Is it true that Santa lives in Switzerland?

Probably many of us, when we were kids, went through the bubble burst when another “witty” kid told us that Santa didn’t exist! 😞😡

For some this bitter news marked the transition from the magic dreamy children’s world to adult’s tough & rough reality!🤓

Years after and I haven’t yet overcame this trauma till I learned that Santa exists in Switzerland 🇨🇭 🎅 🥳

Actually, in a tiny 450-people village called Wienacht, high above lake Constance, which is usually so dreamy and quiet, and becomes active for the period of Christmas. This is where Willi Würzer receives hundreds of letters every year from children all over the world sent “to Santa Claus, 9405 – Wienacht”.

Willi Würzel had been working at the post office of Wienacht-Tobel, the full name of the village. Because of the village name (Wienacht means Christmas in Swiss German) kids from around Switzerland were sending letters to Santa to this address. Thanks to the internet, the word spread and children from different countries such as Brazil, Germany and even as far as Japan, send Santa Claus countless letters every year. Rest assured, Swiss Santa Claus is reading every letter and is responding to every child 🤗.

Although it is on December 24 that children and grown-ups receive Christmas gifts in Switzerland, but Santa Claus makes his appearance earlier according to Swiss Christmas traditions! Actually Samichlaus (or Père Noël) comes on the 6th of December. Unlike other countries, Swiss Santa Claus comes with his helper- Schmutzli- dressed in black- and sometimes accompanied with a donkey to carry a heavy bag full….of chocolates, peanuts and mandarines!

On 6th of December, Samichlaus rings the bell of the house (probably Santa is worried about dirtying his costume if he passes through the chimney 😁 ) and Schmutzli takes a big bag of treats inside. Santa Claus addresses every child and reports whether they behaved well or were naughty. Kids can recite a poem about Santa Claus to get a better “grade” from him. Children try to do their best, as it means either they can get a handful of tasty treats from the bag or they will get some scolding from Schmutzli or even will be carried away in that bag 😱!

So who then brings Christmas presents in Switzerland?

Depending on where you live and the religion, it is either Christkindli (literally “Christ Child”) in mostly Protestant German-speaking part of Switzerland, or it is Père Noël or the Weihnachtsmann, a close relation of Santa Claus, in Catholic Western part of Switzerland.

To keep one of these important Swiss Christmas traditions, on Christmas Eve parents discreetly ring the bell to announce the arrival of Christkindli and take children to the bedroom. When they get back to the living room, Christkindli has already left and has delivered all the gifts under the Christmas tree 🎄 which are waiting for the children 🎁 💝

When can we start the countdown?

Advent calendars are an old and wide spread tradition in Switzerland because they help counting days till Christmas. How? Well an Advent calendar has 24 small numbered openings or boxes behind each a gift. One  gift is opened every day starting from December 1 till the 24. It is a lot of fun to prepare an Advent Calendar with sweets and small treats for your close family. But also you can buy a ready made Advent Calendar or just the structure and fill it with your own gifts!

What are those nicely decorated windows during Christmas ?

One of the other distinctive Swiss Christmas traditions is Advent windows or (Adventsfenster). This tradition is alive in villages and smaller towns. It is another way for the countdown to Christmas. Its organisation is quite fascinating. In a village they select 24 people (families, schools, even local businesses). Then they decorate one of their window(s) in a holiday theme. Designs vary from animals to angels and from shapes to colors. People use transparent papers that can nicely pass through the light from inside. Every night between December 1 and 24 a window opens its shutters to reveal the decoration. It stays open till December 25th at least, to entertain the neighbourhood. People use this as a socializing occasion and invite their neighbours for a drink and homemade finger food 🏠

How can we decorate à la Suisse?

Advent wreath (Adventskranz)

A traditional Swiss Christmas decoration is the Adventskranz or Advent wreath. It’s also an alternative way for countdown 🤨. An Adventskranz consists of a decorated circular wreath made of fir branches, having four candles attached to it. As you know Advent Christmas calendars countdown the days until Christmas starting from 1 of December. Adventskranz counts the last four weeks before Christmas Eve. One lights the first candle on the wreath on the Sunday four weeks before Christmas Eve. Then continues every Sunday with lighting a candle until all the 4 candles are lit.

Räbeliechtli

One of the fascinating Swiss Christmas traditions is Räbeliechtli. Children with the help of their teachers and parents carve out lanterns (Räbeliechtli) from turnip. Then from the end of November, they organise parades with the lanterns in hand, singing through small towns and villages.

This Christmas holidays might be different than the previous ones you have had before. Nothing matches being within family and beloved ones. So if you are staying in Switzerland for the holidays why not make it a special one and enjoy it the Swiss way? 🎄

Hope Santa will be generous with you this year and offers you plenty of gifts 🎁  If you are looking for Swiss Christmas gifts ideas, here’s our article with some authentic ideas.