Switzerland Santa

Christmastime arrives across Switzerland’s Alpine peaks and valleys with ringing bells and visits from enchanted characters.  One such figure is St. Nicholas, who parades through Swiss towns on his feast day, the sixth of December.  Accompanied by men clanging cowbells, St. Nicholas carries a book in which children’s good and mischievous deeds are recorded.  Later the children themselves ring bells, going house to house to collect treats.  The design of St. Nicholas’s robe illustrates two of Switzerland’s beloved art forms:  beautiful embroidery—as seen here in the edelweiss flower trim—and intricate paper cuts—as demonstrated by the charming chalet scene.