Christmas traditions in Eggental
For many people, the anticipation of Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. In Eggental, many traditions are kept alive in the weeks leading up to Christmas Eve, from fearsome Krampus masks and the baking of traditional St Nicholas bread to the art of making Advent wreaths by hand.
"I want my masks to be expressive"
The Krampus parade
"I was fascinated from the very beginning," says Patrick Obkircher, looking back on his childhood. He was just eight years old when, during a winter holiday in Stubaital on St Nicholas Day in 2008, he watched a woodcarver put the finishing touches to a rather terrifying Krampus mask.
For Patrick, one thing was immediately clear: "I knew I wanted to learn how to carve masks like that too."
When his parents gave him some carving tools and a little wood for his birthday a few months later, they probably had no idea what they had set in motion.
Today, Patrick works in his studio on the outskirts of Welschnofen, where he transforms blocks of wood using a chainsaw, shapes them with carving knives of different sizes and devotes himself to even the smallest details. He has become one of the most sought-after Krampus mask carvers in the region.
Every two years in November, Welschnofen hosts one of South Tyrol's largest Krampus parades. It's an opportunity to admire Patrick's masks up close, at least for those brave enough to do so.
According to tradition, the Krampus has a very particular task. While St Nicholas rewards well-behaved children with gifts, the Krampus searches for those who have misbehaved and punishes them. The spectacle can give more than just the youngest spectators a fright, but Krampus parades remain a cherished tradition throughout South Tyrol, particularly in Welschnofen.
"In the past, the Krampus would meet in the village and go from house to house," explains Julian Kompatscher, president of the local Krampus association, "Schuffatuifl Welschnofen".
Since the association was founded in 2014, the parade has grown year after year and has become an essential part of the village's events calendar.
The Schuffatuifl association has around 50 active members. As well as taking part in the parade themselves, they help preserve and promote this pre-Christmas tradition far beyond Eggental.
Each year, 15 Krampus groups come to Welschnofen for the event. "But we usually receive twice as many requests," says Julian.
Wrapped in animal skins and equipped with large bells, more than 300 Krampus figures now make their way noisily through the streets of Welschnofen every November.
The centrepiece of every Krampus costume, however, is the mask.
"I want my masks to be expressive," explains Patrick Obkircher, describing his distinctive carving style.
For the occasion, they can certainly look wild and fierce. Yet Patrick, who also works as an artist and sculptor, places great importance on precision and intricate details.
"I want the facial features of my masks to be finely crafted," he says. "And above all, the proportions have to be right."
It takes Patrick around a week to transform a block of wood into a finished Krampus mask.
After working on the wood with a chainsaw and carving tools, he hollows out the sculpted face, adds padding and paints it with durable acrylic colours.
Finally, he attaches the horns, which can sometimes be enormous. Most are real horns, often from goats or sheep.
When Patrick puts on one of his finished masks, the young man's friendly face suddenly disappears behind a terrifying expression.
"Of course I was frightened back then too," he recalls, thinking of his first encounter with a Krampus in Stubaital.
That's why he finds it perfectly natural that his masks make such a strong impression, and not only from an artistic point of view.
Perhaps carving helped Patrick overcome his childhood fear of the Krampus. And perhaps the youngest members of the Welschnofen Schuffatuifl are finding their own way to do the same.
The children's group, with almost ten members, has come up with a rather clever solution: dressing up as Krampus figures themselves and, in a way, leaving their fear behind.
St Nicholas bread
"My grandfather started out on a very small scale," says Roland Pichler, looking back at the beginnings of the Pichler bakery in Eggen.
Later, his father was fortunate enough to see the business grow alongside tourism in the region.
Today, Roland runs the family bakery in its third generation, supported by nine employees who make sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.
Dough is kneaded and shaped, resting times are carefully observed, and seven days a week, every loaf and roll must go into the oven at just the right moment and, most importantly, come out at just the right time.
Among the bakery's many specialities are the traditional Eggentaler Breatln, small rye bread rolls made entirely by hand.
