when the plane comes in to land and neat houses and trees in a silvery haze become visible. You haven’t really looked at anything yet, haven’t set foot on Swiss soil, but you already know: something will happen today; something magical and good.
In a hurry to experience the beauty, we took off from Moscow on the morning Swiss flight, which, oh, happiness, is now not six, but nine o’clock. Taking into account the time difference (in winter it is 3 hours), we arrive in Zurich at 11 am; and now the whole day is ahead.
To get to the city from Zurich airport, just go to the next building and take the train going towards Zürich Hauptbahnhof (Zurich main station).
Tickets can be purchased at the box office or from vending machines. For a one-time trip, a day ticket is quite suitable. We, planning a large number of trips not only around the city, but also around the country, with visits to museums, acquired swiss passes. The big advantage of this pass is that it covers the whole of Switzerland and, when traveling around it, there is no need to check, right Do you have the ticket in your hands?
From the ship to the ball, from the train to the thick of things - where else if not in Zurich, which is proud of its largest indoor fair. At the main station of the city there is a magnificent spruce, a gift from the Swarovski company, and around it chestnuts are roasted, mulled wine is poured into mugs, gifts are wrapped in rustling paper.. Yes, it has begun!:)
And now the spire of Fraumünster is visible..
But first things first :) The trio of the main symbols of Zurich will probably look like this: Fraumünster, Grossmünster and St. Peter's Church.
No matter what guidebook you open, you will find them everywhere. As usual, there were some legends. Grossmunster, which is said to have been founded by Charlemagne himself, distinguished itself especially in this regard. Further information varies: either a deer appeared to the king, or his own horse knelt at the burial site of Saints Felix and Regula. Be that as it may, the incident was regarded as a sign from above and a monastery was built on the site.
During the Reformation, Gross and Fraumünster changed course and became Protestant, which is also St. Peter.
Gross is more impressive and thorough, but many will prefer the graceful Fraumünster, especially if we remember its beautiful stained glass windows created by Marc Chagall. Tourists are tourists, but also many local residents come to the cathedral not only to pray, but also to simply meditate, think, looking at a genuine work of art, permeated with light.
From here, from the very heart of the city, cruise ships depart on Lake Zurich.
And it would be a shame not to dedicate one of them to such a walk: say goodbye to the swans gracefully gliding through the water and go to admire the Alps.
Long day, fresh air... how not to get hungry. For authentic recipes, it is better to go to restaurants in the central part of Zurich, many of which are located in the houses of various guilds.
A worthy option to continue exploring the city and traditions is Zeughauskeller. It is located on the main street of the city, Bahnhofstrasse 28A (beim Paradepaltz) and is famous for such wonderful things as a whole baked pork leg, sausages in all possible varieties and the burgomaster's sword (Bürgermeister Schwert).
I’ll tell you about the sword :) You have to be very hungry or very greedy to order such a sword for yourself. It will take at least a couple of good eaters.
As soon as these are found, order and wait. Not only your order, but also the surprise of others.
The waiter will bring a real bladed weapon:) Its blade is wrapped in veal and fried in this form. Next, in your presence, the meat is separated from the sword.
For a side dish, expect resti, a traditional potato dish. In this form, as here, reshti is a bit like a large potato pancake, but is prepared not from fresh, but from boiled potatoes.
For dessert, try the apple pie with nut filling and apricot jam frosting. Or order the fluffy, incredibly chocolate mousse. The location obliges such a mousse to be something exceptional.
In addition, without leaving the restaurant you can take a short gastronomic trip to Lucerne, getting acquainted with the local gingerbread (Luzerner Lebkuchen). It is prepared according to an old family recipe with honey, spices and zest. A winter treat indeed!
In the second part we will see the Christmas markets of Zurich, hot mulled wine, raclette and a singing tree :)
By the way, if you are planning to celebrate the New Year in this wonderful city, then take note: on December 31, Zurich will host the largest party in Switzerland with fireworks over Lake Zurich - New Year's Magic from the Zurich Hotel Owners Association.
The travel company Travel Plan - "DSBW Travel Collection" will organize excursion tours to Switzerland in 2019. Switzerland is an amazing country that has been spared the wars and hardships of the past century. For many, she is a model of comfort and peace. Switzerland has many faces and diversity. Different traditions and cultures coexist here: German-speaking Zurich and French-speaking Geneva, Italian-speaking Ticino - they are all part of a single, but very different country.
