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Christmas lights on the back burner: party in the dark

2022-10-03T13:43:29.197Z


Energy crisis in Germany: Christmas in the dark? Numerous cities decide on initial measures Created: 10/03/2022 13:13 Inflation is forcing consumers to save energy. Colorful fairy lights, candlelights on trees and a pleasant scent create a mood at Christmas time. Berlin/Oberhausen - It could be far less comfortable for many consumers than in previous years. Many people are already afraid of the


Energy crisis in Germany: Christmas in the dark?

Numerous cities decide on initial measures

Created: 10/03/2022 13:13

Inflation is forcing consumers to save energy.

Colorful fairy lights, candlelights on trees and a pleasant scent create a mood at Christmas time.

Berlin/Oberhausen - It could be far less comfortable for many consumers than in previous years.

Many people are already afraid of the high prices for electricity and gas.

So there's a good chance the lights will go out during the Christmas period due to the energy crisis.

Dirk van Acken and his wife Barbara from Oberhausen have so far been unimpressed.

They still want to turn their house and garden back into a glittering winter paradise.

Year after year, in the run-up to Christmas, the couple falls into a light and decoration frenzy with countless fairy lights, glowing snowmen, little angels and Christmas music on a continuous loop.

The current energy crisis will not change that, assures 44-year-old Dirk.

“We get approached by so many people every year who want to come over.

You also have an obligation.

We're staying at the start.” Now the weeks of decoration work begin for the two of them - with thousands of Christmas items.

Celebrate in the dark: One illuminated tree per city and municipality

Not everyone is as relaxed as Dirk and Barbara.

In view of the acute energy crisis, for example, the German Environmental Aid (DUH) called for no Christmas lights in cities and private households.

This winter, it should be a matter of course that there will be no Christmas lights in cities, as well as in houses and apartments.

Federal Managing Director Jürgen Resch from the German Environmental Aid

"In view of the war in Ukraine, the energy shortage, but also for reasons of climate protection, we should pause for a moment," said Resch.

The managing director therefore proposes one illuminated tree per city and municipality.

"Consciously doing without here, saving and showing solidarity could even make this Christmas season a very special one."

Celebrate in the dark: Facebook users have decided

Jörg Meißel used a survey on the social network Facebook to decide whether his Christmas house should shine.

"In any case," wrote a user, "Christmas is the celebration of love, and the glow is part of it." After a two-year Corona break, Meißel now wants to decorate the house in Lichtenstein again: with 80,000 LED lights and up to 180 figures.

Thorsten Grüger, who has been illuminating his house in Karlsruhe-Neureut during Advent for years, wants to avoid the discussions this year.

With his decision at Alexander Handschuh from the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, Grüger is sure to open the door.

In his opinion, reducing the number of Christmas lights could be one of the key energy-saving measures.

However, according to Handschuh, "the weighing decision between the necessary energy savings on the one hand and the maintenance of the city center lighting or the holding of Christmas markets on the other hand" can only be made locally.

It is about the question of how high the savings potential to be achieved is, as well as the economic consequences of doing without, for example for the retail trade.

The suggestion of the German Environmental Aid is not expedient in general terms.

Alexander Handschuh from the German Association of Towns and Municipalities

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Christmas in the dark: green electricity and LED lighting

This is seen in a similar way in the southwest, for example.

In Stuttgart, for example, the fairy lights powered by green electricity should only shine on Christmas trees for 240 instead of 450 hours, as the city announced.

The town hall itself does not even have any lighting at all.

In the Christmas village of Waldbreitbach in Rhineland-Palatinate, which attracts visitors from all over Germany every year, the lights stay off this morning.

"The lighting will be slightly reduced to six hours a day from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., since most visitors are present at this time," says spokesman Florian Fark.

In recent years, they have already switched to LED.

According to the operator, the power consumption for the eight weeks will be around 3000 kilowatts.

“Consumption is comparable to what a family home with four people consumes in a year,” Fark continues.

With around 30,000 visitors, the electricity costs are less than 600 euros.

Christmas in the dark: no cancellations in Dresden and Nuremberg

In many communities there is a risk of a Christmas season with less lighting than in previous years - it will be a paler festival, even if there are no major cancellations in famous Christmas cities such as Dresden, Nuremberg, Heidelberg or Frankfurt am Main.

Nevertheless, many cities have already announced that they will put up fewer Christmas lights, switch them on less often or reduce opening hours.

A good 20 percent less electricity is to be consumed at the Essen Christmas market.

In Mainz, they want to implement the decision agreed with the state government to use 15 percent less energy.

In Berlin, the large Advent illuminations on shopping streets such as Kurfürstendamm are in danger.

Cities and municipalities save energy.

The inner cities are in darkness.

(Iconic image) © Mika Volkmann / imago

And many churches in this country have been doing without expensive outdoor lighting for some time.

According to the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), the pre-Christmas lights that announced the birth of Jesus in the churches were "not glaring gigawatt lights - but flickering signs of hope".

According to the EKD, they transport the heavenly message of peace on earth.

"This year this light of hope is needed more urgently than ever."

dpa

Source: merkur

All life articles on 2022-10-03

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