Christmas decorations

The festive season officially began in the heart of Athens on Thursday evening with the lighting of the Christmas tree in Syntagma Square.

The celebration, organized by the Municipality of Athens, included a performance by singer Nefeli Fasouli accompanied by the Athens Big Band. The event was hosted by state broadcaster ERT duo Nancy Zabetoglou and Thanasis Anagnostopoulos.

Sofia will celebrate the holiday season with festive decorations spread across more than 50 locations throughout the city, creating a magical atmosphere for residents and visitors alike. The municipality announced that the city will feature dazzling lights, themed photo spots, Christmas markets, and beautifully adorned Christmas trees.

Mayor Vasil Terziev will light the festive lights and Christmas tree of Sofia at 19:00 p.m., reported the Sofia Municipality. For the first time, this will take place on the capital's new pedestrian space - the square around the St. Alexander Nevsky".

Development Minister Kostas Skrekas noted price reductions of roughly 20-30%, on average, for hundreds of Christmas products, compared to last year, during his visit on Wednesday to Jumbo, a large chain selling toys and seasonal, ahead of the festive season.

The ornamental plants and cut flower sector in the southern province of Antalya has started shipping a total of 75 million cut flowers, mainly carnations, and 4 million Christmas wreaths to nearly 30 European countries and Russia for Christmas and New Year celebrations this year.

With the new year around the corner, the southern province of Antalya's local female producers have embarked on an intensive endeavor to transform pine residues, pine cones and juniper berries collected from forest-cutting areas into Christmas wreaths for export to 20 countries.

Back at the beginning of March, few would have thought that terms like "restrictions," "without friends," "only at home" and "no hugs or kisses" would be a part of any discussion about the Christmas and New Year's holidays this year.

A worker places an ornament on a Christmas tree on the illuminated Syntagma square, during the coronavirus disease pandemic, in Athens, Saturday. [Stelios Misinas/Reuters]

Just because it's the holiday of tinsel and bright lights, the décor doesn't have to be all tacky. Check out the online gift shop of the Goulandris Museum for a selection of tasteful ornaments and calendars, but also gift ideas like jewelry designed by Jazzt Design, prints, art books and other bespoke items reflecting the museum's collection of modern art.

At the time of year when most families usually start decorating their homes for the holiday season, Christmas trees are lined up at the Pedion tou Areos park in central Athens by growers hoping citizens will rise to the occasion.