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Prince Vahe, 7th grade
The text material tells about the traditions of the Christmas and New Year holidays in Switzerland. A report prepared by a 7th grade student can be used as additional material for preparing for linguistic and regional studies Olympiads or during extracurricular activities, for example, German language week.
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Traditions and Christmas holidays of Switzerland
Perhaps holidays, like nothing else, can demonstrate the essence of national culture, its soul. Holidays in Switzerland are divided into national ones, which are celebrated by all residents of the country. National holidays, in turn, are divided into religious and state holidays. If we remember that Switzerland is a confederation that unites 23 cantons with a rich history under its flag, then it is not surprising that each region has its own local holidays. In addition, the strong influence of French, Italian and German cultures determined the unique flavor that is inherent in every celebration.
They say that if you take a little Germany, add a fair amount of France and a little Italy, you get Switzerland. Probably, Christmas should be so averagely European here; Switzerland is distinguished by a variety of unusual Christmas and “St. Nicholas” traditions: after all, this country is extremely multinational. There are French, German and Italian regions here, each of which has preserved its own ways of organizing holidays and feasts, as well as its own dates for these holidays (most of them fall just in winter). In addition, the country still has many isolated mountain villages that honor their traditions and do everything in their own, special way. It is not surprising that before Christmas so many tourists come to Switzerland from all over the world.
What could be better than celebrating New Year and Christmas in the snow-capped Alpine mountains, with clean air and numerous lakes around? Every year Switzerland attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world for Christmas. Athletes and active youth go to ski resorts, ladies do winter shopping in the local fashionable shops, and married couples who prefer a quiet and comfortable holiday fly to the shores of the famous Lake Geneva or stay in one of the quiet Alpine villages.
Christmas markets
The festive atmosphere comes to Switzerland on November 26th. It was then that the first Christmas market with gifts and surprises opens here in the commune of Einsiedeln (German: Einsiedeln). A month (or even earlier) before Christmas, all houses are transformed. City streets are decorated with fluffy Swiss Christmas trees, and restaurants and roadside cafeterias begin to serve a special dish - hot chestnuts, which are considered an indispensable attribute of the holiday. Spending Christmas in Switzerland is like being in a fairy tale. Switzerland never looks so cozy as during the Christmas holidays. Many houses are decorated with festive garlands and other Christmas symbols; small installations with Santa Clauses and animal figurines are installed on the balconies and walls of houses. Decorating houses, both outside and inside, takes a lot of money and time. You won't see anything - multi-colored garlands, real candles, wreaths made of natural or artificial pine needles, and fabulous figurines of deer, bears, snowmen... On pre-holiday days, you can wander the evening streets - illuminated buildings look new; admire the beautifully illuminated shop windows and take a closer look at the things you like, the prices for which will drop after the holidays.
In December, fairs open everywhere. The largest Christmas market, Marché de Noël de Montreux, takes place in the city of Montreux (French Montreux) from November 26 to December 24. Here you can taste dishes from all cantons, that is, regions of Switzerland - Italian, German, French.
People come here not only to shop, but also just to have fun and eat something delicious.
When coming to Switzerland for Christmas, you need to remember one thing: almost all this beauty disappears immediately after Christmas, and does not survive until the New Year. The Christmas fairy tale, as befits a real fairy tale, ends immediately after Christmas. However, warm memories from the cheerful atmosphere will warm the soul for another whole year.
In addition, those who want to devote a couple of days to shopping should be careful: although in December before Christmas, on Saturdays for two days before Christmas, stores are open until 20 pm, and the authorities also allow Sunday shopping, but during the holidays you may find that all stores are closed, including at the station.
Pre-Christmas and New Year's Eve are the busiest times of the year in Switzerland. Everyone is trying to think through and organize the Christmas celebration as carefully as possible.A month before the holiday, a wreath of branches and flowers is placed on a special table, and every Sunday a candle is placed in it.
The appearance of the fourth candle means the arrival of Christmas.
