by Lucy, age 9 from Omaha, asks Samichlaus about Swiss Christmas traditions and his companion Schmutzli.
A Letter to Samichlaus from Lucy in Omaha, Nebraska
Dear Samichlaus, my name is Lucy and I am nine years old. I live in Omaha, Nebraska, and I saw pictures of the Matterhorn in a book, so now I have questions for you:
- Are you the same as the German Weihnachtsmann?
- Do you bring presents to Swiss children?
- Do you carry a staff like Saint Nicholas?
- Do you come down the chimney?
- Do you come on December 6th, instead of Christmas?
- Do you have a helper who punishes naughty children?
- Do you have reindeer?
- Do you visit all of Switzerland?
- Do you wear a bishop’s robe or a red suit?
- Your name means Santa Claus in Swiss German, are you like the American Santa?
- Geography: What mountain range covers much of Switzerland, home to the Matterhorn?
- Social Studies: Switzerland has four official languages. What are they?
Danke, Lucy
Samichlaus Writes Back
Are you the same as the German Weihnachtsmann?
We share old roots, Lucy, but I have my own distinctly Swiss traditions, closer in some ways to Saint Nicholas himself than to the more modern German Weihnachtsmann.
Do you bring presents to Swiss children?
Yes, I bring treats and small gifts to children across Switzerland, especially around my early December visit.
Do you carry a staff like Saint Nicholas?
Yes, a wooden staff, much like the one associated with the historical Saint Nicholas, since my story stays closely tied to his.
Do you come down the chimney?
Chimney, yes, in homes that have one, following much the same tradition as neighboring countries.
Do you come on December 6th, instead of Christmas?
December 6th, yes, my main visit happens well before Christmas itself, similar to Saint Nicholas traditions in nearby countries.
Do you have a helper who punishes naughty children?
Yes, I travel with a helper named Schmutzli, a somewhat stern companion dressed in dark robes, who carries a broom or switches as a symbol of encouraging good behavior.
Do you have reindeer?
No reindeer in my traditional story. I am usually pictured walking through the snow with Schmutzli, staying closer to my Saint Nicholas roots than the modern flying sleigh image.
Do you visit all of Switzerland?
Yes, though traditions and exact customs can shift a bit between Switzerland’s different language regions.
Do you wear a bishop’s robe or a red suit?
A bishop’s robe, similar to Saint Nicholas, rather than a modern red suit, which helps set my traditional look apart from the newer American Santa.
Your name means Santa Claus in Swiss German, are you like the American Santa?
Samichlaus does mean Santa Claus in Swiss German, and while I share that name, my traditions stay closer to the older Saint Nicholas story than to the fully modern American Santa Claus.
Geography: What mountain range covers much of Switzerland, home to the Matterhorn?
The Alps cover much of Switzerland, including the famous Matterhorn, one of the most recognizable mountain peaks in the world, and a beautiful, snowy backdrop for my December travels.
Social Studies: Switzerland has four official languages. What are they?
Switzerland has four official languages, German, French, Italian, and Romansh, which means my story and my visits look and sound a little different depending on which part of the country I am in that year.
