Erica Vetsch here:
My husband's family is from Switzerland, from the town of Buchs, to be specific. Buchs is a small town near the Lichtenstein border and is German-speaking.
In doing some family genealogy as well as research for a story, I uncovered some interesting Christmas traditions in Switzerland.
There are traditional Christmas foods such as:
Brunsli – Christmas brownie (cut in holly leaf shapes) (Click on the description to be taken to a recipe for these yummy foods)
Chrabeli – Anise Christmas cookies,
Mailanderli – (Cut out cookies)
Zimtsterne – Cinnamon Christmas cookies.
Pastetli – meat pie.
Sauerkraut, aged cabbage
Rosti – potato cakes fried.
Other Swiss Christmas Traditions include:
Star Singing - Children carol through town beginning the last week of Advent and continuing through Epiphany. They carry a large star with them, representative of the star that led the Wise Men to Bethlehem.
And Advent. Advent is huge in Switzerland. Advent calendars are prevalent, because the Swiss seek to teach their children patience and anticipation. In some towns, houses are chosen to become 'live' advent calendars. One window of the house is decorated for Advent, and when that house's day arrives, the occupants open the window and host a party.
I love these traditions. Some of them are hundreds of years old.
Do you know your family's ancestry? Are there any Christmas traditions you have that come from your heritage?
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