You need to buy gifts for all relatives. If you forget someone, there is no forgiveness for you. In most cases, everyone already knows what they will give them, but everyone hopes for a miracle. Most of all, the Swiss value “handmade” gifts, which you can make with your own hands or buy at one of the Christmas markets. Thanks to the Christmas market, cities take on a truly fabulous look. In the city I set up a Christmas tree, decorate the fairground with garlands, and sell Glühwein (mulled wine) and Guetzli (Christmas cookies). To feel the spirit of Swiss Christmas, you should definitely go to the Christmas market. Here you can try delicious national dishes from all over Switzerland. For savory foods, you should try “originally Swiss” pates, and for sweets, Christmas cookies. Throughout Switzerland in December they sell dough figurines, which in the French part are called Christmas men, and in the German part - gritibans. If you want to try an authentic Swiss Christmas treat, bake a grittinbanz (Christmas man) at one of the many bakeries that always offer baking classes. Lucerne is especially famous for its Gritibans. There is a bakery here with a bakery school. Of course, not only Christmas people are taught to bake in it, but December is their time.
Once upon a time, Gritibans made different types - some depicted Santa Claus, others Christmas elves or gnomes, but those days are long gone.
For children, going to the Christmas market is a whole holiday. They are definitely taken to Santa Claus's workshop. Children help the Christmas elves, make toys or draw cards themselves. Not for themselves, but for their peers from poor countries.
Children get a lot of unforgettable experiences by helping Santa Claus and his elves make toys and paint cards in the workshop.
At fairs you can buy everything your heart could desire on Christmas Eve. These are handmade glass balls, blown right in front of you, and wooden riddle toys, and various sweets and savories that can be bought after the holidays, but not so expensive, and a bunch of other “absolutely necessary” things in the household that can successfully collect dust for the next 10 years. From 8 to 23 December there is a Christmas market in the old part of Zurich. Here, on the city's main cobbled street, Niederdorfstrasse, and on Hirschenplatz, the most skilled craftsmen and craftsmen from Switzerland and neighboring countries display their wares. Zürich Christmas Market is considered one of the oldest fairs in the world.
Fairs are not only a place where gifts and souvenirs are traditionally bought. This is a place where people have fun. These are exhibitions, performances and concerts. Here you can treat yourself to chestnuts and Gutzli cookies made from various doughs in the shapes of stars, crescents and bells.
If you find yourself in Zurich for Christmas, be sure to walk along Bahnhofstrasse, which is also decorated with garlands for this holiday. It is worth noting that the tradition of hanging such illumination on the main street of Zurich has been around for decades, but all attempts to make any changes are met with misunderstanding on the part of conservative Swiss. The city authorities tried to offer something new, but this initiative did not meet with support from the Swiss. They write to the newspapers and demand that everything remain as it is.
Despite the fact that Zurich is a city of staid bankers, prudent businessmen and ambitious politicians, during the Christmas holidays the city turns into a living fairy tale. Here, Santa Claus wanders the streets with a sack on his back, and adults and children vied with each other to sing a Christmas carol to him, trying to get a surprise, a tram rides along the embankment, ruled by Santa himself, and angels hand out tickets to little passengers (children under 10 are allowed to ride the tram years). The tram is one of the favorite modes of transport in this country. Runs strictly on schedule, quickly, conveniently. It’s so convenient that even angels and Santa Claus ride on the tram, leaving their sleighs behind. True, only once a year - around Christmas and only on one tram - the magic one. It departs from the central square every twenty minutes. He drives a magical Christmas tram, and angels sing Christmas songs and tell magical stories to the child passengers. There are no tickets for adults on this route; they are never allowed on the magic tram.
Houses and shop windows decorated with magnificent garlands, figurines of fairy-tale animals and Santa, unique illumination - all this creates an unusual atmosphere of a fairy tale approaching. The central street of the old city, Bahnhofstrasse, is traditionally decorated with vertical shining lamps imitating the shimmer of the northern lights, long garlands of more than 20 thousand light bulbs. The main decoration for Christmas in Zurich is considered to be a 15-meter spruce, decorated with thousands of exclusive crystals from Swarovski, installed at the Zurich Hauptbahnhof (Zurich Central Station), and a singing spruce towering on Werdmuhleplatz.
Particularly beautiful is the small street Rennweg, which runs up the hill from Bahnhofstrasse, as well as the small Augustinergasse, next to the Augustinian church, where, in addition to a number of pretty bay windows, charming little stars are added. The most charming is the Rennweg, which branches off from Bahnhofstrasse. It is decorated with thousands of vertical garlands with light bulbs, creating an incredible feeling of space. Many streets are lined with small wooden tent houses decorated with fir branches, where you can buy a popular winter delicacy - roasted chestnuts. It is the smell of roasted chestnuts that gives that unique charm to walks through winter Zurich.
