In Switzerland, Saint Nicholas is known as “Samichlaus” and he officially visits children on December 6th. My little girls were thrilled today when he popped past their playgroup this morning.
He also starts making appearances on the streets of Zurich several weeks before then. And we saw him on Saturday (strategically placed outside the “Hamley’s of Switzerland) Franz Carl Weber. He was, as is the case with this tradition, accompanied by Schmutzli (a dark-faced assistant who is ‘dirty’ from soot) and yes! a real donkey.
There was no way my kids would stand next to them for a photo (can you blame them?)– but they were happy to take the really nice burlap bags of peanuts, oranges, and little chocolate candies (the same items Samichlaus is rumoured to leave in Swiss children’s shoes on the night of December 6th).
Samichlaus’s duties are wrapped up after the 6th. So who brings the Christmas presents, you ask? That would be a winged baby Jesus, of course.
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