Samichlaus in Rapperswil-Jona

Between the 1st of Advent and the 6th of December, three Christmas processions take place in Rapperswil-Jona. The St. Nicholas groups visit families, schools, kindergartens and clubs. They bring gifts, tell stories and make children's eyes light up. They spread joy and get in the mood for Christmas.

Etzelchlaus
The Chlau procession of the Etzelchläuse will take place on 04 December 2026 at 5.30 p.m. on the main square in Rapperswil-Jona. The Chläuse arrive ceremoniously from the Etzelwald in our picturesque city centre. During the subsequent home visits or in the kindergarten, the Etzelchläuse appear as men who have their hearts in the right place. They bring gifts, tell stories and answer children's questions. Above all, they want to spread joy during the Advent season and get the children in the mood for Christmas.

The history of the Chläuse begins in 1935 with the founding of the St. Nicholas Commission by Burkard Senn. At that time, only six men paraded through the court communities, while there are now over 30 Chläuse and Schmutzli. The Etzelchläuse are part of Rapperswil Lake Zurich Tourism.

Klauskomitee Jona (KKJ)
The prelude to the Santa Claus season will be on the 1st Sunday of Advent, November 29, 2026, with the Chlau procession in Jona. The red Santa Claus, dressed as a bishop, will move from the Jonerwald over the Johannisberg to the village schoolhouse from 5:00 p.m. together with his many Schmutzlis and his donkey. He will be picked up by two school classes with torches and by the Benken Einscheller group at the edge of the forest. A short celebration will take place on the schoolhouse square of the village schoolhouse at about 6:00 p.m. before each child receives a small surprise from the Schmutzlis. At the beginning of December, Santa Claus visits families, kindergartens and school classes, curative education organizations, retirement homes, children's play groups and clubs. The Klauskomitee Jona wants to bring the Santa Claus custom closer to the children of Jona, Wagen and Bollingen.

The Klauskomitee Jona is an independent association with the aim of cultivating the Santa Claus tradition and keeping it alive for the future.

Chlausgruppe Quartierverein Lenggis-Kempraten
The Christmas procession takes place on the 1st Sunday of Advent - this year on November 29, 2026 - at 6:00 p.m. A heavenly Santa Claus, as many Schmutzlis as possible, donkeys, a dozen music-making and singing children and many hard-working helpers create a festive Advent atmosphere at the Paradies Lenggis schoolhouse. The St. Nicholas visits take place on different evenings around December 6. Each Santa Claus organizes his visit in his own way. Some tell stories, others recite a poem they have written themselves.

The Santa Claus group of the Lenggis-Kempraten neighbourhood association has been safeguarding the custom of Santa Claus in the area of the neighbourhood association for over 50 years. The Santa Clauses and Schmutzlis are not the bad men from the forest, but make children's eyes light up in the pre-Christmas mood.

Registration forms
Registration forms for family visits will be distributed to households at the end of October.