Forget the Christmas licking – self-adhesive holiday stamps are here
BERN, SWITZERLAND – Stamp collectors and those who still send Christmas cards (and this is not a dying breed, according to the post office) have a treat in store Thursday 24 November, with the new Swiss Post philately collection going on sale.
Eight stamps are featured this year and for the first time they will be self-adhesive.
Three holiday stamps designed by Raphael Volery from Zurich also have matching gift card sets or the stamps can be purchased alone: “chapel” for CHF0.85, “Christmas tree” for CHF1.00 and “chalet” for CHF1.40.
They are collectors’ items, but can be used for Swiss internal and international post.
Four new Pro Juventute stamps have a surcharge, with the added cost going to support the organization’s projects in its centenary year of 2012.
Two have a face value of CHF0.85 (+0.40) and two have a face value of CHF1.00 (+0.50). Children’s faces draw attention to four important moral and ethical core values, Swiss Post notes: “Trust”, “Confidence”, “Security” and “Friendship”.
An additional stamp designed by Estonian-born rapper Stress (real name Andres Andrekson) shows his perception of Switzerland’s multicultural society. The colourful stamps have a face value of CHF1.00.
The stamps are available starting Thursday at the online philately shop as well as at Swiss philatelic salespoints and post offices.
To our readers from GenevaLunch.com:
Thank you for sharing a wonderful year with us, and as 2010 draws to a close we wish you a peaceful and happy holiday season.
More snow!
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Switzerland’s Christmas snow has begun to fall steadily, and up to 10cm are expected on the plain, with 20cm at higher altitudes, but early afternoon 24 December showed relatively few signs of the winter weather snarls neighbouring France and Germany are experiencing. Geneva’s Cointrin Airport recommends that travellers arrive at least two hours before departure for all flights, given that up to 56,000 passengers are expected on Sunday, with traffic building up from the 20,000 travellers handled by the airport on a normal day.
Flights, trains and road traffic in France are all snarled by fresh snow on Christmas Eve day, throughout the country, with repercussions in neighbouring countries. Flights from Paris to Switzerland in the early afternoon were cancelled, although some later flights are still displayed as operating. Train stations are expected to handle some two million people over the Christmas weekend, with 800,000 Friday 24 December alone. Areas along the eastern borders with Germany and Switzerland as well as mountain regions further south are on orange alert for icy, snowy roads. Traffic at noon Friday was disrupted particularly in the Calais area and Charles-de-Gaulles Roissy
German train service was disrupted between Berlin and Hannover for several hours late Thursday when lines were iced over, stopping five intercity trains for five hours. Rail delays are expected to continue throughout Friday. Germany has also seen several highway accidents due to ice, with North Rhine Westphalia recording 1,734 accidents in 24 hours, according to The Local, Germany. A 24km tailback was formed, heading into Munich, after a spectacular pileup that involved 51 vehicles on the A9 motorway.
Belgium is also experiencing traffic problems due to snow, with flights from Brussels airport delayed and in some cases cancelled.
Roads in the UK are mostly cleared, according to the Guardian, allowing motorists a chance to get away for Chistmas, but it points to a reminder from the Automobile Association that stopping takes 10 times longer on icy, snowy roads than under normal conditions, so leave plenty of space between cars.
Links to other sites: Geneva Airport departures and arrivals, Guardian, UK, Le Monde (Fre), The Local (Ger), TSR (Fre)
Your guide to a holiday-season weekend in Zurich, an easy train ride from Lake Geneva
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Zurich, December, view over the Limmat, universities above the Niederdorf
Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The charm of Zurich is at its brightest in the lead-up to Christmas. Daytime offers plenty of activities for children and adults alike, but the real fun starts in the evening. The entire city appears to spill out of offices and shops to socialize in the snowy streets, tucking into cozy cafes and restaurants when the weather turns too brisk. It’s an easy two hours and 50 minute by train from Geneva, 30 minutes less from Lausanne, making it the perfect mini-vacation for people in the Lake Geneva area who want to leave home without the cost and fatigue of going abroad.
Swarovski crystals cover Zurich main station giant tree
The week before Christmas sees Zurich shoppers filling the stores and boutiques, as they do in any big city. Shops are open Sunday 19 December throughout the city and they are open later than usual in the evenings up to Christmas. The Bahnhof, or main train station, has what is arguably the best Christmas market in Switzerland, with a great selection of gifts, but there are also scores of small Christmas stands sprinkled around the city and small markets that are good fun.
Be sure to go back to the Bahnhof in the evening, when the locals invade it, sipping hot gluwein, the spicy scent of which fills the air. The giant Swarovski Christmas tree is an astonishing site, with over 5,000 crystal decorations. Given that these start at CHF130 in the Swarovski shop on the Bahnhofstrasse, the cost of the tree as well as its beauty are enough to make you pause. The tree itself is a 35-year-old Zurich pine from the forest above the city.
Your best starting point is at the main train station’s tourism office, where you can get excellent maps, brochures and the Zurich City Card (see below). The Bahnhof station can be confusing at the best of times, and renovations don’t make it easier to get your bearings. Do what the locals do and look up: the huge, colourful Guardian Angel (Schutzengel) by artist Niki de St Phalle serves as a good meeting point and reference.
Zurich Bahnhof, travellers' nana, "Guardian Angel"
The popular Nana figure weighs 1.2 tons and is 11 metres high. It was offered to the station in 1997 by Securitas to celebrate the 150th birthday of Swiss railways. The tourism office’s “i” is a few metres away.
