A Humorous Guide to Switzerland

The year is coming to an end and all around the world people are celebrating the beginning of a new year. Although everyone puts up a party for the same reason, there are some distinct differences between different parties around the globe. Every country and place has its own unique traditions on how to celebrate new years eve. People in Peru, for example, wear yellow for luck in the coming year, Danish people break old dishes on each other's doors and Germans pour lead into water in order to find out what will happen in the new year. Swiss New Year's Traditions Despite being an very small country, Switzerland generally has a lot of beautiful and unique traditions. This is certainly also true for the festivities surrounding the change of the years, as we like to call it. Now, there might be differences from canton to canton, region to region or even family to family but there are a few things that form part of the New Years tradition almost all over Switzerland. We drin...

It's coming up soon: the  Swiss national holiday 1st of August . Fire works, picnics, brunches, speeches by politicians and warm summer weather will hopefully all be part of this fun holiday this year. Origins of 1st of August Celebrations in Switzerland Traditionally, the 1st of August celebrations in Switzerland commemorate the founding of the original Swiss federation by the "original cantons" (= Urkantone) Uri, Schwyz, Nidwalden and Obwalden in the first half of August 1291. Note that there are only three Urkantone since Nidwalden and Obwalden are the two halves of one canton called Unterwalden.   However, this date does not mark Swiss independence but rather the start of a the several century long formation of the Swiss nation. In fact, it was made a national holiday in as late as 1891 more than six centuries after the fact. 1st of August Bun  How 1st of August is celebrated today Although it is nice to remember the beginnings of Switzerland and to thin...

In a few weeks it's happening again. On Monday April 14th 2023 , the inner city of Zurich will be closed off for any traffic for the annual Sechseläuten . What annoys car drivers and people doing business in the city center is the joy of anyone working or going to school in Zurich or a neighboring town simply because they get an additional free day (or free half-a-day) to enjoy the festivities. But what on earth is this mysterious Sechseläuten and why do only the people of Zurich celebrate it? A why is there a big large snowman and a huge bonfire involved in all this? the Böögg What is Sechseläuten? Sechseläuten is a spring holiday unique to the city of Zurich . The rest of Switzerland and even most towns and places in the canton of Zurich do not celebrate this holiday and no one gets time off to go and participate. It is really a holiday that belongs to the city in a sense that it has its roots in the medieval city structure with guilds and other communities even though i...

One thing about Switzerland that certainly plays in its favour is the tasty food - most famously Swiss cheese and Swiss chocolate. Personally, I also think in Switzerland you can find some of world's best breads and pastries. Think about the braided Sunday bread called Zopf and the large variety of Christmas cookies for example. And those are just the tip of the culinary iceberg so to speak. However, today I want to talk about cakes and especially a famous Swiss cake which just happens to be one of my favourites as well. I'll also touch on the unwritten rules you have to follow in order to politely eat cake in Switzerland. Something that is indeed very typical behaviour of Swiss persons . Swiss Carrot Cake - Michaela Schöllhorn  / pixelio.de The Origins of a Swiss Carrot Cake The cake I will talk about is named after the region of Switzerland I grew up in, the canton of Aargau  and is called the Argovian Carrot Cake (in Swiss German: 'Aargauer Rüeblitorte') . I...

Swiss Postautos - Sommaruga Fabio  / pixelio.de It's very common in Switzerland to take a bus to work. Since public transportation in Switzerland is quite convenient and punctual this is perfectly fine alternative to driving yourself to work. Of course, public transportation in Switzerland isn't cheap but putting gas into your car is definitely becoming expensive as well plus you get the traffic jams that are very hard to avoid and cost a lot of time and nerves. According to the Swiss Ministry of Statistics almost 30% of working people use public transportation to go to work .  So if you're part of that Swiss group, lets do the math: if you take the bus to and from work and work five days a week, we can safely assume that you ride a bus in Switzerland at least ten times a week . This was true for myself as well for many years as well but I have since completely switched to remote work. An interesting observation While riding the bus to work a few years ago, I observed...

