Filzmoos Christmas holidays
If all you want for Christmas is a relaxing family holiday and some scenic skiing, leave disappointment to the presents and head to Filzmoos. Much loved by locals, this small, pine-clad district is sorely underrated by skiers from overseas, meaning it's preserved a wonderfully Austrian ambience and several quirky traditions for Christmastime.
If this Christmas is anything like recent years, tiny tots will go wild for Santa's appearance in the village square on the 24th, when his angel-helpers give out gifts and bless parents with steaming, cinnamon-spiced glühwein. Bundling into a sleigh and riding up to the “Advent Idyll” at Oberhofalm is another tradition here - it usually includes camp fires, candle-lit decorations and more glühwein around the frozen lake. The 28th sees yet another unique event, when 180 “demons” (harmless chaps in horns, really) flood the village for the “Perchtenlauf” (we'll leave the locals to explain that one).
If you choose to stay in a hotel, many host Christmas dinners on the big day, taking arduous meal preparations off your plate.
Thanks to the proximity of the Dachstein Glacier, snow's likely to be in plentiful supply for Christmas week, and should the white stuff end up a little thin on the ground, the snowcannons will kick in to provide a decent covering. There are so many activities here - make the trip 30 minutes west to St. Johann for a tour of the Cathedral, Salzburg's markets for last minute gifts, or take to the skies in one of the famous Filzmoos balloons.
Christmas snow and skiing conditions in Filzmoos
Christmas Snow History
Top alt:1597m
Average snow depth
Christmas90cm
Bottom alt:1057m
Average snow depth
Christmas49cm
Resort alt:1057m
Christmas ski rating