Affected by the pandemic, this year's overseas Christmas purchasing peak season and the wave of holiday home decorations arrived earlier and lasted longer than in previous years. It is reported that in Yiwu, traditional Chinese-made Christmas products such as Christmas trees, Christmas baubles, and decorative lighting are still being purchased in large quantities by European and American markets, including through online channels. In addition, due to the recurring COVID-19 pandemic this year, most offline Christmas events have been cancelled. So, what is the current situation regarding Christmas decorative lighting displays and sales around the world? Let's take a look at the related news.
London's Stunning Christmas Street Lights Are Now Live
Although many large Christmas events and ceremonies in the UK were canceled due to the pandemic, Christmas lights still lit up across the country. This is the highlight of the annual British Christmas season. These decorative lighting installations have added much warmth and brightness to the lonely, cold streets of the UK.Taking London as an example, although the grand Christmas lighting ceremony on Oxford Street, which used to bring together tens of thousands of people in joy, will not be repeated this year, the Christmas lights were already lit on November 2nd, earlier than in previous years. Facing such a special period this year, the theme is a poem dedicated to the heroes fighting the pandemic, as well as a tribute to everyone who has worked hard for their lives this year. Oxford Street has activated 27 LED light curtains, consisting of a total of 222,000 lamps, hanging down along the street to form "Gateways of Time". As a must-visit street in London, the moment the elegant lights of Regent Street illuminate, it is simply dreamlike. This year's Christmas lights once again feature the familiar little angels, with the divine golden angels making a grand return, soaring above Regent Street.
Outdoor holiday lights sell out across Ireland
Three weeks before Christmas, there were hardly any outdoor LED lights for sale in Ireland. Wholesalers reported a shortage of battery-powered outdoor lights as communities across Ireland struggled to decorate their trees, gardens, and homes. Eoin Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Wholesale, which supplies products to independent retailers and hardware stores, stated that demand for Christmas lights is much earlier this year than in previous years. Fitzpatrick's annual orders increased by 33%, and outdoor lights in the warehouse were sold out last week. An order for 5,000 sets arrived from Europe this weekend. "Peak demand usually occurs after the first week of December in previous years." (Source: China Light Network)
Amsterdam, Netherlands introduces new regulations to reduce the luminance of Christmas lights
The Amsterdam City Hall in the Netherlands stated that residents of Amsterdam who wish to decorate the exterior of their homes with colorful lights before Christmas may need to notify the relevant authorities in advance. The city council has published a 35-page plan that will limit the size and color of holiday displays starting next Christmas, and requires Amsterdam residents to register their decoration intentions online at least 72 hours in advance. The city council stated: "These rules are designed to ensure that festive lighting complements the streetscape of Amsterdam and maintains a good balance between lighting on quiet streets and in public spaces."They stated that these measures will be implemented citywide, with stricter regulations applied to the canal district and old town, which were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 17th century. In the old town, only warm white lighting is permitted, and all lights must follow the gable contours of each building. Throughout the city, only low-energy LED lights are permitted, and all lighting must be turned off between midnight and 6 a.m. Any resident wishing to hang festive lights covering more than 1 square meter or more than 10% of their facade must notify the municipal authorities at least 72 hours in advance. This measure is expected to be voted on in the new year and implemented as soon as possible, as new technologies have reduced the cost of holiday lighting, and more people are choosing to decorate the exteriors of their homes with large screens. "The size of lighting displays has been continuously increasing and will continue to grow; advanced technology makes every larger and more complex design available at a lower cost, while consuming fewer light bulbs." "To ensure the quality and livability of our public spaces, it is important that festive lighting aligns with the character of Amsterdam's streets in terms of quantity, color usage, intensity, and design," they said. (Source: China Light Network)
The Macao Municipal Affairs Bureau has installed decorative lighting across various districts to brighten the city
During the Christmas season, the Municipal Affairs Bureau of Macau, China, installed colorful decorative lighting at various locations and streets across all districts of Macau, allowing residents and tourists to experience a strong festive Christmas atmosphere.This year, Christmas decorative lighting is being installed along several major streets across Macao, featuring LED string lights and light signs. Large-scale Christmas-themed decorative lighting, such as Christmas trees and giant baubles, is being set up in various parks and roundabouts. Additionally, one Nativity scene has been installed each at Largo do Senado, Friendship Square, and Jardim de Camões. Large light tunnels will also be installed at Largo do Senado and in selected parks. (Decorative lighting rendering of Ou Huali Square) (Rendering of decorative lighting in White Dove Nest Park) In addition, the Municipal Affairs Bureau building features Christmas decorative lighting. The lobby displays a Nativity scene, while the garden's centerpiece is a large Christmas tree adorned with poinsettias and various Christmas ornaments. Smaller Christmas trees and reindeer figures are arranged nearby as accents. A meteor-ring-themed Christmas neon light serves as the focal point of the garden, creating a unique and romantic atmosphere that allows residents and tourists to experience the joy of the holiday season. To facilitate public viewing of the decorations, the building's opening hours will be extended until 11:00 PM.