If there is one ingredient of Christmas that has spread all around the globe by now, it's probably the person of Santa Claus, Papa Noël, Père Noël or Father Christmas which are all loosely based on the historic figure of Saint Nicholas . In Switzerland, this red-clothed and white-bearded figure is called ' Samichlaus ' and despite the obvious similarities to the other Santa Claus versions, the Swiss Christmas tradition involving his visit is quite different. Samichlaus & Schmutzli -  Alwin Gasser  / pixelio.de The Swiss Santa Claus Tradition Unlike in the United States or other places around the globe, Santa Claus visits Switzerland not on the 24th but on the 6th of December. He also does not bring gifts but instead carries a huge bag filled with chocolates, peanuts and mandarines for everyone to share. However, he doesn't simply share these sweet treasures with everyone because first, he evaluates every possible recipient. In Switzerland the Christmas gifts ...

It's been a beautiful fall this year so far with lots of sun and colours. Now however, most leaves have fallen from the trees and the days are getting even shorter and quite a bit colder. It's once more the season of cozy evenings by the fire or a cup of hot punch on the ice skating rink. It's not quite Christmas yet but we're starting to feel the need for pretty lights and warmth in those first wintery days. A Surprising Winter Tradition Traditionally, these first days of winter mark the beginning of the Christmas season in Switzerland . While it's too early still to start opening your Christmas Calendar  or light the candles on your Advent Wreath , you can definitely start getting them ready and you probably can also sign up for a place in your local Advent Windows  activity already. Starting with Christmas shopping might be a good idea as well. So, while this pre-Christmas season is mainly marked with preparations for the 'real thing', it is also the tim...

1st of August - Edith O.  / pixelio.de In just a few days, Switzerland will celebrate 1st of August . This day became an official Swiss national holiday in 1891 and commemorates the signing of the Bundesbrief , a letter declaring union between the three regions of Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden, that took place in the beginning of August 1291. The celebrations for the Swiss national holiday on 1st of August usually include a speech by the president, fireworks, lampion processions, bonfires on mountain ridges called Höhenfeuer ('high fires') and lots of good Swiss food. Many people capitalize on this free day to enjoy an especially large (and late) breakfast, a typical 1st of August brunch , either at home or at one of the many farms that offer this Swiss staple on their premises. What Food is served at a Swiss 1st of August Brunch? A Swiss brunch isn't all that different from a usual Swiss  'Zmorge' (breakfast)  but it usually includes not only more food and more varie...

Connect to people - S. Hofschlaeger  / pixelio.de In the last few years, Switzerland has always been considered a generally attractive place for expats to live or even settle. However, surveys usually point out one particular downside of life for expats in Switzerland: It seems incredibly hard to establish a healthy social life that includes locals.  It seems, Swiss people are not only very punctual and precise but can also be quite distant - especially for someone who is used to a more outgoing culture. Not surprisingly, in a 2015 survey conducted by Expat Explorer , Switzerland ranked poorly in making friends, integration and culture. Other surveys over the last years produced similar results. What can you do? How can you connect to Swiss people? I must admit I'm not sure if I'm qualified to make a recommendation. After all, I'm a native born Swiss and I've never had to adapt to life in Switzerland. However, when I moved from one  canton  to the other I...

baby shoes - JMG / pixelio.de The Federal Agency for Statistics in Switzerland BFS collects the names of newborns in Switzerland and compiles a list of most popular baby names for each year on its website . You can look at popular names for the years 2011 to 2016 and there is also an option to filter according to region. I have written about popular baby names in Switzerland before ( 2008-2010  and 2011-2013 ) and what becomes immediately obvious when looking at the lists is that the most popular names haven't changed over the last five years. For boys,  Noah  has been on top every year except 2012 when it came in second place. For girls, Emma and Mia are taking turns on the top spot. These are the baby names that were most popular in Switzerland in  2016 : Most Popular Girls Names: Mia Emma Elena Sofia Lena Emilia Lara Anna Laura Mila Most Popular Boys Names: Noah Liam Gabriel Luca Leon Elias David Samuel Luis Julian Of ...

Birthday Cake - Helene Souza  / pixelio.de My son and I recently attended a birthday party here in Cocachimba , Peru. It was the birthday of one of the kids in the village and since it's such a small place, almost everyone is invited. To be honest, I don't like going to children's birthday parties - or grown up's birthday parties - because there is usually too much noise and fuss and chaos. My husband usually takes it on himself to accompany our son to these birthdays but this time he was away so I had to step in. If you've never been to a Peruvian birthday party, let me tell you one thing: it's loud and crowded! There is dancing and food and once in a while people are trying to say something above the deafening noise of the music. I guess, if you grew up with this it's probably normal and enjoyable but for me it was way too much noise. I could see all the children's ear go deaf in my minds eyes. Argh. Probably one of those cultural differences you...

