What’s the history behind Berchtold’s Day?

Though the name may suggest that Berchtold’s Day commemorates a saint, this is in fact not true. No such saint by the name of Berchtold is mentioned in the calendar of saints.

Instead, the holiday – also known locally as Bechtelstag, Bechtelistag, Bechtle or Bärzelitag – dates back to an Alemannic tradition.

However, even its believed origin said to be linked to the mischievous goddess (and Odin’s wife) Berchta or Perchta cannot be conclusively proven. According to legend, Berchta punished laziness and rewarded hard work on the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

There is also a linguistic hint as to where Berchtold’s Day, which is also celebrated in Liechtenstein, may have originated from.

In Middle High German, used between 1050 and 1350, the terms berchteltag, berchttag and berchtelnacht were all names for Epiphany. The festival of Epiphany, also known as Three Kings, is celebrated on January 6th.

READ MORE: Public holidays: What days will you get off work in Switzerland in 2024?

How do the Swiss celebrate Berchtold’s Day?

In Switzerland, it is customary to wish friends and family all the best for the new year on Berchtold’s Day if the day is observed in your canton.

In many Swiss regions, such as Zurich and Thurgau, it is also common to spend the day (afternoon and evening) socialising and marking Berchtold’s Day with a meal.

Some Swiss like to meet up in local pubs, restaurants and for guild members in traditional guild rooms (Zunftstuben), for a drink or two while music, comedy and other entertainment groups travel from pub to pub to amuse guests.

One speciality and arguably a must-try on the day is the Bächtelswurst with Bächtelsweggen (sausage and bread), which is made according to a special recipe particularly for this day once a year.

Some towns – like Hallwil in Aargau – even mark the day with a Bärzelibuebe parade, which sees masked figures march through the village. Though Berchtold’s Day parades used to be common in many Swiss villages in Switzerland, the custom is not widespread today.

In the past, the day used to be – in Bern and Vaud and to a lesser extent in Zurich – be celebrated with a ball.

It is also suggested that balls took place in the 15th century when Zurich residents would dance on the night of Sant Berchtlins. Masked children balls were also held in the city of Zurich in the 19th century.

Where is January 2nd a bank holiday in Switzerland?

In Switzerland, January 2nd is a public in the cantons of Aargau (partly), Bern, Jura, Neuchâtel, Thurgau, and Vaud, and under municipal law also in the cantons of Zurich and Schaffhausen.

In the canton of Aargau, Berchtold’s Day is treated as a bank holiday in the districts of Aarau, Brugg, Kulm, Lenzburg, Zofingen and Baden (Bergdietikon only).

Frauenfeld, the capital of the canton of Thurgau, commemorates Bechtelistag on the third Monday of January each year. The day will see extended opening hours at many restaurants to mark Bechtelis Night – a big deal in.

Despite this, many shops and the services in the city will be closed on January 2nd.

In Switzerland’s other cantons some employers may still choose to close their doors to do inventory while major retailers may stay open.

Note that most banks in Switzerland, regardless of whether Berchtold’s Day is a bank holiday or not, will be shut on January 2nd.