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CHRISTMASSY IN THE CITY Dec. 13, 2013

  • Street light in Istanbul

  • Oxford street

  • Regent street

  • selfridges shop window

  • Wiesbaden Christmas market

  • Montreux, market entrance

  • Zurich, pedestrian street

  • Zurich Main train station

  • Paris shop window

  • Champs elysées Round about

  • Zug 's jester

  • Zurich's choir

  • Champs Elysées Paris

  • Le Printemps Paris

  • Piccadilly London

  • Harvey Nichols London

  • Istanbul

  • Istanbul narrow street

  • istanbul

  • Istanbul street

    • This is the time when the city displays its Christmas decoration out, to give the city an happy atmosphere, with light shows in the darkness.

    From London to Istanbul, from Zurich, Montreux, Wiesbaden to Paris, the urban lighting “ambiance” offers its differences due to religion, climate, traditions, origins and international openings.

    London spend most of the whole December preparing the joy of Christmas time, the importance of the tradition even slow down the economic activity, Christmas cards are sent before the 25TH and the Christmas carols fill up the street space.

    As usual, Oxford Street, the most famous international shopping street, offers a light show with disco balls floating in the air. Selfridges offer its wonderful shop windows with over scale theme in snowy decor.

    Harvey Nichols “so British” with its well-known urban fashion decadence taste , had chosen the carnival for 2013’s theme.

    Going down towards Piccadilly Circus, by Regents Street with the Disney garland over your head, you will be surprise to see that “Eros” had became a snow flake ball.

    Istanbul, dreaming to enter the European Union, so active and impatient, have a complete different agenda. Due to a large Muslim population, there is no Christmas of course. The Sylvester night is the date to celebrate with friends and family the New Year coming. Si the street start their light shows from the second half of December, with the exception of few luxury international hotels chains, who had set up a big Christmas tree outside.

    On the west side of Europe, the Germanic countries enjoy the traditional Christmas market, old tradition with choirs, concerts, “Glüwein”, and the wooden houses display, which had the power to have been exported up to the Champs Elysées in Paris and most of the main cities in France since the last few years.

    On the west side of Europe, the Germanic countries enjoy the traditional Christmas market, old tradition with chorales, concerts, “Glüwein”, and the wooden houses display, which had the power to have been exported up to the Champs Elysées in Paris and most of the main cities in France since the last few years.

    Another Swiss tradition in Zug, the first Sunday of December, the urban space is dedicated to pedestrians, no car admission in the town centre,  book characters are telling stories to the kids all around the city, and you may not be  surprise to meet Santa Claus and his friends.

    Paris also offers a light show in the main avenues of the city, mainly in the most well-known areas, so the tourists can enjoy the Champs Elysées and show their happiness on the picture.

    The economic uncertainty had unfortunately reduced the “Land of street light” map. However the light itself is now from LED helping to reduce considerably the energy consumption and open for more creativity in this domain.

    Paris’s department stores, on the Boulevard Haussmann are about to be the last one to offer their facade a complete light covering, and animated shop windows, magic for all!

    But crisis is crisis, energy economy, global economy, budget restriction, the large light shows are reduced, but the tradition stays.

    London to me seems to be the most creative capital for the Christmassy urban atmosphere.

    Zurich is waiting for snow,

    Istanbul for the 31st December,

    Paris for huge traffic jam and romantic tourists to enjoy their photo shooting on Champs Elysées!

    HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!

    THM

    Crédits photo : Stephan Hanke, THM, Alexander Liden, Aysali

    L'EXPO A NE PAS MANQUER A PARIS

    Expo DG

    ET CELLE CI AUSSI

    Olga

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