Skip to main content

Candle Dipping is a Thing in Switzerland

Beeswax candles - Moni Sertel  / pixelio.de

Candle dipping is a thing in Switzerland. This statement about the Swiss tradition of 'Kerzenziehen' in a blog post called 'These Swiss Christmas Traditions surprised me' stuck with me for a moment. Growing up in Switzerland I never thought about it much, 'Kerzenziehen', which means 'candle pulling' or 'candle dipping', was just what it was. After thinking it over, I realize that maybe it really is a bit odd and definitely unexpected to someone who is used to quite different Christmas traditions.

Candle Dipping Traditions of my Childhood

During my childhood, candle dipping was simply part of the Christmas season and an activity in which most families of our village took part. A small group of people organized the candle dipping event in a barn or in a school building. In addition to the actual Kerzenziehen there was usually seasonal food like Christmas cookies, hot punch or Glühwein.

If you wanted to dip your very own candle for the season, you first had to pick up a wick. Then you had to dip it once or twice in one of the several pots of hot beeswax. After each round of dipping we had to walk once around the barn to let the wax cool on the wick and become solid. Then we would go for the second round of dipping and another walk around the barn and repeat as many times as needed for the candle to take its shape. Once finished the candle was hung to cool completely before it was weighed and wrapped.

I remember competing with my classmates in who could make the most elaborate candles. We used green ivy leaves to decorate the candles - it looked great on the yellowish color of the beeswax candle! No colored wax in my childhood yet!

Where to go Candle Dipping in Switzerland

Starting in November, you can find a candle dipping tent or booth in most cities in Switzerland. Also, many Christmas markets in Switzerland feature candle dipping as a fun activity.

Here are a few locations for Kerzenziehen in Switzerland:

Aarau: Aarauer Kerzenziehen
Baden: Kerzenziehen Baden
Basel: Weihnachtsmarkt Basel am Münsterplatz
Berne: Kerzenziehen für Jung und Alt
Chur: dsJuig vu Khur
Frauenfeld: Kerzenziehen, Evangelische Kirchgemeinde Frauenfeld
Lucerne: Luzerner Kerzenziehen
Schaffhausen: Grosses Schaffhauser Kerzenziehen
St. Gallen: Hongler Kerzenziehen
Winterthur: Kerzenziehen Winterthur
Zurich: Zürcher Kerzenziehen am Bürkliplatz

If these don't work for you, simply google 'Kerzenziehen', add your location and you'll definitely find a candle dipping opportunity near you!



© 2019 IRENE WYRSCH "A HUMOROUS GUIDE TO SWITZERLAND" ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

You have something to add or would like to ask a question? I would love to hear from you!

Popular posts from this blog

Schätzli, Schnüggel and Müüsli - Terms of Endearment in Swiss German

Kiss -  Oliver Haja  / pixelio.de If you've ever been invited to the home of a Swiss couple, you are probably familiar with the most popular Swiss German term of endearment "Schätzli" ('little treasure') or one of it's many varieties like e.g. "Schatz" or "Schätzeli" . Obviously, this is not the only pet name used by Swiss couples (or parents for that matter). Like many other languages, Swiss German offers a wide variety of words and phrases that you can use to address your loved one. Swiss German Terms of Endearment What most of these pet names have in common is the ending "-li" which basically turns the thing or person a word refers to into something small or cute. For example "Haus" means house and "Hüüs li " means small house. Plus, this ending "-li" can also be added to first names as a means of endearment, e.g. Benjamin li , Esther li or Fabienne li . I tried to come up with a colle
4 comments
Read more

How to Say 'I Love You' in Swiss German

To be completely honest, I'm not very fond of hallmark holidays and Valentine's Day is probably the mothership of them all. In my home there will be no cheesy cards or flowers on that day and, personally, I'm happy about it. However, I know that there are many people who like to celebrate Valentine's Day and take it as an opportunity to show their love and appreciation to their loves. Even in Switzerland, there are plenty of people celebrating it nowadays. If you're short on ideas for this years Valentine's Day in Switzerland you might find some inspiration here: Valentine's Day in Switzerland . If you're already set and have the perfect date ready, how about surprising your loved one with a few romantic Swiss German phrases? You should know that the expression "I love you" has only recently made its way into Swiss German from the High German "Ich liebe dich". Swiss people used to simply say "I like you" or "I like
3 comments
Read more

How to Spot a Swiss Person

"You're not from here, right?!" These were the words the saleslady of a small clothes store on a busy Tel Aviv street directed at me a few years ago. I was surprised she had spotted my foreignness so easily. After having lived in Israel for a few years and mastered the local Hebrew, I thought I was able to blend in quite well by then. So, I asked her how she knew. She replied with a smile and said: "You nicely folded the clothes you tried on before bringing them back out!" Oh that! Something I assumed was 'normal' but, apparently, the locals didn't do that. My Swiss background gave me away.  A Stereotypical (Swiss) Person As an expat I can usually spot fellow expats right away even if at first they seem to fit right in. Be they Swiss people I encounter abroad or foreigners living in Switzerland. Mostly, I catch a word or a phrase in a foreign language or see clothes or other items that are clearly not local. Here in South America it's very easy t
13 comments
Read more