life • family events

A birth When a baby is born, people give a lot of gifts to the mother of the child as plush bears, baby-clothing or other useful things for the baby. Often the family shows the birth of the baby with a big board on their door, on the balcony or in the garden showing the name of the new born child (for example a stork). All the new born children a published in the official newspaper or mentioned in the church.

A wedding Here in Switzerland weddings a first an official ceremony at the town hall. Later on, the couple can celebrate their wedding at the church. This is not necessary but many couples do this. So many people can assist to the ceremony. Leaving the church the two married people are received by their fellows and friends - if they a member of a sports club or so - and then they have to pass their first obstacles... mostly funny tasks as liberating their car wrapped in toilet paper or other jokes. There is usually a dinner for all the guests and a dance. The weddings in Switzerland are often in May and the church ceremonies on Saturdays. They start at noon or 1 p.m. and end late in the night. Here in Switzerland we don't celebrate weddings on more than one day - as for example in Greece or southern Italy.

A death If somebody has died, the members of the family put dark clothes on. Funerals take place 4-7 days after the death. The funeral is organised by the town, so anybody can be buried independent on their religion. In our town there are as well funerals with urns as with coffins. Some people have extraordinary wishes for example to scatter their ashes on the sea or from an air plane.

life

© tanja güdel, joëlle pfammatter, ramona michel s3a sekundarschule spreitenbach, switzerland