In Switzerland, January 6th is called ' Dreikönigstag' which simply translates into Three Kings Day . According to Christian tradition, this was the day the three kings went to visit baby Jesus in Bethlehem and brought him precious gifts. From a biblical perspective it is unlikely that there were exactly three kings and that their visit took place in January. Today, Three Kings Day isn't really about the biblical story anymore but rather about the traditional Three Kings Cake , called ' Dreikönigskuchen', that everyone in Switzerland eats on that day. Three Kings Cake What is a Swiss Three Kings Cake? Three Kings Cake is actually much like a sweet bread called 'Zopf' that Swiss people eat on Sundays. Therefore, the taste of the cake is not very special but its shape makes it interesting . Three Kings Cake is made from six balls of dough that are stuck to a bigger central ball of dough and then baked into one piece. Before baking, a ' ki
The first Sunday of the advent season has already passed and tomorrow those of us lucky enough to have a Christmas calendar will start opening it's doors or gifts. Christmas decorations have been up for weeks and Christmas songs are playing everywhere. It's time for celebrating the birth of Christ. Swiss Christmas Traditions Every country and region has their unique Christmas traditions and customs. In Peru, where I currently live, children are invited to a chocolatada in the week before Christmas eve. There they play games, sing songs, eat pannettone and drink hot chocolate. Hence the name 'chocolatada'. It's a loud and fun event that contrast quite strongly to the more pensive and meditative Christmas events I remember from my childhood in Switzerland. I don't know which I like better - they are different but both nice! So, what traditions for the holiday season do we have in Switzerland? Here are some I've written about in more detail before: Candle dippi