Popular New Year's souvenirs from Switzerland
The most popular souvenir from Switzerland is chocolate. It can be in the form of round sweets, sets of chocolates of different shapes with all kinds of fillings, or bars. The most popular chocolate among the Swiss themselves is Teuscher brand chocolate. It is quite expensive; one hundred grams of this delicacy will cost about 8 francs. Teuscher chocolate is sold in branded stores that can be found in any city. In Zurich, for example, many chocolate shops are located on Bahnhofstrasse, where they also offer chocolate from such famous brands as Nestlé, Frey, Spruengli, Lindt and others.
Another popular souvenir from Switzerland is aromatic cheese. In Swiss stores it is sold in any form: by weight, in assorted souvenir sets, sliced and in other forms. A small set, for example, of four types of cheeses will cost about 5 francs.
A large selection of cheeses is presented at the weekly fair, which is organized every Wednesday at the train station in Zurich. In addition to cheeses, it offers a large selection of homemade sausages. Since November 25, this fair has been operating on an ongoing basis. It is considered the largest Christmas market in Europe. At this time, around a lush Christmas tree decorated with Swarovski crystals, there are over 170 trays decorated with Christmas wreaths and garlands. Private manufacturers and representatives of well-known brands offer their products every day. From Monday to Friday the fair is open from 11:00 to 21:00, and on weekends from 10:00 to 20:00.
One of the most pleasant souvenirs that you can bring from Christmas Switzerland is a candle made of natural wax, made by you yourself. You can get a master class in candle making and make yourself a gift in one of the stalls at the Christmas market. The atmosphere there is indescribable: it smells of honey, there are containers with melted wax, there are molds on the tables, white ropes are hung on the walls.
Another souvenir most often taken away by tourists from Switzerland is a watch. The largest number of shops where you can buy Swiss watches are located along Bahnhofstrasse. Such a souvenir in this area will cost approximately 70 - 110 francs.
The famous Swiss gingerbread can also be an excellent souvenir. Their cost varies greatly and depends on the size, manufacturer, composition, packaging and other factors. A large gingerbread man, for example, will cost approximately 7 francs, and a set weighing 500 grams, consisting of small gingerbread cookies, will cost 13 - 17 francs.
Souvenirs often bought by tourists are also ceramics, magnets, knives, magnets depicting Swiss landmarks and others. A wide variety of them, especially on the eve of the New Year and Christmas, are offered in the souvenir departments of almost any more or less large store. The most popular place for avid shoppers, for example, in Zurich is Bahnhofstrasse. Here you can find a huge variety of exclusive items that will remind you of the fabulous days spent in this wonderful country.
St. Nicolas day
Traditionally, a series of holidays in Switzerland begins on December 6, St. Nicholas Day. Samichlaus (St. Nicholas) comes to children on the sixth of December and gives mostly sweets, but his figures climbing up drainpipes or peering through windows, or chasing his trusty deer/donkey can be seen throughout the month. Samichlaus wears a red coat with a hood and has a long white beard. On the evening of December 6, he comes to visit the children, if, of course, the parents took care of this in advance and invited him. He comes not with the Snow Maiden, but with a scary black man. This is Schmutzl. It is believed that Santa Claus gives gifts to good children, and Schmutzl punishes the bad ones. The Swiss Santa has a book that records how everyone behaved throughout the year. But usually Shmutzl doesn’t have to punish anyone. It’s not that all children in Switzerland are good, it’s just that on holidays it’s not customary to remember bad things.
Like here in Russia, children read poems to Santa Claus, after which he gives them gifts and mostly sweets.
Santa and Schmutzl also visit schools and kindergartens, and bring with them a large bag full of nuts, tangerines, cookies and other sweets. For this meeting, children prepare special poems about Samichlaus, which they recite and sing for Samichlaus for a reward. Samichlaus and Schmutzli also carry rods with which they intend to punish bad children, which never actually happens. In the past, naughty children were often threatened that Samichlaus would take them in his sack into the forest if they did not obey. Today Samichlaus is a kind grandfather for all children who brings gifts. In the Italian part of Switzerland in the canton of Ticino, on the eve of Epiphany, a female Saint Nicholas appears - the old woman Befana (distorted from Epifania), and in French-speaking Switzerland - the old woman Chauche (Chauche-vieille). On the evening of December 5 in Ticino, children in anticipation of gifts hang out socks, which the next day they will find filled with either sweets (for obedient children) or pieces of coal (for naughty children).
