noel. >> joyeux noel. joyeux noel. merry christmas. how can you have a merry christmas without chocolate in switzerland? merci, monsieur. joyeux noel. >> merci. >> christmas is a festival of lights, a time to dispel all of the dark, so one of the best times to be at the christmas markets of switzerland is at night, when you can see all the lights of christmas. while montreux, home of the famous jazz festival, is hip and lively, lausanne, home of the international olympic committee, is noted for its ties to history and tradition. although people have lived alongside the lake in what we now call lausanne since the stone-age times, the old town has really been around since the 6th century. it's where the historic landmarks of lausanne are located, such as the cathedral and the town hall, the bishop's palace. it's also where the christmas market of lausanne is located, in the place st.-francoise, alongside the church. well, if you come to the christmas market in switzerland, one of the things you have to share with people is some hot mulled wine, so... >> cheers. >> sante, sante, sante. we're in the french-speaking part of switzerland, so we say "sante" here. a little later, we'll be saying, "prosit." and you are both--matthew and melanie are from lausanne. >> exactly. >> and do you come to the christmas market every year? >> yeah, every year. >> really? >> it's a tradition. >> dominique, you're actually with the christmas market. >> yes. >> how many of these little chalets are there here? >> there are about 50 chalets. they have crafts and arts and clothing, jewelry, soaps-- really nice things to give as presents for christmas. >> do you actually buy gifts for people here, or do you just come here to hang out? >> just for the hot wine. >> just for the hot wine. that's what i call--well, sante. >> sante. >> in keeping with its traditional roots, in lausanne's christmas market, i meet samichlaus, who is based on saint nikolaus, and his holiday partner, schmutzli. while samichlaus embodies the holiday's giving tradition with gingerbread treats, it's the schmutzli with his whip of twigs, who keeps tabs on whether swiss children have been naughty or nice. >> so it's the tradition. if the kids have been naughty all year, the parents are going to phone the schmutzli. yeah, they're going to phone the schmutzli nowadays, and he's going to whip them. >> ok. joyeux noel. joyeux noel. ah, we have some kids here. >> [speaking french] >> [chanting in french] >> perhaps even more important than saint nikolaus and schmutzli in lausanne is the night watchman. in typical swiss fashion, for more than 600 years, he has been keeping the town on time and letting people know that all is well. i visit him in his dwelling atop the lausanne cathedral. what a nice little room. it's nice and warm in here. i'm surprised. >> you're welcome. >> now, how long have you been doing this? >> i started in 1987, and this is 5 nights per week. and when i'm not here, i have substitutes. i have to be sure somebody's here in the tower because all over the year, somebody is here, with no exception. >> of course. we're here covering the christmas markets of switzerland, which is a--and here in europe and in switzerland, it's a great tradition. but this, the watchman tradition, is a tradition that's been going on for more than 600 years. it's amazing. >> yes, exactly, yes. >> what ma
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