A Card from Switzerland

Christmas is over, but Christmas cards are still trickling into my mailbox.  Yesterday I received a card from my Swiss cousin Vera.  She is the daughter of my cousin Walter and his wife Helen.  Vera is a delightful, young woman who speaks flawless English.  She lives in Basel, a Swiss city on the Rhine River by the borders of Germany and France. 

The card is a beautiful winter scene made from cut paper.

The art of paper cutting, or "Scherenschnitte", is a Swiss tradition that goes back to the 17th century.  It began among farmers who would pass the time during the winter months by cutting designs on scraps of paper.  It is usually done with black paper and is set against a white background.  This card was commercially mass-produced, but it is based on an original design of "Scherenschnitte" by Esther Gerber.  I looked up Esther Gerber on the internet and discovered that she is a well-known master of this art.  I found this VIDEO on YouTube.  (Esther is speaking in Swiss German, but you can see her at work creating her intricate designs.)  This ARTICLE about her is written in English.

I will save and treasure Vera's card, and the next time I travel to Switzerland, I am going to see if I can find an original piece of "Scherenschitte" to purchase and bring home.