The countdown to Christmas, with Jung analysis and old pictures

swissinfo.ch

2020 has been challenging, to put it mildly, so SWI swissinfo.ch would like to help you relax in the run-up to Christmas with four fun stops along the way. Sit back and click through some oddities and festive stories from our archives. 

Most households in Switzerland have recently welcomed a new member: the Christmas tree. Tiny or towering, real or plastic, a tree is a must for the perfect Christmas atmosphere. But where does this tradition come from?

Carl Gustav Jung knows. In 1957 the Swiss psychiatrist explained the symbolic significance of traditions like the Christmas tree, which he described as “food for the soul”. The conversation was translated for this Christmas feature by our predecessor, Swiss Radio International.

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Excerpts from interview about Christmas with Carl Gustav Jung

Another tradition is Christmas markets, where you can find everything from homemade jam to artistic pottery – and, of course, huts full of festive food and deceptively boozy drink. Join us for a stroll through one of Switzerland’s most beautiful Christmas markets, by Einsiedeln Abbey.

Once upon a time, snow was a permanent winter feature in Swiss cities. Pictures dating back to the 1930s show how citizens – and camels! – coped with the slippery white blanket.

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Bern 1942: Warming up for a little city skiing Keystone

Bern 1944: Extra, extra … snow Keystone

Zurich 1955: When shoes are more like slippers Keystone

Zurich 1963: Lake Zurich froze solid enough to carry a crowd. Keystone

Zurich 1963: Even camels and a llama from Knie Circus hit the ice on Lake Zurich. Keystone

Lake Constance 1963: Creative DIY methods to avoid slipping on the ice Keystone

La Chaux-de-Fonds 1952: Shovelling out the Swiss watch capital Keystone

Geneva 1938: Slow going round a snowy roundabout Keystone

Geneva 1970: Directing the sparse winter traffic Keystone

Geneva 1938: Cold comfort in a park Keystone

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Will 2020 be a white Christmas? We’ll soon find out…

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