The slogan for the start of the most beautiful celebration of the year is given next Thursday, November 23 by the Municipality of Athens, inviting the Athenians to the great event for the lighting of the Christmas Tree at the Constitution.

At 6 pm, the impressive fir tree, 17 meters high, which this year was transferred to the capital from Karpenisi, will turn on its lights, marking the beginning of the official illumination of the city and filling Athens from end to end with light and Christmas sparkle. A total of 24,000 LED lights will “reveal” the beautiful ornaments and hundreds of balls that decorate the tree.

The mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, who will light the tree, in his statement he emphasizes: “And this Christmas, Athens will shine. The lighting starts on Thursday from the “heart” of the city and spreads to all the neighborhoods. We invite the women and men of Athens to come to Syntagma Square to experience up close the first bright celebration of this year’s Christmas in Athens”.

Syntagma Square will be transformed into a large music stage and will welcome the talented performers Doro Demosthenous and Penny Baltatzis who, in a unique partnership with the Athens Big Band, will present arrangements of favorite Christmas songs. Their distinct voices will join the big band of the Municipality of Athens, setting the rhythm of the festive season. The hosts of the first festive evening of Christmas will be the favorite television duo, Nancy Zampetoglou and Thanasis Anagnostopoulos, who will bring “Studio 4” to the “heart” of festive Athens.

The event is open to everyonewhile throughout its duration there will be a parallel performance in Greek sign language.

The numbers for the Christmas decoration of the city

From the center of the square and the top of the towering tree, rays of light reach across the city. Around 83 km of LED light garlands and light tubes illuminate trees and columns, more than 3,800 aerial and arched LED decorations set the festive tone, while 44 trees, large balloons and bears decorate 37 city squares.

Ten Christmas villages – children’s favorites – with a rich program are set up in the same number of squares.

In the coming days, the rich program of the festive events of the Municipality of Athens will be announced: from the live music in the festive stage of the Syntagma and the parties in the streets and arcades of the city, to the creative activities for children, the festive performances and the Christmas events for everyone.

The city metrovice versa for Christmas and the appointment is again this year in the neighborhoods, in the Municipal Cultural Centers, the multipurpose halls, the art galleries, the theaters, the libraries, but in the new spaces of the Municipality of Athens: the Municipal Market of Kypseli, the Maria Kallas Museum and the Athens Book Space in the renovated Freedom Park.