Beyond the Markets: Discovering the Whimsical Christmas Magic of Germany, Belgium and Switzerland

Summary

This festive guide explores the rich and diverse holiday traditions of Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.

In Germany, the journey highlights unique gift-bringers like the Christkind and folklore figures like Frau Holle and Perchta. It touches upon the cultural significance of Sternsinger (star singers), the sprawling Christmas markets of Cologne, and traditional treats like Stollen. For the New Year, the focus shifts to the fortune-telling ritual of Bleigiessen and the symbolic wealth-bringing lentil soup.

In Belgium, the spotlight is on the world-class chocolate culture, featuring seasonal delights like Cougnou (baby Jesus brioche) and la bûche de Noël. The article notes the Belgian preference for natural fir trees and the magical atmosphere of Brussels’ Grand Place. It takes a look at Antwerp’s New Year’s Eve celebration along the Scheldt River, capturing the essence of Western European holiday cheer.

In Switzerland, Christmas traditions center on St. Nicholas (Samichlaus) and his sidekick Schmutzli, who arrive from the local forests on December 6th via diverse transport like donkeys, boats, or even motorcycles. The season is marked by festive markets, Zurich’s magical Märlitram, and a unique "hidden tree" tradition where the freshly cut evergreen is revealed only after a Christmas Eve meal of ham and scalloped potatoes. Celebrations conclude with festive sweets like the Yule log cake and community gatherings, such as the traditional bell-ringing in Morcote, blending regional folklore with cozy family rituals.

Dear joyful readers💌

As we continue this journey of exploring various Christmas and New Year's celebrations around the world, stopping by Western European is a must. After all, nothing screams Christmas like Europe! The traditions differ from region to region, and so does the magic! Without further ado, let's begin our tour for today🌟

Christmas in Germany☃️

Known for its unique whimsical traditions, Germany is one of the ideal destinations to experience the true Christmas spirit. 

Like most Scandinavian countries, Santa Claus or Weihnachtsmann comes bearing gifts on the 24th of December. However, not everyone agrees on who the real gift bringer is. Many believe that Christkind plays this role instead. 

Christkind is where a young girl is chosen every year to participate in a parade. She wears a long, white and gold dress and angel-like wings—an embodiment of the true Christmas spirit. 

Some whimsical traditions🎄 

In some parts of Germany, there are female gift bringers. For example: In Jesse and Thuringia, a girl called ‘Fraud Hills’ brings gifts for the 12 days of Christmas. Whereas, in north-east Germany, ‘Frau Gaude’ goes through the streets followed by several dogs. 

According to Bavarian folklore, there's a mythical figure named ‘Perchta’ who brings coins to the good children during Christmas time. 

Similar to the Norwegian tradition of Julebukk, a group of children, often referred to as Sternsinger, go from house to house, sing songs and collect charity. Typically, four children are often dressed as the Wise Men and carry a star on a stick as a symbol for the star of Bethlehem. 

Along with these, Christmas markets are also widely popular. In fact, Cologne boasts of the largest Christmas market in Germany. It consists of seven markets situated throughout the city. They also display special gnomes or Heinzelmännchen. The festive meal consists of carp or goose. Stollen, a popular fruited yeast bread also makes a special appearance during Christmas festivities. 

New Year's in Germany🍻

Although enough has been said about German Christmas, their New Year celebrations are also one of a kind. Bleigiessen refers to a small metal figure on a spoon, which is melted over a candle. The molten metal is then poured into cold water and the resulting shape indicates something about the year ahead. Lucky charms like pigs, horseshoes, ladybugs, clovers are also exchanged between friends. The infamous German lentil soup, which is a typical New Year's lunch, is symbolic in nature. Each lentil is seen as a coin. It's believed to open doors to wealth in the coming year. 

PS, If you feel like wishing someone a happy new year in German, this is how you say it: 

Wir wünschen einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr! (We wish you a good slide into the new year!)

Christmas in Belgium❄️

The land of the best chocolate in the world definitely had to make an appearance! Whether it is the cozy, village-like ambiance, Christmas markets in Liège and Mins or the markets brimming with the holiday charm and medieval architecture in Bruges, Antwerp and Ghent or its seasonal chocolates, Belgium certainly outdoes itself every time! 

In Wallonia, the celebrations often include a Christmas Eve dessert— la bûche de Noël, a sponge cake decorated like a Yule log and flavoured with chocolate, chestnuts and covered in buttercream frosting. Another popular dessert is Cougnou— a brioche shaped like baby Jesus, often served with coffee or hot chocolate. Their hot chocolate is made with the highest quality of Belgian chocolate and is cooked to perfection to fill you up with warmth on a freezing Christmas afternoon.

This is followed by delicious, warm cookies shaped like Saint Nicholas, snowflakes, or Christmas trees. Belgium also offers a wide range of seasonal chocolates—pralines, truffles, chocolates shaped like stars, trees. 

The midnight mass on Christmas Eve is followed by Père Noël or Father Christmas delivering gifts on the same day. The Christmas trees are put up during the first week of December and stay till the sixth of January. Belgians are very particular about their trees and therefore, only use natural fir trees. 

If you want to witness the magic of a Belgian Christmas, there's no better place than a public square or Brussels’ Grand Place to embrace the holiday charm! Similar to the other European countries, children here cherish their Advent calendars as it offers treats like chocolates, candies, toys. If you're in Belgium during Christmas, be sure to visit the various concerts, parades and light displays curated for this special occasion!

Trivia time🌟

In Antwerp, people celebrate New Year's Eve on the banks of the Scheldt River. There's a twenty second countdown which is followed by a mesmerising display of fireworks. 

Christmas in Switzerland❄️

Here, Santa Claus doesn't arrive on Christmas Day, but rather on the 6th of December— Samichlaus Abend or St. Nicholas’ Day. The Swiss believe that Santa lives in the forests of Switzerland,  not the North Pole. Also, he's accompanied by Schmutzli—his sidekick, also known as “little dirty one”. They don't just arrive on his reindeer, but use various modes of transportation. In Fribourg, Santa gets around on a donkey. Whereas, in Näfels, a carriage picks him up from the forest. People believe that he travels to Brunnen by boat and to Interlaken by train, and he hops on a motorcycle in Zurich and Basel! 

When talking about Christmas in Zurich, you simply can't forget to mention the magical Märlitram— a fairytale tram, popular among the kids. Additionally, the markets, mulled wine, and light displays on Bahnhofstrasse are noteworthy. 

The Swiss take their Christmas trees seriously. Every year, the tree is freshly cut and often hidden away until after dinner and is only revealed after a festive meal on Christmas Eve. Also, people usually visit family and friends the week between Christmas and New Year's. 

As we've already seen, the main Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve. In Switzerland, it consists of ham, scalloped potatoes baked with melted cheese and milk. Dessert is often a walnut cake or Christmas cookies🍪

A popular, traditional sweet is the Yule log cake—a sponge cake rolled and covered with melted chocolate to resemble the bark of a tree. It's decorated with ladybugs, leaves and mushrooms—all made out of marzipan!

Trivia time🌟

In Morcote, the locals meet in the bell tower each evening and cozy up by the fireplace during the nine days before Christmas and on Christmas Eve. Each person brings something to eat or drink. One after the other, they all take turns and ring the bells for simple, festive melodies. 

I hope that reading this added a little extra Christmas cheer to your day! As we've covered quite a bit about European Christmas and New Year's so far, stay tuned to read about more such celebrations across the world! 

Happy Holidays!🌟🎄