Swiss International Air Lines issued this report:

Swiss has lined up a further host of specials and surprises for its customers in the coming Advent and Christmas season. The festivities begin with an exclusive Yuletide flight that will take several lucky families up to Lapland for a feast of Christmas magic. The airline will also be serving special seasonal meals in all seating classes on its long-haul flights from Switzerland.

In the light of last year’s success, Swiss will again be bringing a gleam to children’s eyes by conjuring up all the magic of the Christmas season. On the weekend of December 1-2 the airline flew an Airbus A320 from Zurich to Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland in Northern Finland. A lucky 120 persons have been selected to take part in this seasonal “LXmas” social media event and experience the unique Yuletide ambience within the Arctic Circle in a packed programme of activities and attractions. A number of families who are supported by the Sternschnuppe children’s help foundation will also be aboard.

“Mandelsterne”, “Grittibänzes” and seasonal amenity kits

SWISS will be serving freshly-baked “Grittibänz” breads in the morning and gingerbread men in the afternoon on selected European flights from Zurich on Thursday 6 December to mark St. Nicholas’s (“Samichlaus”) Day.

The airline will also be offering traditional Swiss Christmas fare from the beginning of December. Economy Class travellers on afternoon European flights will be served a snack of Christmas cookies and mandarins. And on long-haul services between 24 and 26 December SWISS Business travellers can enjoy “Berner Mandelsterne” (almond stars), in keeping with the current chapter of the SWISS Taste of Switzerland programme, which spotlights the cuisine of Canton Bern. The present range of Victorinox Business Class amenity kits will also be given a seasonal touch, with the addition of a further model in the shape of a Christmas stocking. And the traditional Swiss Chocolates will get a December makeover in the form of a special gold “Season’s Greetings” wrapping.

Seasonal meals, too

SWISS will be serving special Christmas meals to travellers in all classes on long-haul flights from Switzerland between 19 and 25 December. In addition to the usual fine menu selection, SWISS First customers can opt for a starter of truffled veal terrine with fig and nut chutney, a main course of dry-aged Angus beef (Fillet Wellington) with Périgord truffle sauce and vegetables and a seasonal dessert of baked apple with cinnamon ice cream and vanilla sauce.

The seasonal SWISS Business extras start with a trilogy of salmon (smoked, gravad and tartare), continue with corn-fed chicken with truffle sauce and bread dumpling slices, red cabbage and Brussels sprouts, and conclude with chestnut cake with spiced orange compote. And SWISS Economy travellers will be additionally offered a potato and chestnut salad with gravad salmon, followed by turkey breast with potato dumplings, red cabbage and lingonberry jam, along with a dessert of cinnamon mousse with baked apple compote.

The special SWISS First and SWISS Business meals can also be rounded off with a seasonal Etter “Weihnachtspflümli” Christmas plum liqueur, while SWISS First customers can additionally enjoy a Sirocco “White Christmas” or “Winter Moments” tea.

All photos by Swiss.