In line with the government's budget austerity measures, this year's decorative lighting has been reduced in both locations and scale compared to last year. There are a total of 55 installation sites, including 40 in the Macau Peninsula, 8 in Taipa, and 7 in Coloane. The decorative lighting will be illuminated from late November to early January next year. (Source: Macao Economic and Trade Office in Beijing)
Melbourne Lights Up
It is reported that the annual Christmas light display in Melbourne, Australia, has begun. Unlike the Northern Hemisphere, Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere falls in summer. Although the scenery differs from snow-covered landscapes, the Christmas lights still create a special atmosphere in Melbourne. During the Christmas season, nights on Swanston Street are particularly striking, as many buildings are illuminated with beautiful colors. The most famous landmark among them is the State Library. Its projection show uses LED laser technology, projecting high-definition and visually appealing patterns onto the building's facade from over a hundred meters away. This year's light show will incorporate content related to the pandemic, paying tribute to Melbourne's pandemic heroes through light and shadow.In addition, although this year's public open day has been cancelled, the light show at Melbourne Town Hall remains. It covers a larger area than the library and has no obstructions, making the light show even more spectacular. Based on past experience, Melbourne Town Hall is also expected to be adorned with cute Christmas decorations and puppets this year. (Source: Eat in Melbourne)
Spanish Christmas lights light up as scheduled
Despite the impact, the city of Madrid in Spain has not given up on creating a Christmas atmosphere in its streets and alleys as in previous years.This year, Madrid will install Christmas decorative lighting in 210 streets and squares across the city, an increase of 30 locations compared to 2019.According to the equipment and location information related to this year's Christmas lights in the Madrid City Council plan, we understand that the lights will consist entirely of "LED" light bulbs. Installation will begin in early September, with a budget of €3.17 million, basically on par with previous years' investment (€3.08 million).Due to the pandemic, Madrid did not hold its National Day parade on October 12 this year, so the installation of Christmas lights started earlier than usual. On September 15, the first Christmas lights were already hung high on Castellana Street.Even so, the city of Madrid was not the first to start this work; Vigo and Torrejón de Ardoz, also located in the Madrid region, had already begun setting up their Christmas decorations in August.Workers from Ximénez have been gradually hanging various garland-shaped colored lights on the street lights. They stated that due to traffic and pedestrian restrictions this year, the construction progress has been smoother than in previous years. (Source: Spain Sanhe Tourism)
Decorative lighting in Canadian homes is equally impressive
At the start of the Christmas season, the streets and alleys of Canada's Greater Vancouver area are already beautifully decorated, with some homes looking as spectacular as a Christmas light show. This year, because people are staying at home and cannot gather or travel, many are more willing to carefully arrange their Christmas lighting. You can enjoy beautiful decorative lighting without watching a light show.Speaking about this psychological tendency, UBC psychology professor Elizabeth Dunn stated: "That's right. When many lively events cannot be held, people hope to convey their positive emotions and gain happiness in other ways, such as by decorating with Christmas lights."
Bernard Lau, owner of a home improvement store in Point Grey, Vancouver, also stated: "Sales have been exceptionally strong this year. Everyone wants to decorate their homes properly, including my wife and me—we are even purchasing decorations from our own store, something that has never happened before!" As December arrives, Toronto has "put on" an elegant pure white dress, as if to match the "White Christmas." Due to the pandemic, the city lit its Christmas lights early this year, seemingly using warm lighting to cheer on everyone fighting the epidemic. (Source: See Canada) Compiled by China Light Network