Adults and children enjoy the annual swims of Santa Clauses who have not lost their fitness. The competition usually takes place on December 6 on Lake Zurich. For winter fun, a huge free skating rink is being prepared for the holidays on the lake, and performances of the Conelli Circus are held on the ruins of the city fortress. On the evening of December 25, in honor of the arrival of Christmas, the lake is illuminated with millions of lights from spectacular fireworks.
In Catholic areas of Switzerland (especially in the canton of Schwyz), a tradition called the “Chase of St. Nicholas” (Klausjagen) is celebrated on December 5th. Men dressed in long white cassocks carry huge miters on their heads in the dark. These very bulky structures weighing 25 kg or more cannot be called headdresses. Meanwhile, they are used precisely in this capacity. Lighted candles are placed inside these giant bishop's miters. Saint Nicholas was a bishop - hence the mitres. In the dark, the fire shines through their patterns and the illusion of church stained glass windows appears. Some of these hats are over 100 years old. People in luminous miters move solemnly, as befits bishops, around the square. And then music starts. It is Saint Nicholas himself, surrounded by a noisy retinue of torchbearers, who appears, followed by musicians. Everyone blows a huge horn. The procession is closed by a group of townspeople dressed as shepherds. Each person holds a large cow bell. With the clicking of whips, the ringing of bells, and the sound of trumpets, horns here scared away evil spirits back in pagan times. Subsequently, this ritual became part of the Christian holiday. To see this holiday in all its glory, it is worth visiting the town of Küssnacht, which is located on the shores of Lake Viervalstätt, where the borders of four cantons meet. People from all over the country gather for Klaus Jagen; more than 20 thousand people come to take part in the procession in honor of St. Nicholas. German, French, and Italian are spoken. The traditions of these three European peoples in Switzerland are so intertwined that they can no longer be separated from each other. After the parade of participants, the saint himself appears, and next to him walks a thunderstorm of naughty children - Shmutzl. It is worth noting that it is on this holiday that Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, distributes gifts to Swiss children, and not at all on Christmas, when all the action unfolds around the baby Jesus. On the streets of Switzerland, Santa Clauses walk around handing out sweets to children and adults. Next to them is the terrible scarecrow Schmutzli (German: Schmutzli), who hunts for bad children.
On St. Nicholas Day, gingerbread men are prepared in Switzerland. Because of the Nativity fast, however, the dough from which the figurines are baked has very little in common with real gingerbread dough.
Leisya, song
A few weeks before Christmas in Basel, which is located in the north-west of Switzerland and borders both Germany and France, Christmas markets, festivals, street carols and all kinds of performances begin in the central square of the city and other smaller squares.
These days it is interesting to walk along the narrow ornate streets of Basel, listening to sonorous voices coming from different corners. The sounds of one choir connect with another standing in the neighboring square - it seems that all the singers have specially agreed to sing in a canon. This unique atmosphere is complemented by Christmas carols in churches. Anyone can go to church, regardless of religion.
The songs are sung in German or Swiss-German (which is not the same thing at all), they sound beautiful and solemn. It seems strange, but here it is customary for artists to receive applause only at the end of the concert and never between songs.
And in Zurich on Saturdays you can find a singing Christmas tree - this is a pedestal in the shape of a Christmas tree, on which teenagers in red caps, like balls on a Christmas tree, sing Christmas songs.