Three very special treats during the holidays: extraordinary Picasso retrospective, ice skating, the Singing Tree
Christmas holiday traffic is upon us! Weather forecast, resort updates, traffic planning alerts
Skier Lara Gut signs with new sports agency
Photos by Keepps on flickr, Nyon 17 December 2010 set
Nyon, early Friday morning 17 December (photo, Keepps on flickr)
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – School ends for the Christmas break in neighbouring France Friday 17 December and in some German states, while Vaud and Geneva finish at the end of the school day Thursday 23 December (complete list of Swiss school vacation dates) – note corrected dates. The mountains have snow; the snow cover is not deep, but more is promised. Expect traffic on the roads! The women’s World Cup ski season will see some chilly racing this weekend in neighbouring France’s Val d’Isère resort, with temperatures at -10C Friday morning and -14 at nearby Tignes. The snow is in good condition, with 103cm at the top and 40 at 1,850 metres.
Swiss skier Lara Gut announced Friday noon that she has signed a contract with a new Swiss agency, Pool Position, to help develop her reputation nationally and internationally. “This close collaboration, coordinated by my private team, will ensure how my reputation is built, both as an athlete and a private individual.”
Pool Position is a recently developped partnership, based in Zurich, between Ringier, Switzerland’s largest media company, and the German firm Kick-Media AG. The company advises clients in several fields: film, TV, theatre, fashion, music, sports and show business.
Gut was suspended for two races at the end of December for repeatedly ignoring warnings about wearing team clothing and for publicly criticizing the Swiss women’s team coach. She performed well during pre-race runs Thursday, coming in 8th overall and first for the Swiss. She is making her comeback this season after a hip injury followed by surgery last season. Val d’Isère is where Gut charmed the sports world in February, winning two World Cup silver medals at only age 17.
Weather forecast
Snow that began falling 16 December is expected to end by noon Friday in most areas, continuing a bit longer in the Jura and Swiss Alps. Saturday: changeable weather, but cold, ranging from -8C to a high of -1C on the plain and -16C to -7C in mountain resorts. Sunday: warmer, highs around 0C, with snow starting again, but the snowline gradually rising to 500-800 metres. GenevaLunch weather page
Winter resort news
Switzerland, December 2009
Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday, from the staff and contributors at GenevaLunch, to all our faithful readers.
Thanks to you, our traffic has grown fourfold in 12 months, and we are now the best-read source of news online in the Lake Geneva region in Switzerland.
Ed. note: we will be reducing our regular news coverage for the next two weeks, but running several features to keep you happy.
Snow falling, blowing at night, 1,100 metres in Valais, Switzerland
Blowing snow, Valais, Switzerland 21 December 2009
Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Winter arrived in Switzerland 21 December with a screech of cold air accompanied by howling winds and snow in many areas. By Tuesday noon temperatures had risen, but the country remains blanketed in white.
Switzerland suffered fewer accidents and other weather-related problems Sunday and Monday, compared to many areas in Europe, partly thanks to the warm foehn in mountainous regions. Strong winds whipped up but also melted some of the snow. The highest winds were recorded at the Diablerets glacier, 145.4kph, reports TSR.
Forecast from the national weather service, MeteoSwiss: clouds and snow alternating for the next few days, throughout the Jura, Lake Geneva and Swiss Alps region. The snow line will rise and fall between 400 and 1,500, with snow down to the plain at times in Valais. Temperature highs, 4-9C on the plain, 2-4C in Valais, with +1C at 2,000m. Colder as the week wears on, but some Alpine valleys will be warmed by foehn winds, which will be strong at times this week.
Title: Christmas late-night shopping, Geneva and Nyon
Location: Geneva
Link out: Click here
Description: Stores stay open until 22:00 Wednesday 23 December and 18:00 Thursday 24 in Geneva. Nyon’s shops stay open until 22:00 Monday 21 December and Wednesday 23, and the town’s public transport is free during those times. Note: Geneva has a special Christmas and New Year’s hotel + shopping offer, starting at CHF104.
Start Date: 2009-12-18
End Date: 2010-01-04
Title: Christmas late-night shopping – Lausanne
Location: Lausanne
Link out: Click here
Description: Stores are open until 22:00 Monday 21 and Wednesday 23 December. If you’re going shopping late, be sure to look at the “contest” part of the web page: you can win prizes by voting for your favourite decorated shop windows.
Start Date: 2009-12-20
End Date: 2009-12-23
Title: Christmas events in Lausanne
Location: Lausanne
Link out: Click here
Description: Lausanne’s hilly cobblestoned streets, snow falling: the perfect place to enjoy carols, gospel singing, jazz and Father Christmas. The city has an online calendar for its special Christmas activities, in English.
Date: 2009-12-20 to 2009-12-23
British Air staff have voted in favour of a 12-day strike starting 22 December. Britain’s largest airline is widely expected to create chaos if the strike over the end of year holidays goes ahead. The 22,000 employees polled voted 92.5 percent in favour of the strike, to protest cost-cutting measures. The airline had a record loss in the six months that ended 30 September 2009. BA has posted information for travelers on its web site.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The time has arrived for the annual Christmas party reminder: don’t drive if you plan to drink. The limit in Switzerland is 0.5 per 1,000, which means about one glass of wine. That said, Christmas parties, at the office or elsewhere, often catch people by surprise, and if you have one too many, consider phoning Nez Rouge to have someone come and drive you home in your own car. The Geneva area service also covers neighbouring France.
The holiday season service starts this weekend, with drivers on call 11 and 12 December, and then throughout the holidays but with dates and times varying slightly from one region to another.
Geneva and Zurich, Switzerland (RSR, Fre) – Hewlitt-Packard’s employees are not all happy at being told to stay home for the Christmas holidays, according to RSR, which reports that the company’s staff union is up in arms about the order.
