Silvesterchlausen

New Year's Eve is celebrated twice in Appenzellerland. The New New Year's Eve takes place on 31 December, the Old New Year's Eve on 13 January. If the dates fall on a Sunday, they are celebrated on the day before.
In 2024 / 2025, the New Year's Eve will be celebrated on Tuesda, 31.12.2024 and on Monday, 13.01.2025.

Once again this year, Silvesterchlausen in Appenzellerland AR will move from farm to farm and house to house to convey New Year's wishes to the landlords and landladies. The Silvesterchlausen is therefore not a timed procession.

The «Strech» (route) of the «Schuppel» (Chlausen groups) is never announced. It is precisely this uncertainty that makes this tradition so magical.

Observe the New Year's Eve lice from a respectful distance. Keeping your distance and behaving calmly and discreetly is particularly important in front of private houses. You may photograph the lice from a distance of a few metres. After the chorus, we recommend a moment of silence to allow what you have heard to sink in. Please refrain from applause and instead express your appreciation with a respectful «Bravo».

Enjoy the New Year's Eve chorus above all acoustically. Flashing lights and mobile phone lights can distract from the mystical, sensual and sonorous atmosphere.

This peculiarity has its origins in the Gregorian calendar reform. A confessional dispute that broke out in the 16th century when Pope Gregory XIII improved and adapted the Julian calendar. The Protestant Ausserrhoden refused to recognise the new Gregorian calendar. Although the new calendar prevailed, New Year's Eve is still celebrated on 13 January, i.e. according to the Julian calendar.

The custom itself, which was at times practised as a begging tradition, was first recorded in 1663. It is probably much older, however. Some place it in the St. Nicholas tradition from northern France, but the ringing of bells also suggests a pagan origin. The first evidence of a costume appears in a document from 1744. «Schöni» Chläus have been part of the tradition since the 19th century. «Schön-Wüeschte» and «Wüeschte» only appeared in the second half of the 20th century.

An overview of the three different forms and there origin you can find here.

 

Urnäsch	approx. 30 groups (adults, youth and children's groups)
Waldstatt	approx. 30 groups (adults)
Schönengrund	approx. 8 - 10 groups (adults, youth and children's groups)
Schwellbrunn	approx. 15 - 20 groups (adults, youth and children's groups)
Herisau	approx. 24 groups (adults, youth and children's groups)
Hundwil	approx. 14 - 17 groups (adults, youth and children's groups)
Bühler	currently one adult and one children's group known
Teufen	approx. 5 - 7 groups (adults, youth and children's groups)
Stein AR	approx. 13 - 15 groups (adults, youth and children's groups)
Speicher	2 adults and 3 - 4 children's groups

 

We generally recommend getting here by public transport. There are direct connections via the post bus and the Appenzell railways from St. Gallen and Herisau.

Depending on the municipality, there will be various parking options available.

Urnäsch	Public transportation: Train from Gossau/Herisau or Appenzell Parking: Large car park directly above the railway station and next to Hotel Krone (Kronenparkplatz). If this is full, follow the signs and directions given by the parking attendants (there are other parking options outside the village)
Hundwil	Public transportation: Post bus from Herisau and St. Gallen Parking: School Mitledi, Säntis Metzgerei, «Landsgemeindeplatz», Churzch, Ramsten, Befang
Stein AR	Public transportation: Post bus from Herisau and St. Gallen Parking: Appenzeller Schaukäserei, Appenzeller Volkskunde Museum
Schönengrund	Public transportation: Post bus from Herisau & Brunnadern Parking: Next to the Community hall, next to the church
Waldstatt	Public transportation: Train from Gossau/Herisau/St.Gallen or Appenzell Parking: Follow the signs
Schwellbrunn	Public transportation: Bus from Herisau Parking: Halden and Multipurpose building Sommertal
Herisau	Public transportation: Train from St.Gallen/Gossau or Appenzell Parking: Kiesplatz Ebnet, Kasernenareal, Sonnenberg car park swimming pool (the posted tariffs apply), Gutenberg underground car park (access until 10:15 a.m.), station roof car park (the posted tariffs apply)
Teufen	Public transportation: Train from Trogen/St.Gallen or Appenzell Parking: Landhaus underground car parking and at Zeughausplatz

The Silvesterchlausen is not a timed procession. Each Silvesterchlausen-Schuppel (group) moves from house to house, differently each year and according to its own route plan. The routes can be changed or shortened, especially in bad weather.