Adventszeit

One of my favourite things about the holidays in Europe are Christmas markets — or, Weihnachtsmarkt or Weihnachtsmärit in this part of German-speaking Switzerland. Many Swiss cities and big towns have its own version, with details that make each unique and worthy of visiting just to visit and experience the holiday spirit. My Switzerland has a comprehensive list for Christmas markets for all across the country.

I admit, I used to be a bit of a Grinch. Perhaps it was a combination of a few years of being a student and underpaid gallery worker in my early years in London, getting fed up of the Oxford Street lights coming on the end of October (!!! — as an American, for me Christmas lights before Thanksgiving are unacceptable, and frankly, confusing) and jostling the enormous amounts of crowds shopping and gawking at even more Christmas lights in central London. I either didn’t have enough money to really get into the spirit of present-buying and going out for Christmas-drinks, or I was over-stimulated and overwhelmed with the crazy capitalist consumption fest that seems to rear its ugly head during this time of year. Either way, I shut down and relished escaping the Big Smoke every Christmas.

I was slightly surprised that this year I have fully embraced the Christmas spirit — I didn’t bat an eye, but rather welcomed the early presence of Christmas lights in the Thuner Altstadt and Bälliz central shopping street in the middle of November. Without the crowds, it’s rather quaint, cute and gives a warm fuzzy feeling. As the daylight hours grow shorter, the warm bulbs in the shapes of stars and trees (literally) light up the longer and darker nights. It’s a reminder to slow down and spend time indoors, to embrace the Danish concept of hygge — or as they say in German, Gemütlichkeit. 

It’s also the first year that M and I are properly spending it together in our own home here in Thun, not on holiday in some warm-ish place (like Tenerife in 2014 and Malta in 2017), or with either one of our families. We have our four Advent candles, our individual chocolate Advent calendars (Lindor for him, Reese‘s peanut butter cups for me — found serendipitously in an American shop in Milan!), more fairy lights strung around the living room and even our small travel-sized Muji Christmas trees decorated and holding the place where our first real tree will stand a few days before Christmas Eve. I crocheted some tree decorations, after weeks of crocheting and knitting family Christmas presents to send to Virginia. 

We also took advantage of M‘s day off on a random Wednesday in the first week of Advent to visit Bern‘s Christmas markets without the weekend crowds. The Swiss capital is home to three Christmas markets — the biggest on Waisenhausplatz, a smaller handicrafts market on Münsterplatz (and on two Advent weekends the neighbouring Münsterterrasse with an extended craft market), and my personal favourite, the newest Sternenmarkt on the Kleine Schanze.

Waisenhausplatz hosts a weekly market throughout the year, and the Christmas version is not much different from that, with a bit of added decorations and cheer. There is a large two-story Glühwein and food pavilion at one end, always a popular crowded place at every Christmas market no matter where you are in the world. But on a Wednesday around 2pm? We took our time and leisurely sipped our Glühwein and scarfed down a Raclette snack.

The market at Münsterplatz is smaller and focuses on handicrafts from local craftsmen and artisans, many of whom have their own independent shop or boutique tucked in one of the galleries in the Berner Altstadt. The Rudolph Steiner School also sponsors the very popular Kerzenziehen (candle making) stall in the corner. I still have yet to try this very Swiss (mostly) children’s Advent tradition, but I find that their handmade beeswax candles are the perfect gift for family and friends.

My favourite market, as I mentioned, is Bern’s newest Christmas market on Kleine Schanze, the Sternenmarkt. Located adjacent to the Bundeshaus, the view from the top of the Kleine Schanze looks over the Aare and the city below, and on a clear day, you can see the majestic peaks of the Berner Oberland Alps. As the name suggests, there are lit stars everywhere in all shapes and sizes. Even on crowded evenings, the physical layout of the Kleine Schanze makes this market easy to navigate and stroll through and I don’t feel hemmed in as one can sometimes feel in a crowded market. The large pond and mini waterfalls that are a regular feature of the park are lit up beautifully; there is also a large wooden hut where you can sit and have a dinner featuring local specialities (fondue, anyone?) if you don’t fancy the usual Raclette, burger and Glühwein fare of the stalls.

 

And speaking of stalls, those in the Sternenmarkt are not all used to sell wares or food and drink. Many are decorated as mini living rooms or dining rooms, where you can relax and spend time with family and friends in a comfy and cosy setting. Genius!

There you have it, Bern’s Christmas markets and the thawing of Aisa the former Grinch that now embraces Christmas. 😆

Thun Rathausplatz tree and the castle