Roland prepares the rye dough using a mild sourdough starter and a little yeast, then leaves it to rise for around an hour. Every day, up to 800 rye rolls are shaped and baked.
In the weeks before Christmas, these little rolls become the centrepiece of a much-loved tradition in Eggen: St Nicholas bread.
Each roll is decorated with three caramelised almonds, adding a delicious touch of sweetness.
The tradition has a special significance in Eggen because St Nicholas is the patron saint of the village church, as illustrated by the beautiful fresco inside.
The painting depicts St Nicholas with three golden balls, referring to a legend in which the saint saved three young women from being sold into slavery by their impoverished father by giving them gold.
The three almonds decorating each St Nicholas bread roll symbolise these golden balls. And, of course, they taste rather good too.
Every year, Roland Pichler puts in an extra shift to bake around 300 of these special rolls for St Nicholas Day.
After the morning church service, someone dressed as St Nicholas distributes the bread from two enormous baskets, with the enthusiastic help of the local Schützen, the traditional marksmen's association of Eggen.
For children in particular, it's a wonderfully sweet way to end a morning visit to church, at least once a year.
"It's the most emotional time of the year"
Blumen Edelweiß: the art of Advent wreaths
"I actually wanted to become a roofer," says Andrea Unterweger as she skilfully weaves evergreen branches into a magnificent Advent wreath.
And especially during the cold, dark months of the year, she probably appreciates being able to work indoors in the warmth rather than standing on slippery rooftops.
"Things just turned out differently," she recalls, thinking back to 2003, when she had the opportunity to take over the family business, "Blumen Edelweiß" in Deutschnofen, 30 years after her father had founded it.
As Christmas approaches, Andrea and her four florists, all of whom live in Eggental, are particularly busy.
"It's the most emotional time of the year," she says.
That's why, in her shop, the Advent season doesn't begin until the end of November, rather than in late summer, as is increasingly the case elsewhere.
Andrea loves seeing her passion for her profession inspire others, especially during Advent, "when we can all feel a little like children again."
In South Tyrol, the tradition of making Advent wreaths has deep roots in the Christian faith.
The circular shape of the wreath, with no beginning and no end, symbolises the hope of eternal life. Its four candles represent hope and the growing anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ.
As everyday life slows down and people spend more time in the warmth of their homes, making an Advent wreath and decorating it with four candles has become a cherished tradition in households throughout the region.
For Andrea, keeping this tradition alive is particularly important.
Every year, she offers workshops that are extremely popular with locals from Eggental and beyond.
Participants appreciate not only the florist's creativity and innovative ideas, but also the opportunity to share a special experience in the run-up to Christmas.
The workshops are all about discovering the possibilities offered by natural materials and finding inspiration in their shapes, colours and scents.
Andrea enjoys experimenting with different combinations and bringing tradition and modern design together.
For example, she might combine typical mountain materials such as fir or Swiss stone pine with Mediterranean elements like olive branches.
And when everyone leaves the workshop carrying an Advent wreath they have made themselves, it always feels like a special experience.
Those who don't have time to make their own Advent wreath will also find plenty of inspiration in Deutschnofen.
From the end of November, Andrea's flower shop is transformed into a festive wonderland filled with beautiful Christmas decorations.
Visitors and holidaymakers in Eggental are also very likely to come across her creations.
The Advent wreaths made by the florists at Blumen Edelweiß are highly sought after by many hotels and restaurants throughout the area.
And the enormous Advent wreath in front of the church in Deutschnofen is an impressive example of the team's craftsmanship.
"The best thing is that we can already get into the Christmas spirit while we're working," Andrea says.
But when the four weeks of Advent come to an end, she wants to preserve as much of that festive joy as possible, for as long as she can.
That's why she takes a thoughtful approach to sustainability, working largely with long-lasting materials.
As she explains, once Christmas is over, all you need to do is remove the candles, and the wreath can continue to bring joy well into the new year.
