What are some Christmas customs that are unique to Switzerland?

Question

What are some Christmas customs that are unique to Switzerland?

Answer 1

one thing come to mind. we swiss people celebrate Christmas on December 24 and we call it holy night (Heiligabend). also the Christmas gifts will be given on the 24th but i don't think it's unique to Switzerland.

Answer 2

in Switzerland, as a small country located between France, Italy, Germany and Austria, you'll find for Christmas a lot of traditions like those other countries... but we celebrate the 6th of December the Saint-Nicolas (which brings presents to good kids) and the Père Fouetard (dark men that hit the bad kids with a stick)... as well we have on the 24th at night the celebration of Christmas with dinner and giving the presents. The 25th we spend it in family. We usually have visited once or twice during the month a Christmas Market, drink Gluewein (red wine with tea, cinnamon, and other spices) served very hot. But I don't think we do have something so different from the other countries in Europe such as France and Germany!

Answer 3

Not sure it's unique to Switzerland, but a lot of people have "fondue chinoise" on Christmas Eve. (meat on a fork boiled in broth)

Maybe it's just my kids' school but on the last Thursday (or maybe sometimes other days depending on the calendar) before Christmas they have a party that all the kids MUST go to and then the next day is off "in compensation".

Candle-dipping is big here, not sure it's necessarily specifically associated with Christmas, maybe Advent.

Advent is big here too, kids must have a chocolate advent calendar and sometimes also a toy/surprise one. And there's some kind of candle-lighting tour of town, but I haven't figured that one out yet.

Stores are open on two Sundays in December!

Thought of a couple more, just in Zurich as far as I know, are probably not really old traditions:

I think it's called Lichteschwimmen, (lights swimming) hundreds of candles are put in these little boats and sent off down the river.

And the other one is the Maerlitram (story tram), where a Christmassy-looking tram goes through the city and Santa tells stories to the children on board (only children, parents have to wait at the terminus).

Answer 4

They like cheeses, watches and chocolates

no joke

Answer 5

They also believe that Santa comes much earlier in the month (I think December 4th) and he comes knocking at the door.  He then talks to the children, saying everything they've done good during the year, and also everything bad.  Santa is usually played by a neighborhood father who asks the parents prior to his visit what he should say, but tells the kids that "the birds" tell him everything.  If the kids did more good things than bad, they will get a present....but if they did too much bad stuff, Santa throws them in his sack and takes them away to the Black Forest in Germany, where they have to spend an entire year peeling carrots.  The gifts that come for Christmas (on the 24th, as already stated) are said to come from Baby Jesus, not santa.

Answer 6

Christkindli, an angel in white robes and veiled face and a jeweled crown, arrives with silver bells tinkling to announce it, in all the homes in Switzerland on Christmas.

Answer 7

In Switzerland, Christmas is celebrated on the Eve, ie December 24th in the evening.  Everything else is the same as elsewhere.