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Here comes Swiss St Nick

Samichlaus and Schmutzli traditionally visit Swiss children on December 6 Keystone

Here comes Swiss St Nick

Here's what it takes to be "Samichlaus" - Switzerland's St Nick - and his sidekick "Schmutzli" during the weeks leading up to St Nicholas Day.

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A Swiss-American journalist mainly covering education, migration and youth issues - plus the occasional story on cheese, given her roots in Switzerland and Wisconsin. She also produces podcasts and works on the social media team.

Veronica DeVore, swissinfo.ch



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Keeping up the St Nicholas tradition

This content was published on St Nicholas, who is known as Samichlaus in Swiss German, dispenses gifts of chocolate, nuts and fruit – as well as sage advice – to children. This differs from the more Anglo-Saxon tradition of Father Christmas, the ubiquitous jolly old man who delivers presents and fills stockings that are opened on Christmas Day. But the…

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This content was published on It’s the night of the first Sunday of Advent and people have turned out to witness the traditional arrival of St Nicholas of Myra – or Samichlaus as he is known locally – in Chur, eastern Switzerland. A number of Samichlaus and their helpers, known as Schmutzli (“dirty fellow”), gather in front of the cathedral…

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR