From the beginning of November until the Sunday after the Lenzburg's Saint Nicholas market (“Chlausmärt”) which takes place on the second Thursday in December, people in the municipalities of the Lenzburg district “gchlöpft” (crack their whips) at dusk. Anyone can crack a whip. In some municipalities, whip cracking competitions in various categories take place during this time. In Hallwil, the “Chlausjagen” (Saint Nicholas chase) takes place on the evening of the Lenzburg Chlausmarkt, and in Niederlenz, the “Whites and Blacks” parade through the village. Both customs take place amid whip cracking.
The tradition of “Chlaus-Chlöpfe” dates back to the 16th century and is based on the belief that the deafening noise and loud cracking of the whips can protect people from demons and other evil influences, which were particularly feared at the time of the winter solstice. Another origin story is told in the Lenzburg’s Saint Nicholas legend: the Chlaus-Chlöpfe is supposed to wake up Saint Nicholas in his cave in Lenzburg's Goffersberg. Since he was once teased by the boys of Lenzburg, he has not been seen in the town since.
Alongside the art of whip cracking and the various midwinter customs in which the Chlaus-Chlöpfenden participate, whip making is also a living tradition that is only practised in a few places throughout Switzerland, such as Egliswil in the canton of Aargau.
