Key Points at a Glance
- It wasn't until the 1980s that the tradition of Advent windows became established in Switzerland.
- The tradition originally comes from Aargau.
- The idea behind this is for people in small villages and towns to get to know one another.
- Today, Advent windows are well-known and popular not only in Switzerland but also in parts of Germany, Austria, and France.
The world is becoming colder and more impersonal; interpersonal contact is playing an increasingly minor role in our lives today. At least, that is the prevailing view in society. But especially during the cold season, it would be nice if people could come together a little and take a moment to pause. There’s a lovely tradition from Aargau that brings people together for a few hours each day.
Spread from Aargau throughout Switzerland
As is always the case with traditions, eventually no one knows where they came from, what they mean, or when they began. With the Advent windows, however, it’s a different story—even if the exact date remains a mystery. What is known, at least, is that the origins of this custom must date back to sometime in the 1980s.
This is what emerged from the work of Dominik Wunderlin, who served as a curator at the Basel Museum of Cultures and researched Swiss Christmas and Advent traditions. This research led to the book *’s isch heiligi Wiehnachtszyt*. Wunderlin discovered that the Advent windows likely originated in and around Othmarsingen around 1985.
The “Walk-Through Advent Calendar”
The tradition spread from Aargau, and today it is, in principle, at least known throughout Switzerland. But this custom has also spread beyond the country’s borders. Advent windows are now also known in parts of Germany, Austria, and France.
But we still haven’t answered the third question—the one about its meaning. The intention is to bring people together in a village community during Advent and to combat the anonymity that prevails even in small communities. But how exactly does the “walk-in Advent calendar” work?
What happens during the Advent window?
The exact procedure varies from village to village today. But basically, the 24 households in a village community or neighborhood join forces to festively decorate their windows from December 1 through 24. The whole family pitches in. However, the window displays are not revealed until the specific day of the 24 days of Advent when it is their turn—and only after darkness has fallen over the town.
When the window is opened—or rather, unveiled—each evening, adorned with Advent decorations, the neighbors gather in front of it to chat and foster a sense of community. People eat cookies and toast with a glass of aperitif or a cup of mulled wine. Malicious tongues claim that the Christmas windows were invented solely to provide yet another reason to enjoy the aperitif, which is so popular in Switzerland… It’s a lovely tradition that offers newcomers, in particular, the opportunity to settle into the community. And for everyone else, it’s a great chance to make new connections or rekindle old, long-dormant acquaintances.
