His fingers stuck in white gloves, he pulls hair and Beard, before he begins to speak: “children, sit in front of my chair. You must not be afraid in front of the Santa Claus.”

Two girls and a boy kneeling on the ground. The parents to sit with their smart phones on the bench. The man leans over, the children are watching banned high. “So. Now you know where the Schmutzli and I live.”

We are in the Waldhüsli in the käferberg forest above the buchegg square. Here, Santa Claus and Schmutzli received since Saturday visitors, show your room, and your bedroom. This year, the St. Nicholas society of the city of Zurich, the house operates for the first time nine days instead of six. In General, long lines of people form around the Chlaustag in front of the Waldhüsli. The Schmutzli discharged then group by group in the half hour in the hut. In these first days of the influx, however, is still manageable.

stories work out

In the Chlausen-living room, a fire crackles in the small oven stove. Two old kettle. “This is our heating on the fire Tannzapfentee bubbling always. We are not allowed to be at this time sick,” says Santa Claus. A child nods. “Yesterday, I used a lot of this tea.” And then Santa Claus told how he woke up as he searched for the Schmutzli, and I thought he was still in the city, to visit incognito children, and to take notes. The parents let the gaze wander around the room. To the ancient phone on the wall, the calendar sheet next to the entrance. “Late in the Schmutzli came back a cold.”

Later, on the way to the Headquarters of the St. Nicholas society in the Albisgüetli with the Donkey – a white Ford, will report to the Santa Claus, as the first of November, Years Wake days in him the feeling for the role of the 88-who lives without a wife, but with the Schmutzli in the Waldhüsli. “I automatically want to prepare children with little attention to joy.” Then the stories come to him, he wants to tell the children. Those of the common cold Schmutzli was of him, says the 78-year-old former technical caretaker.

The Unknown: Santa Claus and Schmutzli in their distinctive red and brown robe.

His name he keeps for himself – Santa Claus and Schmutzli are the two Unknowns in the red and the brown cowl. In the passenger seat, he waves to a passer-by. Since he was dressed for the first time, a cowl, was the so. When was that? “A long time ago, no idea when. This is not important to me. To me it’s the Tradition.” He is willing to adopt the kids, you have a piece of the mirror to maintain and also a bit of advice to give.

attention with music

The Santa Claus asks the children: “do you Know what has made the Schmutzli all the time?” You shake your head. A girl fiddles with his braids. The red-clad man puts her Hand back in his Lap. “So. Now, listen to me.”

attention is the Santa Claus is important. “Because I help to make it discreet, because any distraction to disturb the other listeners,” he says in the car. In Hüsli, he must exhort, sometimes, grandmothers – in the house of a Teenager, trouble, prepare to visit him. “To make it difficult.” Since there is a need for tact, he is not a psychologist. Most of the time he see on the doorstep, as the mood of the family – children, full of anticipation? Parents, where the hustle and bustle of the day in the face it is written? Anyway he can feel it in the last few years, more hustle and bustle as well.

attention is important to him: The Santa Claus in front of the Waldhüsli.

imprinted has. him a visit with a Russian family with two sons Always the Older had hit the Younger, without that, the parents would have intervened. A catastrophic mood.

Then he came to know that both the piano played. “Often, the trail leads over the music,” says Santa Claus. He had never heard children so beautiful four-handed play; he admonished them to live this harmony in everyday life. Goodbye all thanked him. He says: “Some parents want to catch up with the Santa, the whole system of education.” Am grateful but nursing home residents are the most. Some of us wanted to let go of his Hand after the Ceremony, hardly more.

Tradition

asked The 45 Chläuse and 50 Schmutzli. with 40 drivers of the St. Nicholas society, this year approximately 800 visits in the city and the Agglomeration The Chläuse are already fully booked. Also in the catchment in the Bahnhofstrasse, on the last weekend of November, the parade was bigger than in previous years. Karin Diefenbacher, since 2018, the first President of the 1947-founded company, says: “I have the impression that a lot of people back to the traditions.” Therefore, the company is expanding its range constantly, with Santa, phone, Whatsapp Chat and with family celebrations in the Waldhüsli, where there are still places available. The offer with women, Karin diefenbacher don’t want to reinforce, however. “Since we are traditional. The step of the woman does not fit into the picture.”

The Santa Claus to solve the mystery of the common cold Schmutzli: He had gone to the nearby pond fishing, as it pulled a giant fish into the water. Schmutzli was drowning. Animals from the forest had saved him in the end.

“So. You can me a little present?” A child of Andrew bond’s song by the donkey. On the back of the Santa Claus chair does not like to sit to do so. The Santa, praises still, and farewell, there’s nuts and fruit.

Website of the St. Nicholas society: Santa Claus-zuerich.ch

Created: 02.12.2019, 15:43 PM