Figure 1.--In Switzerland traditional costumes are sometimes worn for religious feasts. Here we see a Corpus Christi procession in Gonten District, Canton Appenzell Innerrhoden. The chikdren wear folk mcistumes with bright bcolors. The adult in the back ground mostly wear black and white outfits.

The Swiss celebrate many holidays as is commoin in other countries negimming with New Years. This is addition to the mnany loval villages celebrated throughout thr country. There are both religious and national hoildays. The religious hilidays are the sanme as in other Christian nations. The most important secukar joliday is Switzerland's national day (August 1). This is when the three original cantons of Schwytz, Uri and Unterwald founded back the country (1291). This day is celebrated throughout the country down to the smallest village with bonfires burning even up some mountains and hundreds of speeches held by local politicians with nobody listening to and thousands of sausages and other treats prepared on BBQs by the local firebrigade volunteers. For children there is no specific clothing althiugh some children ear folk outfuts. The younger ones walking proudly around with 'lampions' (paper globe with a candle burning inside). On top of the national day each of the 23 cantons have their specific celebration day at various dates and originating from quite many different roots. Easter and Christmas are celebrated througout Switzerland although there are differences on how they are celebrated as a result the country's varying ethnic and religious composition. The most important holiday for children is of course Christmas which is esoecially nimprtant in th German tradition. There are quite a number of rehional holidays which we believe refkects the varies ethnic and religioius compositioin of the Swiss cantons. .

New Years/Neujahrstag (January 1)

Berchtold's Day/Berchtoldstag (January 2)

Thus is a regiinal holiday, celebrated in Aargau, Bern, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, Vaud, Zug, and Zurich.

Epiphany/Heilige Drei Konige (January 6)

This is a regional holifday celebrated in Graubünden, Lucerne, Schwyz, Ticino, and Uri.

Republic Day (March 1)

This is a regional holiday celebrated in Neuchâtel. This canton declared itself a republic and part of Switzerland durung tghe Eurooean revolutions of 1848.

Carnival (March 2-4)

Although Carnival is not usually an official public holiday, it is a widely-celebrated Swiss holiday.

St Joseph's Day/Josefstag (March 19)

This is a regional holiday celebrated in Graubünden, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, abd Valais.

Näfelser Fahrt / Pilgrimage to the Battle Site (April 2)

This is a regional holiday celebrated in Glarus.

Sechseläuten/(6 O’clock Ringing of the Bells (April)

This is a regiional holiday celebrated in Zurich. Rge date varies annualkym butb is the third monday of Aoril.

Easter (usually April)

Good Friday/Karfreitag is celebrated in all cantons except Ticino and Valais. Easter Monday/Ostermontag) is celebrated to different degrees depending on the canton and region.

Labor Day-May Day/Tag der Arbeit (May 1)

This is a regional holiday celebrated in Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, and Zurich.

Ascension Day / Auffahrt (May )

The date varies, 40 days after Easter).

Whit Monday -- Pentecost Monday /Pfingstmontag (Nay-June)

Whut Moinday is a regional holiday the day after Pentacost. It is celebrated to varying degrees depending on the canton and region.

Corpus Christi / Fronleichnam (June 11

This is a regiona holiday celebrated vin Aargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Grisons, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, and Zug. Corpus Christi is the Catholic observance that honors the Holy Eucharist. It is also known as the Feast of the Most Holy Body of Christ, as well as the Day of Wreaths. Corpus Christi means the Body of Christ and refers to the elements of the Eucharist also called the Holy Communion, Last Supper or Lord's Supper. The emergence of Corpus Christi as a Christian feast resukted from the efforts of a nun named Juliana of Liège (second half of the 13th century. Here we see the cekevranbts all dressed up in folk outfits for the occassion (figure 1).

Fête d’Indépendance (June 23)

This is a regional holiday celevrated in Jura.

St Peter's-St Paul’s Day (June 29)

This is a regional holiday celevrated in Graubünden, Lucerne, and Ticino.

Swiss National Day/Bundesfeier (August 1)

This is when the three original cantons of Schwytz, Uri and Unterwald founded back the country (1291). This day is celebrated throughout the country down to the smallest village with bonfires burning even up some mountains and hundreds of speeches held by local politicians which nobody listening to. There are cincerts anbd firewirjs disolays. Local firebrigade volunteers prepare sausages and other treats grills. For children there is no specific clothing althiugh some children ear folk outfits. The younger ones walking proudly around with 'lampions' (paper globe with a candle burning inside). On top of the national day each of the 23 cantons have their specific celebration day at various dates and originating from quite many different roots.

Assumption Day (August 15)

This is a regional holiday celkevrated in Aargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, St Gallen, Ticino, Uri, Valais, and Zug.

Jeune Genevois (Septemnber 10)

This is a regional holiday celebrated in Geneva.

Knabenschiessen (September 14)

This is a regional holiday celebrated in Zurich.

National Fast/Buß-und Bettag (September 20)

This is a national day of thanksgiving, repentance and prayer. Regional differences include: Geneva (which celebrates Jeûne genevois on 6 September), stores in Bern, Neuchâtel, Vaud generally close for Bettagsmontag on on Monday after the third Sunday.

St Niklaus von Flüe (September 25)

This is a regional hioliday celbrated in Obwalden.

All Saints’ Day / Allerheiligen (November 1)

This is a regional holiday ceklevrated in Aargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, St Gallen, Ticino, Uri, Valais, and Zug.

Immaculate Conception /Maria Empfangnis (December 8)

This is a regional holiday celebrated in Aargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Graubünden, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, and Zug.

Christmas/Weihnachten (Decenber 25)

Switzerland has many unique Christmas traditions. This is in part because Switzerland basically has four different national traditions. There are German, French and Italian areas and traditions. The Alpine geography is another factor. Snowy winters made travel in Switzerland between villages very difficult, especilly before modern roads were built. as a result, some Swiss Christmas traditions have taken on unique regional variations.Gifts may be given either on Christmas Eve or New Year's Day, and they are brought by the Christkindli or St. Nicholas or even Father Christmas with his wife Lucy. Both the manger and the Christmas tree hold sway. Carols drift on the air in four languages. Switzerland has maintained its careful neutrality by absorbing the best of all nations. As in Germany, the Christmas tree is an important part of Christmas celebrations, at first in the German-speaking catons, but now most Swiss have Christmas trees.

St Stephen's Day/Stephenstag (December 26)

Generally considered a normal working day in Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Valais, and Vaud.

Restoration Day (Decemnber 31)

This is a regioinal holiday celevrated in Genenva. It vommenorates the re-establishment of Geneva as a republic toward the end of the Napoleonic Wars (1813).

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Created: 6:05 PM 4/25/2020
Last updated: 6:05 PM 4/25/2020