Generally these days are work-free, but some service industries like cafés, bakeries, restaurants and cinemas are open. Christmas and Easter are traditionally holidays where families come together. The religious importance is generally seen as being on the decline.

The beginning of a new year is celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1st. Just like in many other countries, there are big New Year’s Eve celebrations and at midnight there are fireworks as a salute to the New Year. January 1st (New Year’s Day – Neujahr) is a national public holiday.

Easter with Good Friday ("Karfreitag"), Easter Sunday ("Ostersonntag") and Easter Monday ("Ostermontag") is the most important festival in the Christian calendar in Switzerland. It is the oldest Christian festival and marks the death (crucifixion) and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after crucifixion (Easter Sunday). The crucifixion and resurrection are cornerstones of the Christian belief. The death is not seen as the end but as redemption. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the spring full moon. Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays.

"Ascension Day" is the 40th day after Easter and represents the ascension of Jesus to His Father in Heaven. Ascension Day always falls on the Thursday nine days before Whitsun.

Whitsun or Pentecost ("Pfingsten") is celebrated with Whit Sunday ("Pfingstsonntag") and Whit Monday ("Pfingstmonntag"). This is the 50th day after Easter. This commemorates the descent of the Holy Ghost among the apostles of Jesus, which was the starting point of their missionary work. Whitsun can therefore be described as the birthday of the church. Whit Monday is a public holiday.

Christmas ("Weihnachten") encompasses three days: 24th of December – Christmas Eve ("der Heilige Abend"), 25th of December – Christmas Day, which is the birthday of Jesus Christ, and 26th of December – Boxing Day, the second day of Christmas. Before or after attending the church service on Christmas Eve, Christian families light the candles on their Christmas trees in readiness for the so-called "Bescherung", the exchanging of gifts. Christmas carols are sung or played and the family members exchange presents. Children are told that Father Christmas or the Christ Child brought the presents. Many families "rent" a Father Christmas for the evening, often played by students dressed in the traditional red and white costume, with a white beard. On the first and second days of Christmas, many people attend church services and mass. The 25th and 26th of December are public holidays.

The Feast of Corpus Christi ("Fronleichnam") is a Catholic festival celebrated on the second Thursday after Whitsun. Corpus Christi means the Body of Christ and refers to the elements of the Eucharist.

Martin’s Day is on the 10th or 11th of November, depending on the region. Children form a procession carrying lanterns moving from house to house, singing or reciting poetry and hoping for gifts. The legend of "Martin of Tours" says that, when he was a young soldier, he shared his overcoat with a freezing beggar. The "Martin’s Fire" ("Martinsfeuer") burns away the summer to make way for the coming spring.

"Advent" is the four weeks leading up to Christmas. The Latin word "adventus" means "arrival". It refers to the period of preparation for the coming of Jesus on the first day of Christmas. Many families have what is known as an "Adventskranz" ("Advent crown") with 4 candles. A candle is lit on each of the four Sundays of Advent. During Advent, sweet pastries are often eaten and Christmas decorations are put up around the home. An "Adventskalender" ("Advent Calendar") is often made or bought for children. The calendar has 24 windows with small presents or pictures behind each window, for each day from the 1st until the 24th of December, Christmas Eve.

On the 6th of December ("Nikolaustag") children are given sweets and chocolate and small presents. The children leave a shoe outside the door on the eve of the 6th of December and the parents fill the shoe with presents. Special gifts can be bought in bakeries and cake shops for this day. Legend has is that Saint Nicolas brought back to life three murdered school children. He is therefore the patron saint of school children.

Christmas is the celebration by the Catholic and Protestant Churches of the birth of Christ on the 24th, 25th and 26th of December. The 24th of December is Christmas Eve (der "Heilige Abend"). The Christmas festival of the Orthodox Church is celebrated on the 6th or 7th January. Many families have a Christmas tree, decorated with candles and coloured baubles. Christmas trees are also often put on public squares and in public buildings. This tradition dates back to the 16th century.