Christmas cookies
The Swiss have special traditional holiday cookies for Christmas. The Swiss are firmly convinced that buying it in stores is practically a crime; only homemade is recognized. In the pre-Christmas days, housewives bake it according to family recipes. And all of Switzerland, as if its inhabitants have no other worries these days, conscientiously knead the dough for hours, stand at the stove, making sure that the precious cookies do not burn. All Swiss mothers have a real baking competition. And wherever you go during this period, you will be greeted by a variety of cookies, and some of them are even wrapped in little bags specifically for distribution to guests. These gift sets typically include lemon crescent cookies, candied fruits, nut baked goods, and soft almond muffins. Two more elements of the mandatory program are hearts stuffed with jam, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and nuts with coconut. Also in the set there will certainly be some special cookies that are prepared exclusively by this chef or this family. The number of varieties of Christmas cookies is simply beyond counting. It seems that for housewives who have spent so much time, effort and labor on cookies, at the end of this work there will be nothing sweeter than sitting in a comfortable chair, relaxing their tired legs and finally tasting the fruits of their deeds. But no, the cookies were not made to be eaten in the house where they were baked. It is packaged in tin or cardboard boxes or in colorful paper bags and given to friends and acquaintances. But they also spent more than one hour in the kitchen, working hard on their brand of cookies. Therefore, they do not remain in debt and, in turn, give gifts to their guests. As a result, no one is left without cookies and the firm belief that cookies baked at home are much better than those received as a gift.
Christmas
So, behind the bustle and fun, Christmas itself comes unnoticed - the main family holiday in Switzerland, which is actively celebrated regardless of the “nationality” of the canton. Christmas in Switzerland falls on the night of December 24-25.
The tree is decorated for Christmas; Every family usually makes toys, bells and bows to decorate the Christmas tree themselves. Gifts at Christmas are given not by Father Frost or Santa Claus, but by Baby Jesus / (Christkind), a snow-white angel in a crown, before whose appearance a silver bell rings.
Christmas begins with a church mass held in all the villages and towns of Switzerland. Religious Christmas carols continue at home. Christmas in Switzerland is celebrated very calmly, without fireworks, noise or other fun. This is a family holiday, modest and unfussy. So family-friendly that finding a working restaurant on Christmas night is almost hopeless.
Families gather at home under real Christmas trees and with real wax candles, which are lit by the head of the family. Even before lighting the candles, all the gifts - beautifully wrapped, with names on attached ribbons - are laid out under the tree in neat piles. Then, after the first glass of champagne, the ceremony of giving begins. Everyone looks for their boxes, takes them, but does not open them right away. According to tradition, you need to wait until everyone pays attention to one of those present. Then he will try to guess from whom he received this or that gift, and only then open it, and only after that the guests will turn their attention to the next owner of the treasured box. When the tree is lit and the gifts are sorted, a small but tasty meal follows. There are traditional dishes on the table: a variety of pates, puff pastries with meat and cheese, and for dessert - huge ringley donuts and hot chocolate. The table is quite modest.
Families spend quiet, old-world evenings at the festive table. The Swiss do not like the way the British and Americans celebrate Christmas - with gastronomic excesses and copious amounts of drinking under the deafening roar of an unquenchable TV. There are no paper hats or crackers at Swiss Christmas. After the festive dinner, the whole Swiss family goes to Christmas church services, regardless of whether they belong to the Catholic or Protestant branch of Christianity. On Christmas Eve in church you can meet many people who do not attend church on ordinary days.
The Swiss work ethic also extends to holidays. If two days of Christmas fall on a weekend, there is no compensation for holidays in the form of time off or additional days off work. On Monday, the Swiss, like little ones, go to work again and work hard for the sake of their well-being in the coming new year.
New Year
Like throughout Europe, in Switzerland the New Year is celebrated on December 31st. However, New Year is nothing unusual for the Swiss. This is a simple home feast, even without gifts. The scale of the New Year in Switzerland cannot be compared with the scale of Christmas, when the whole country is literally seething with impatience and every city organizes something of its own. Perhaps December 31st would not even be a day off here if not for one “but”... And the name of this “but” is Saint Sylvester. That was the name of the Pope, who lived in the 3rd century and was able to catch a huge monster in 314, preventing the apocalypse. Since then, Catholics have offered prayers to this saint, and the day of the death of Pope Sylvester, December 31 (he died in 336 AD), is considered a religious holiday.
Once upon a time, Christians believed that in the year 1000 the terrible serpent Leviathan would again break out of the depths of the sea, destroy the whole world, and the end of the world would come. But people offered prayers to their intercessor Sylvester, and no trouble happened.
It is this story that is remembered on New Year’s Eve in Switzerland and carnivals are held in honor of the mythical characters, and the participants themselves are called Sylvester Klaus. Masquerades, which are held in every entertainment establishment, are the main distinctive feature of New Year's Eve in Switzerland. Restaurants lure the public not with gastronomic New Year's delights, but with masquerades. Although the festive dinner will be at the same level. After all, Swiss cuisine is a combination of French, Italian and German cuisines.
