Switzerland didn't have an official national anthem until 1981. The date was chosen because the Federal Charter of 1291 was dated “at the beginning of the month of August”. By the way, did you know that you can buy an entire litre of mulled wine at the supermarket in Switzerland for less than 2 Swiss Francs? Would you like to? Finally, a hot cup of mulled wine (Glühwein) and good music (“Believe” by Josh Groban is my all time favorite Christmas song) are always must. At 8:00 p.m. (20:00) church bells ring throughout the country. That’s right, dogs are taxed in Switzerland. Switzerland is a small and modest country. Switzerland has many customs that are tied to the calendar - most are of pagan origin or have a religious connection. Here are some facts about Switzerland: The council in 325 defined that Easter shall be the first Sunday after the first full moon after the beginning of spring. The document is considered one of the country's most important founding documents. Some are based on ancient traditions while others have emerged only recently. Each year, Santa Claus (called Samichlaus here) gives presents to the kids not once but twice: first on December 6th (St. Niklaus Day) and again on Christmas’ Eve to reward the good children all around country. Have a sip of hot mulled wine (Glühwein) and forget all your problems! The three original cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden were joined by the Eternal Alliance signed on 1st August 1291. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.
The festivals celebrated in Switzerland differ considerably depending on the season and the region. The Bundesfeier on August 1 is Switzerland's national holiday.
Interested in knowing what happens behind the scenes during Christmas in Switzerland? The document is considered one of the country's most important founding documents.
However, Santa Claus is not alone in Switzerland and will always be seen with his nasty evil companion called Schmutzli (think of him as a mix of Chewbacca and the fat guy from Lost) who will take care of the naughty kids who have misbehaved. In most cases, the official ceremonies include a prayer and the singing of the Swiss national anthem (the Schweizerpsalm).
Weihnachten—Christmas Day in Switzerland. Provided they can gather 50,000 signatures against the … In Switzerland, Christmas Markets usually start in November and go on until the 24th of December (although in smaller towns, Christmas Markets only take place for a limited number of days). There are celebrations in communities all around Switzerland. The National Day, a secular holiday that is celebrated countrywide is observed on August 1. Other traditional Christmas Eve’s meals include ham with scalloped potatoes as well as a walnut cake for dessert. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVkIxF_kbC8. But when you take a closer look and learn the facts about Switzerland, it is far from boring. var s = d.createElement(sc), p = d.getElementsByTagName(sc)[0]; I hope you have enjoyed these 5 fun facts about Christmas in Switzerland. 1. Thereupon, everyone gathers around the Christmas tree and sings songs or hymns related to the occassion. This December has been the best one of my life yet and enjoying Christmas in Switzerland was the highlight of a wonderful month filled with endless adventures plus a steady supply of hot mulled wine. Last but not least, don’t forget to use our Booking.com Affiliate Link of Wonders for making hotel reservations. There is a quite comprehensive list of holidays at Holidays Europe. 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 cow bells banishing the evil spirits away. s.src = u + '?v=' + (+new Date()); However, the silver lining of the situation is that the sunsets are more magnificent than during the Summer (click here to read all about Summer in Interlaken) and you can enjoy a wonderful palette of orange, red and pink shades as the last rays of the sun illuminate the Alps. Read all about it here my wonder friends! We diligently research and continuously update our holiday dates and information. All Saints is a public holiday in some areas of Switzerland. More. The document unified three cantons in the area of modern-day Switzerland and is considered one of the country's most important founding documents. Even though snow can be seen and enjoyed high in the mountains, it is rare to find it in the lower altitudes places where most people live. Switzerland Culture and Traditions. The table below lists all national, some religious and a few local holidays of the largest towns.