April April! - Claudia Hautumm  / pixelio.de As a child I was always looking forward to the months of March and April. March because my birthday was coming up and April because some real mischievous fun was coming up on April Fools Day . April Fools Day or April 1st is an unofficial national holiday in Switzerland where everyone tries to outdo the others with the best prank. This includes school children, parents and even most national newspapers. It's always fun to check different news stations for their April Fools Fake News. As with most holidays where children are usually the ones who enjoy them most, April Fools Day in Switzerland is a feast mainly for its underage population. Doing something silly and then shouting " April April " is just the best! Looking back to my own childhood, there is one April 1st prank that stands out. I was in 3rd grade and the whole class conspired together to create the perfect scare for our (poor) teacher. The Perfect Apr...

Happy New Year - Lutz Stallknecht  / pixelio.de True, the tradition of taking a New Year's Resolution isn't specifically Swiss. In fact, it's only one among many Swiss New Year's traditions and celebrations . Around midnight on December 31st, people in Switzerland and all around the world take a moment and promises to improve a certain aspect of their life or behavior in the coming year. For some it is a honest attempt to change something about themselves that they don't like. For others it's simply a part of the New Year's traditions and the actual keeping of the resolution isn't that important. Swiss people are no different that aspect. However, I believe that there are a few trends among the topics of the New Year's Resolutions in Switzerland that are uniquely Swiss. This is what I imagine my fellow Swiss citizens vow to change in their lives this coming year. 10 Swiss New Year's Resolutions* 1. Eat less chocolate - too many...

In this mini series I'll write about the five daily meals people eat in Switzerland:  Zmorge, Znüni, Zmittag, Zvieri and Znacht . What do we typically eat? When do we eat? What is the proper conduct at the table? Today, I'll tell you about dinner which is called  Znacht . Znacht Znacht is a Swiss German word and is an abbreviation of the German "zu Nacht" which basically means "at night". This doesn't mean that we eat dinner during the night but rather at the beginning of the night.  In fact, a typical Swiss family eats dinner between 6 and 7pm. Only d uring winter, night actually comes in before dinner starts.  During the long days of summer, Znacht is often eaten on the balcony or on the patio to enjoy the warmth and light of Swiss summer evenings.  What to eat at a Swiss Znacht Unlike Zmittag (lunch) which is usually a warm meal, dinner traditionally consists of cold foods . A typical Swiss Znacht is sometimes also called " Café comple...

In this mini series about Swiss meals, I'll write about the five daily meals people eat in Switzerland:  Zmorge, Znüni, Zmittag, Zvieri and Znacht . What do we typically eat? When do we eat? What is the proper conduct at the table? Today, I'll write about  Zvieri . What exactly is a 'Zvieri'? Zvieri  is a Swiss German word and literally translates to ' at four '. It refers to a small meal or snack Swiss people eat around 4 pm. This snack is customary for almost everyone in Switzerland; school children, families, working people and university students all like to enjoy a Zvieri at some point during the afternoon. A real Zvieri must be eaten mid-afternoon. The unofficial time range for a Zvieri is 3 pm to 5 pm. If a meal is eaten before 2 pm or after 6 pm it is usually considered Zmittag (lunch) or Znacht (dinner) .  What do the Swiss eat at their 'Zvieri'? Much like the Swiss  Znüni ,  a Zvieri is more like a snack than an actual full meal ...

Pocket Böögg - www.pocket-böögg.ch This coming weekend Zurich will celebrate Sechseläuten , the annual spring festival.  The highlight of the festivities comes at the very end: a giant snowman called "Böögg" is burnt on a stake in the very center of the city. The longer it takes for the Bööggs head to explode (it's got large firecrackers in there), the colder and wetter the summer will be. For those who would like some Sechseläuten atmosphere at home as well, there is now the Pocket Böögg . It is a small version of the real Böögg or better: a do-it-yourself Böögg since it arrives unassembled in a box. There are two available sizes: original (34cm) and mini (21cm). Both Pocket Böögg sets include firecrackers for the Bööggs head (so it'll actually explode with a bang) and a small stake. The idea of a miniature Böögg is interesting. What makes this project even better is the fact that all Pocket Böögg are produced by mentally handicapped people in the workshops ...