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Throughout the month of December, residents and visitors to New Glarus will be able to view Adventsfensters throughout New Glarus. What is an Adventsfenster? In short, it is a life-size Advent calendar. Adventsfensters are common in the smaller towns and villages in Switzerland, and New Glarus resident Jacqueline Judd has brought the now yearly tradition to New Glarus. Up until Christmas (December 1-24), all over the village there will be 24 locations who will decorate one or more of their windows in a holiday/winter theme. During the decoration process and until the window is publicly revealed, the design stays hidden. Every evening a window will be revealed at a set time. People will be invited to gather in front of the building and how the window is revealed is up to the “window-opener.” Many times, music or a Christmas carol will be part of the ceremony and some people may offer a small snack or a hot drink. Once opened, the windows will stay lit every night until Christmas Eve. The tradition is to view twenty-three windows on Christmas Eve before heading to the opening of the final Adventsfenster window.

Each window opening is held at 6:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted. This year, there is a mix of businesses and private residences participating. For more information, like the New Glarus Adventsfenster Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/newglarusadventsfenster.

On Thursday, December 1st, at 6:30 p.m., the window by Family Childcare will be revealed at the New Glarus Chamber of Commerce, 418 Railroad Street. The New Glarus Bakery, 534 1st Street, is the host for Friday, December 2nd, with a window by New Glarus 4-H. On Saturday, December 3rd, Earthship Treasures at 523 1st Street, will reveal their window. The Forbes residence, at 219 6th Avenue, hosts the window reveal on Sunday, December 4th. The window reveal on Monday, December 5th, will take place at State Farm Insurance, 529 1st Street. On Tuesday, December 6th, The Growing Tree, 11 13th Avenue is the window host. The New Glarus Public Library, 319 2nd Street, is the host for the reveal on Wednesday, December 7th. On Thursday, December 8th, the old bank building at 130 5th Avenue will be hosting the window reveal.