European cities ponder whether electricity-heavy holiday celebrations are a good idea this year

Early season merrymakers, sipping mulled wine and shopping for holiday decorations, filled the Verona Christmas Market on its first weekend.

But beyond the wooden market stalls, Italian cities are dazzling holidaymakers on granite-clad pedestrian streets as officials debate how to brighten the season amid an energy crisis. It is not decorated with lights.

In cities across Europe, authorities are grappling with choices as Russia’s war with Ukraine drives up energy prices. Dim the lights for Christmas to protect public money while sending a message of energy conservation and solidarity with citizens weighed down by high utility bills and inflation. After, the lights blaze with a message of defiance, illuminating the city with holiday cheer that retailers hope will loosen people’s purse strings.

“If they took the lights out, they could wipe out Christmas,” said Estrella Puerto, who sells traditional Spanish mantillas, or women’s veils, at a small shop in Granada, Spain. ’” and says that Christmas decorations are attracting business.

Less sparkling in Strasbourg

Fewer lights shine from the centerpiece tree of the famous Strasbourg Christmas Market, which attracts two million visitors each year. The French city is looking to cut public energy consumption by 10% this year.

From Paris to London, city authorities are limiting the hours of holiday illumination, with many switching to energy-efficient LED lighting and renewable energy sources. London’s Oxford Street shopping district wants to cut its energy consumption by two-thirds by limiting lighting to 3pm to 11pm and installing LED bulbs.

“Ecologically speaking, that’s the only real solution,” said Marie Breguet, 26, from Paris, as she strolled down the Champs-Élysées.

“War and energy pressure are real. A little less illumination this year won’t hurt anyone.”

Lights out along Budapest’s Andrássy Avenue, often called the Hungarian Champs-Élysées. Authorities have decided that he should not be exposed to more than 2 km of white light, as in previous years. The lighting of city landmarks, such as the bridge over the Danube, has also been reduced.

Ambrus Kiss, Deputy Mayor of Budapest, said: “Saving decorative lighting has to do with the fact that we live in an era where every drop of energy is needed.

‘Extreme discussion’

He doesn’t think saving lights will deter tourists from coming to the city, which hosts two Christmas markets that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

“I think the argument is exaggerated,” he said.

This year, festive lights made up of LEDs will be dimmed from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. in the old town center of Brasov, in central Romania, and turned off elsewhere, officials said.

The crisis, largely caused by Russia cutting off most natural gas to Europe, is sparking innovation. In Borno, an Italian mountain town in Lombardy, a cyclist on a stationary bike fuels batteries with kinetic energy to power his tree on Christmas in the town. Anyone can ride it, and the faster you pedal, the brighter the lights. Officials said no holiday lights will be installed elsewhere in town to raise awareness about saving energy.

In Italy, many cities traditionally light up Christmas trees in public squares on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, so there’s still time to plan your festive street displays. Officials in the northern city of Verona are discussing limiting lighting to a few major shopping streets and using savings to help needy families.

The city also installed a Christmas tree in the main square, and holiday cake makers installed brightly decorated trees in three other locations.

After spending two Christmases under COVID-19 restrictions, some called the conservation effort “silly.”

“It’s not Christmas all year round,” said Alice Betout, 39, from Paris.

Like an “American Christmas movie”

In Germany, the holiday shopping season is a big tailwind for retailers and restaurants. Emergency cuts were announced this fall that specifically exempted religious lighting “especially at Christmas,” despite calls from environmentalists to curb it.

“A lot of the yards look like an American Christmas movie,” complained Environmental Action Germany.

In Spain, the northwestern port city of Vigo isn’t letting the energy crisis stop it from staging the country’s most spectacular Christmas light display. Ahead of other cities, Vigo switched on his November 19 light show, which has become a major tourist attraction.

This year’s installation consists of 11 million LED lights on more than 400 streets, despite the central government asking cities to reduce their illumination. As a small contribution to energy savings, they are one hour less each day.

Light is Mayor Abel Caballero’s favorite project. “If we don’t celebrate Christmas, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will win,” he said.

Caballero said economic benefits are essential to both Vigo’s commerce and business. Hotels in the city and surrounding areas are completely full due to the start of the lighting and are expected to be near 100% each week.