However, festive lights at the capital’s markets will be on for six hours a day, instead of 19 hours in previous years in bid to save energy
Luxembourg City will be illuminated with Christmas lights from Friday as the traditional festive markets get underway, although the lights will be on for fewer hours than usual as part of the country’s bid to save energy this winter.
The lights will be on for six hours each day, instead of 19 hours in previous years, Luxembourg City Council said on Monday. The lights will operate from 4.30pm until 11pm, except on four days – the 24, 25, 26 and 31 December – when they will remain on until 1am.
It means that Christmas market stalls set up on squares such as Place d’Armes near Hamilius, Place de la Constitution, where the Gëlle Fra (Golden Lady) is situated, and in Place de Paris will only be lit up during the markets’ opening hours.
More than 250 different types of festive lights, normally used to bring Christmas cheer, will not form part of the decorations, under measures to slash the city’s gas consumption by 15% and electricity by around 5%.
The Christmas market event, which is returning in its traditional format after three disrupted years due to the pandemic, has instead been curtailed by the consequences of Russia’s invasion of its neighbour Ukraine.
In a bid to save on energy the temperature inside schools, crèches and public buildings will go down by one degree, swimming pool water will become 1.5°C colder, and ice rinks at the Christmas markets will be scrapped, Luxembourg city officials previously said.
Luxembourg is comfortably beating its own voluntary gas-saving target of 15%, with the country consuming 36% less gas in October compared to that month’s average over the previous five years, Energy Minister Claude Turmes said last week.
A 12-metre high Christmas tree will be put up on Place d’Armes and another 13-metre high tree will go up at Place de la Constitution.
Stalls will sell food and drinks, and objects such as decorations, games, jewellery and clothes. There will be 38 stalls at Place d’Armes and 41 at Place de la Constitution, next to trampolines and merry-go-rounds.
Instead of the ice rink, there will be a food village and family animations at the Kinnekswiss park near the Glacis.
Children will be able to visit Saint Nicolas at Place de Paris from 19 November until 3 December between 3pm and 5pm.
The Winterlights and Christmas markets start on Friday and run until New Year’s Day, opening from 11am until 9pm from Sunday to Thursday, and 11am until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Source: Lux Times
