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Fir lighting – without the crowd and the concert in the Town Hall square
In the heart of Kaunas Old Town, on the Town Hall Square, the city’s main Christmas tree was lit for the first time without a large crowd of spectators and a concert was taking place here.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was decided not to abandon the Christmas events, but to move them to the virtual space. The festive concert without spectators takes place in the “Žalgiris” arena, and the accents of the fir lighting are broadcast live on television. Other events can be viewed directly on the Delfi portal.
Kaunas residents and guests are encouraged to visit the city’s main Christmas tree in accordance with quarantine requirements, wear masks, keep a safe distance, not gather. Unlike in previous years, many more employees and security guards from the municipal public order department were used to ensure order in the fir driveways. There is no promise to limit the number of people in the square, but they cannot gather more than five.
Kaunas police representatives mentioned that the officers will monitor the video transmitted by video cameras, if unsafe behavior is noticed, patrols will be sent to warn people who do not comply.
Kaunas residents and city guests will be able to admire the fir tree decorated with clouds and sweets reminiscent of sweets until January 6. People are encouraged to act responsibly, to comply with quarantine requirements and not to demonstrate.
Despite calls not to go to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento but to watch the festive program remotely, about two hundred people gathered here. Still, most of them responded to requests not to meet, a few walked, kept their distance.
Several police crews went to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento to maintain order, they are attended by employees of the private security service and municipal public order agents.
Fir – higher than last year
This year, the Kaunas fir and the entire Town Hall square are decorated with sweets reminiscent of sweets. They are made of environmentally friendly and non-toxic material: isolone. Fir tree is promised to look impressive not only in the dark or in the dark, but also during the day.
“You look at the sky and you see clouds that remind you of something. It is a lamb, a heart or a cotton ball, or finally a cake. The idea was to lower these clouds closer to the ground. Walking among these clouds, among dreams, in quiet waiting and hope, we are looking forward to a beautiful Christmas, ”said artist Jolanta Šmidtienė, who has been decorating the Kaunas Christmas tree for 12 years in a row.
The spruce, made up of separate branches, is mounted on the same metal frame that was used last year to decorate the stunningly beautiful “space” spruce.
This year, the fir tree seems a bit taller, as its crown is not decorated with a traditional star, but with an element reminiscent of an ancient 3-meter-high dome. Therefore, the total height of the main Kaunas spruce is about 25 meters.
Not only the Christmas tree itself, but also the town hall and the square itself were full of festive colors. Hundreds of bulbs are installed in the trees, and the facades of the buildings are decorated and illuminated to create a unique atmosphere in anticipation of the holidays.
There is a calm atmosphere of waiting for the holidays.
Like last year, this year it is also possible to enter the interior of the Kaunas Christmas tree. There a surprise awaits: a model of a city built with sugar. According to the author of the idea, J. Šmidtienė, residents of Kaunas will be able to recognize the models, architectural and urban elements of the famous urban buildings made of sugar cubes.
Speaking about the concept of decorating the Christmas tree and the Town Hall Square, the author of the idea stressed that this year the cacophony of colors and noises is being abandoned, as if it were going back to childhood.
“We create a calm environment to wait for Christmas. Not that Hollywood, normal for us, sonorous and colorful. It is more a state of mind of concentration, waiting and hope,” said J. Šmidtienė.
The artist remembered this year by recalling her ideas previously applied and positively evaluated. On M. Valančiaus Street, she and her team have set up an installation of waiting lambs, which the residents of Kaunas loved very much.
“They kept asking me when those lambs would return. That’s right, they are back, “said the artist.
The decoration of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento cost the municipality of Kaunas around 59 thousand. euros, Christmas tree – 78 thousand. EUR, festive concert – about 60 thousand. euros.
The decorations were done three times faster.
Artist J. Šmidtienė, who decorated the Kaunas fir, mentioned that the coronavirus pandemic also corrected the entire course of work. Everything had to be organized so that people worked in smaller groups so that one team member didn’t have to stop working when they got sick.
“We work according to a very strict schedule, we try not to drive too far anywhere. We had suppliers who brought everything safely. This order and adherence to the Lithuanian word taught this, it was not so that we could not do something.
Many artists worked, these works could be done in 3 months, but we did them in a month ”, said J. Šmidtienė.
Entrepreneurs were also invited to create a festive atmosphere.
This year’s Christmas waiting period in Kaunas is distinguished not only by the conservative decoration of the fir tree and the square itself, but also by the fact that there is no longer a traditional fair – huts where you can taste sweets and drink hot drinks .
The restaurants and cafes located next to the square received a call from the municipality to contribute to the creation of a festive atmosphere, not only to decorate the facades, but also to sell food and drinks safely. According to the representatives of the municipality, all the businessmen have accepted this invitation in good faith and intend to take advantage of the opportunity.
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