The Onions of Bern

Monday in the city of Bern was the highly anticipated annual Zibelemärit, or Onion Market for those speaking English with me. The day is meant as a celebration for the start of winter and the star of the day is the onion. Walking around the vendor stalls at this festival, you'll see 2 major uses for the onion. First, you could paint, clothe, and decorate the onion to make them look like little people (complete with little onion feet). Or, you could turn them into elaborate wreaths, accompanied by beautiful dried flowers and even garlic. I'm not sure if people are actually buying these to take home and eventually eat?? At about $18 for the strand pictured about with garlic and flowers, I'm not sure how quick you would be to eat your "art".
The other charming aspect of the day are the kids that roam the streets throwing confetti at people and bopping them on the head with a neon, plastic mallet type object that lets out a little squeak upon contact. (By the end of the day, the street was carpeted by the confetti.) Perhaps I should have armed myself, as other adults were doing. I, at one point, got a dose of confetti in my mouth. As I stumbled to recover, I got hit again by another two people, then bopped in the head. After surviving the attack by the rowdy gang of festival attendees, I wondered where the Glühwein was.
The Glühwein is a staple at the Christmas Markets and other celebrations this time of year. It's a spiced wine served warm, and is really quite nice. Helps to warm you up, which I discovered isn't so necessary when it's about an unseasonably warm 50 degrees.
I loved the festival, it was fun to be around so many people in such a carefree spirited celebration. This relaxed energy isn't always so commonplace in Switzerland. Nice change of pace...