For many years, we’ve had an event called village opening the week before Christmas. Recently it’s been rebranded the ‘Glühwein Festival’, but the format remains unchanged. The village street is closed for the evening.

The businesses along the main street set up stalls dispensing hot drinks like glühwein or Irish coffee. The stall outside the Skiset ski rental shop has mince pies which, despite their obvious popularity, are virtually unobtainable in Switzerland. It’s all very jolly.

After a while the cold got the better of us, and we retreated to Rocks where the apres ski party was in full swing. We followed this up with dinner at the Caprice, and a few drinks in the Pickel bar. Opposite the Pickel, someone has a really rubbish job.

Spraying the snow with a fire hose makes a solid base for the temporary buildings which will be here during the Lauberhorn races next month. It has to be done at night, when temperatures are at their lowest. That guy must be freezing.