For several days before and after the New Year in Switzerland you can meet people in masks and different costumes. Colorful carnival processions in narrow streets, crowds of cheerful townspeople in bright costumes fill all the streets of Swiss cities. New Year's Claus, dressed in Christmas trees and decorated with bells, roam the Swiss countryside and wish everyone all the best for the new year. They sing and dance, and the villagers give them food, drinks or money. It is believed that a visit from such a Klaus helps get rid of evil spirits in the house.
The New Year holiday in Switzerland is somewhat different from ours: they usually don’t give anything for the New Year, but only have a festive dinner, but here it is not customary to have a large feast. And yet, one ancient custom that is associated with food here is pear gingerbread, which the Swiss exchange with their friends and neighbors on New Year's Eve, and then eat for dessert.
In some areas of Switzerland there is a tradition of calling December 31st "Sylvester", so the question "What will you do on Sylvester?" means “How are you going to celebrate the New Year?” And the last person to wake up that day is called Sylvester and is forced to pay a fine - even if only with candy.
Old New Year in Swiss
Some people mistakenly believe that Russia is the only country where there is a holiday with a strange name - the old New Year. In the canton of Appenzell-Outer this holiday is repeated again on January 13, this time under the name "Old Silvester" (Alter Silvester). In the 16th century, residents of the Protestant part of Appenzell flatly refused, unlike their Catholic neighbors, to switch to the Gregorian calendar and continued to live according to the Julian calendar, i.e. according to the old style. Just like the Orthodox, Pope Gregory XIII was not a decree for them. Appenzell-Outer did not abandon the tradition of honoring Old Sylvester, even when the whole of Switzerland had finally switched to the Gregorian calendar.
Officially, January 13 is not a public holiday in Appenzell, but in fact most businesses, schools, shops and government offices are closed on this day. From 5 a.m. on the snow-filled streets of Appenzell towns and villages, almost all of their male residents, including children, come out in costumes of Sylvester Claus (Silvesterklaus) of three varieties - forest (made of spruce branches), evil (with ferocious masks) and good (with unimaginably high kokoshniks and a cheerful chamomile in the mouth).
Sylvesterklaus
Silvesterklaus wear masks with women's or men's faces, hang them on the chest and back, and put lush headdresses on their heads. These are the so-called “beautiful” Clauses. There are also ugly Klauses with demonic masks, with horns on their heads; they are dressed in rough clothes made of hides and branches. You can also meet “forest” Claus in costumes made of branches and leaves. In small groups, the Silvesterklaus go from house to house, yodeling and wishing everyone a Happy New Year. The Silvesterklaus celebrate the New Year according to the Julian calendar. This tradition dates back to 1582, when Pope Gregor XIII reformed the calendar. Residents of the Protestant canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden refused to follow this direct order from Rome, and have since celebrated the New Year on January 13th.
Herisau - the capital of one of the smallest entities within the confederation, the semi-canton of Appenzell-Ausserrhoden, where on New Year’s Day you can easily see a Christmas tree hanging along rural paths, hung with heavy cow bells. The strange creature is called Sylvesterklaus - it is a cross between Santa Claus and a mythical monster, which was supposedly imprisoned in one of the local castles by the priest Sylvester, who lived in the 11th century. Silvesterklaus gives gifts to children - but this does not stop him from instilling fear in the adult residents of the canton.Chanting "Zäuerli" (a special type of polyphonic yodeling characteristic of Appenzell), they walk through the deep snow from farm to farm ringing cow bells to scare away evil spirits. The “coming out” is preceded by a many-hour ritual with putting on costumes in the house of the leader of each group of 6 Sylvester Clauses, whose wife, mother or daughter prepares for the guests a very hearty breakfast with the famous Appenzell spiced cheese and white wine.
Although Old Sylvester is revered throughout the canton of Appenzell-Outer, the most beautiful festival in his honor, according to experts, takes place in Urnäsch. This village with a population of 2 thousand souls, located in the valley of the same name, has its own station, to which the characteristic red narrow-gauge cars of the Appenzell Railways will take you from St. Gallen.
