Retrospective
Pictures, films and sounds from 28 years
Since 1998, choirs have climbed the illuminated tree every Advent. Much of it has been recorded: photographs by Roland Schmid, Jairo N’tango and Dasha Nikolaeva, features by SRF, Tele Züri and Radio 24, newspaper articles and audio recordings. Here it stays accessible, year by year.
2025
Tarte flambée at the market and a choir that goes viral
The food side keeps growing: in 2025 the Christmas market served its own tarte flambée for the first time. On 13 December the Zürcher Hardchor climbed the tree for the second time and sang Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness”. A spectator filmed it, her TikTok reached over two million views, and Blick, 20 Minuten and the Tages-Anzeiger reported.
2024
The 26th edition, with the Zürcher Hardchor for the first time
Dasha Nikolaeva photographed the 26th edition: the tree in the snow, the market and the faces on the platforms. As every year, many choirs sang, and on 8 December the Zürcher Hardchor stood on the tree for the first time. The choir grew out of an Instagram story in 2023, counts over a hundred singers aged 22 to 68 and rehearses in a car garage in Wipkingen. Pierfrancesco Monteleone leads it with an acoustic guitar. Instead of carols the Hardchor sings pop and rock, from the Backstreet Boys to Lana Del Rey; only “Feliz Navidad” gets a pass. Having this choir sing with us was a real joy.
2023
25 years of the Singing Christmas Tree
For the anniversary, Jairo N’tango photographed Werdmühleplatz by day and by night: the tree, the Christmas market, the Fondue Chalet and the carousel.
2022
The tree comes to Waldkirch
Since 2022, the German original of the Singing Christmas Tree has stood on the Museumsplatz in the abbey district of Waldkirch im Breisgau. Every December, ten choirs from the town and the region sing there.
Singing Christmas Tree Waldkirch
A look at the Museumsplatz during Advent.
2019
2018
Pepe Lienhard, Pino Gasparini and Tiziana Gulino as guests
Three Swiss stars climbed the tree as special guests, with Roland Schmid behind the camera. The Bauma children’s and youth choir was filmed in 360 degrees, the NZZ am Sonntag asked what makes “Silent Night” so magical, and the CD “Unser Wunsch” with the song by Andrew Bond went to Zurich’s schools as an anniversary gift.
Bauma children’s and youth choir in 360 degrees
Click and drag to look around; in full screen, zoom with the mouse wheel.
- Unser WunschAndrew Bond3:59
2017
Pepe Lienhard and Pino Gasparini rock the classroom
A visit to the rehearsals for the Singing Christmas Tree.
2015
Four songs from the classroom and a test winner
Pino Gasparini recorded four Christmas songs with class 5 of the Steinacher school. The Tages-Anzeiger tested the city’s mulled wines and named ours the winner.
- Frosty der Schneemann2:29
- Silver Bells3:12
- Jingle Bells2:35
- Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann / Fröhliche Weihnacht überall2:29
2014
The 10 Tenors, Radio 24 and Schweiz aktuell
A full year: Roland Schmid photographed chalet, market and tree, the 10 Tenors sang “Feliz Navidad” and “Joy to the World”, Radio 24 broadcast from the square, and SRF Schweiz aktuell showed the singing Christmas tree.
The 10 Tenors sing “Feliz Navidad”
The 10 Tenors with “Joy to the World”
- Oase der EntspannungRadio feature from Werdmühleplatz6:43
When the Christmas tree sings
2012
Snow on the platforms
The winter of 2012 covered the tree in snow, and Roland Schmid captured it. Tele Top profiled concert organiser André Kofmehl.
Concert organiser André Kofmehl
2010
Rai 2 and Glanz & Gloria visit
Italian television filmed a feature about Zurich and gave us the excerpt. Glanz & Gloria accompanied Pino Gasparini and his school class onto the tree.
Singing Christmas Tree 2010
Excerpt from a programme about Zurich, produced by Rai 2.
Pino Gasparini sings with a school class
The next season: 19 November to 23 December 2026.
To the programmeDo you have photos, films or audio recordings from earlier years? We would be glad to add them to the archive.