Many landmarks are no longer illuminated at night due to the energy crisis. Will this also apply to the Christmas lights soon? In the Erzgebirge you don't want to do without the many lights in the dark season. But savings are also being examined there.
Annaberg-Buchholz/Chemnitz (dpa/sn) - Candle arches in the windows, light decorations in the streets, glowing Christmas trees: During the Advent season, thousands of lights spread a cozy atmosphere in many places. Especially in the Ore Mountains. But in view of the energy crisis, savings could also be made on Christmas lights in some cities. "Christmas is the festival of hope," said the spokeswoman for the city of Annaberg-Buchholz, Annett Flämig. From their point of view, switching off or banning traditional lighting would definitely send the wrong signal.
Nevertheless, possibilities are being sought in the Ore Mountain town to save energy at this point as well. This year, the Christmas tree will only be lit during the opening times of the Christmas market and will be switched off at night. The same is being checked for other Christmas decorations. Flämig explained that further savings opportunities around the Christmas market were also being sought. The city was unable to say how much the electricity for the Christmas lights costs the city in total and what additional costs are incurred here due to rising energy prices.
However, many municipalities have already invested in LED technology for Christmas lighting in recent years, thereby reducing electricity consumption. In Annaberg-Buchholz, for example, all of the city center lighting, the Christmas tree and individual elements at the Christmas market and most of the lighting at the sales booths have been converted to LEDs.
The situation in Chemnitz is similar. According to the city, the lights on the Christmas tree, the pyramid, the fairy lights on the market and many stalls on the Christmas market have been converted to LEDs. The city administration calculated that this would save around 29,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per season for the Christmas tree alone. It is currently being examined whether the remaining stands at the Christmas market can also be converted.
While in the Ore Mountains the Christmas lights are traditionally active until Candlemas at the beginning of February, in Chemnitz the tree on the market is felled and the lights of the Christmas lights are switched off as early as January. That happens on the first Monday after Epiphany, it said.
