Christmas and bright lights - two that belong together.
But is the opulent lighting still justifiable in view of the energy crisis?
Towns around Tegernsee are also looking for potential savings.
Tegernseer Tal
– “We will not abolish Christmas.” Rottach Mayor Christian Köck (CSU) has already made that much clear.
After two years of Corona, the municipality does not want to expect the badly battered retail trade to have a town center without a Christmas atmosphere.
In addition, Rottach-Egern is a holiday resort that wants to offer a certain quality of stay even in the dark season.
Rottach municipal council will deal with energy saving plan
The signs of the times have nevertheless been recognised, says the head of the town hall.
In order to save energy, Rottach-Egern will look for "compatible solutions".
At the next municipal council meeting on Tuesday, September 13, the committee will deal with a possible energy saving plan at the suggestion of the Greens.
The administration already has “a proposal in the bag”, says Köck.
Also read:
Saving energy in Schliersee and Miesbach: The Christmas tree is non-negotiable
Rottach-Egern may not have a lighted Christmas tree on every street lamp this year, says the head of the town hall.
Another consideration could be to reduce the number of large Christmas trees in town with their many lights.
Until now, it has been customary in Rottach-Egern for huge Christmas trees to spread their Christmassy splendor at several prominent locations, including in front of the town hall and in the spa gardens.
However, the savings potential here is very limited, emphasizes Köck.
"Since we switched the lighting to LED, consumption is no longer nearly as high."
In Tegernsee, the poinsettias replace the normal street lighting
Just a drop in the bucket, then?
In the eyes of Tegernsee's Mayor Johannes Hagn (CSU), even the small measures make sense - as a whole they would also do their part to save energy.
As far as the Christmas lights are concerned, however, Tegernsee finds it difficult to do without part of the decoration.
Because: The Tegernsee-typical stars would replace the street lighting one-to-one during the Advent season.
"We first have to talk to the E-Werk to see if there are any savings here - if so, then we'll do it," says Hagn.
Street lighting is switched on later and switched off earlier
Speaking of street lighting: At this point, the municipalities around the lake have already drawn consequences from the crisis.
The lights are now switched on 20 minutes later and switched off 20 minutes earlier.
The facades of public buildings such as town halls or the Seeforum in Rottach are no longer illuminated.
This is what the new Energy Saving Ordinance prescribes.
Tegernsee may want to ban lighting in private gardens
The city of Tegernsee might want to go one step further and also achieve a reduction in artificial lighting on private properties - keyword light pollution.
It's amazing how many citizens in Tegernsee would illuminate their gardens, says the mayor.
There is therefore a proposal to include a passage in the municipal design statute that prohibits lighting for decorative purposes even on private properties.
The city council must first discuss whether this also applies to the Christmas lights, says Hagn.
The city itself has "already reduced its Christmas lights to a minimum in the past", according to the head of the town hall.
Advent markets around Lake Tegernsee should take place again
Despite all the considerations of doing without: the popular Advent markets around Lake Tegernsee are supposed to take place again this year after a two-year break due to corona.
"Two to three weeks ago we said: Yes, we are preparing the topic internally," confirms Peter Rie, event manager at Tegenseer Tal Tourismus GmbH (TTT).
However, marketing and external communication will only be started at the end of September.
After all, it remains to be seen how the corona situation will continue from autumn.
The municipalities and their building yards would first have to think about how the lighting should be designed for the magic of Advent, says Rie.
"It's definitely too early to tell," he says.
However: A reasonable lighting at the markets is absolutely essential - "there it is also about the safety aspect".
Read here: Holzkirchen reduces Advent lighting
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