SANTA CLARA, Utah — Advent calendars are all the rage this holiday season, but one southern Utah city makes it king-sized.
Adventsfenster, which translates to "Advent window" in German, began in Santa Clara four years ago when Sherri Anderson from the local Historical Society discovered the tradition practiced annually in Switzerland.
“In Switzerland, Adventsfenster is something they do every year," said Denise Webster, co-owner of Frei's Fruit Market. "It's essentially a live Advent calendar. So you go to a home, they open their window... And instead of picking a chocolate out of the box, they have a hot chocolate or a treat or something for you."
Webster and Sue Yocum are third-generation co-owners of Frei's Fruit Market, which is celebrating its 70th year. They kicked off the 2025 Adventsfenster on Monday with a Swiss Miss hot chocolate-themed display on their historic porch.
The celebration takes place at the historic home next to their market, which belonged to their late great-great-grandmother Barbara Staheli — the first baby born to the Swiss settlers who established Santa Clara in the 1860s.
"You hear us call it Aunt Mandy's because her youngest daughter, Amanda, was the last one to live in here," Yocum said.
Each night at 7 p.m. through Christmas Eve, a new window display is unveiled at a different home or business throughout Santa Clara. The elaborate displays require significant preparation and community effort.
"It took us a few days with getting the lights and getting everything set. We have a lot of help," Webster said.
At the Historic Dutchman's Market, descendants of the original Frei family have created intricate miniature displays featuring tiny cookbooks, small portraits and guitars barely a centimeter high. Nick and Lissa Frei have been working past midnight daily to prepare their contribution to the celebration.
Despite the extensive volunteer work required, there's a waiting list of community members eager to participate in the unpaid tradition.
"It's been really interesting because every year, other people have said, 'Oh, I want to do it, I want to do it!'" Webster said. "We're just trying to just create good Swiss traditions and try to keep our Swiss heritage alive."
The Adventsfenster celebration continues nightly through Christmas Eve.