List of sites
- http://focus.ua/foreign
- http://tiptotrip.ru
- http://www.amstel.su/country/4/info/38
- http://www.aboutswiss.ch
- http://zurichcity.ru/rozhdestvo-v-cyurixe/
We know Switzerland as the most prosperous European country, famous throughout the world for its watches, chocolate and cheese. What Swiss New Year and Christmas traditions are you familiar with? How do they celebrate Christmas and New Year in Switzerland? In this article I will tell you something about this.
Switzerland is a unique country. Its official name is the Swiss Confederation. Switzerland has three official languages: German, French and Italian. Regions or districts of Switzerland are called cantons; all cantons have their own constitution and, of course, their own national traditions and customs, including those related to Christmas and New Year. Preparations for the Christmas celebration begin on November 26 with the opening of Christmas markets throughout the country, where until December 23-24 everyone can buy Christmas gifts, souvenirs, decorations, sweets, have fun and treat themselves to roasted chestnuts and something else delicious in numerous fair cafes. Simultaneously with the opening of holiday markets, the streets and squares of cities are transformed with multi-colored garlands, elegant Christmas trees, sparkling figures of fairy-tale characters and Christmas nativity scenes in store windows and near numerous churches. In Switzerland, they do not skimp on festive decorations for Christmas; for example, the main Christmas tree in Zurich is decorated with Swarovski crystals. But all this splendor, unfortunately, will not last until the New Year; immediately after Christmas, Switzerland will take off its festive attire and put on a casual business dress. But before Christmas, the Swiss and tourists fully enjoy the sparkling winter fairy tale. The pre-Christmas time is a busy time when you need to prepare or buy gifts for all relatives, without forgetting anyone, so that there are no offenses. By the way, the Swiss highly value hand-made gifts, and gifts are made not only by children, but also by adults; these can be hand-knitted items, homemade cards and souvenirs, and, of course, traditional Christmas cookies. Each canton has its own unique cookie recipes; housewives carefully bake them in large quantities before the holiday and pack them in beautiful bags and boxes to present as gifts to family and friends. This is a kind of exchange of Christmas cookies between friends and relatives, and this tradition is unshakable. Even in Switzerland, the tradition of exchanging postcards with Christmas greetings is very common.
Santa Claus brings sweet gifts to Swiss children, as well as to everyone in Europe, on December 6th, here he is called Samichlaus. Swiss Santa comes to children not alone, but with his constant companion named Schmutzl. Samichlaus is kind, he brings sweets, and Shmutzl comes with rods to punish naughty pranksters. But, as a rule, Schmutzl remains without work; all children deserve only praise and gifts. In the Italian-speaking cantons, instead of Samichlaus, the children are congratulated by the old woman Befana, and where they speak French, the old woman Shosh comes to the children with gifts. But on Christmas itself, which is celebrated in Switzerland on the night of December 24-25, the Baby Jesus - Christkind - secretly comes with gifts and at the same time rings the bell. Christmas bells are a must-have decoration on the Christmas tree in every home. Christmas is a family holiday: relatives gather at home at the festive table, treat themselves and exchange gifts. After the feast, everyone must attend church. Even those who don’t go there during the year go to church on Christmas. The Swiss Christmas menu is not particularly rich; housewives usually prepare a variety of pates, puff pastries with meat and cheese, cheese or chocolate fondue; Champagne on the Christmas table is a must. Christmas is such a homely, family holiday that finding a working restaurant or cafe on Christmas night is very problematic. Swiss labor law is such that if Christmas falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the weekend does not carry over to working days and everyone goes to work on Monday. The Swiss are very hardworking, reserved and thrifty; they probably wouldn’t have celebrated the New Year at all if it weren’t for Sylvester’s Day, which falls on December 31st. Sylvester was the name of one of the Popes, he accomplished a feat and saved the world from the monster Leviathan. This holiday is celebrated in memory of this feat. Many in Switzerland identify these two holidays and call the New Year Sylvester. There is a tradition of organizing carnivals in fancy dress for New Year and Sylvester. Participants in these masquerades are called Sylvester Clauses. In Switzerland, before and after the New Year, you can meet people dressed up in various masquerade costumes, often wearing bells. Meeting such a mummer is good luck.
And in the Swiss canton of Appenzell-External, as well as in Russia, on the night of January 13-14, there is a tradition of celebrating the Old New - Old Sylvester. This holiday appeared after Switzerland switched to the Gregorian calendar. So we, Russians, have comrades and colleagues regarding the celebration of the Old New Year. And that is great! We are not alone!
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!
