On November 15, 2024, the city center of Vienna, Austria, was aglow with Christmas lights, a stark contrast to the cost-saving measures taken just two years prior. This year, the Austrian capital has opted to increase its spending to ensure that the lights shine as brightly as ever on its iconic markets.

Vienna is set to invest heavily in lighting up its renowned Christmas markets, aiming to boost festive cheer and support struggling retailers. Since Friday, 31 Viennese streets have been illuminated with chandeliers, glittering stars, and sparkling red globes, as the city increases its expenditure on year-end light displays amid Austria's economic challenges.

"It's just beautiful. It makes the city a bit more beautiful as a whole," said Kateryna Baranovska, a 23-year-old student, to AFP. With local businesses finding it increasingly difficult to cover the costs of Christmas lighting, Vienna and its economic chamber have stepped in, covering 75% of the expenses instead of the previous 50%, amounting to approximately €700,000 ($740,000) for the lighting alone.

Austria's economic outlook has been bleak since mid-2022, exacerbated by its exposure to the difficulties of neighboring Germany, its primary trading partner. "We want to have a beautifully lit city, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for entrepreneurs to cover these costs," explained Dieter Steup, a representative of the Vienna economic chamber.

The pre-Christmas period is crucial for retailers, and the festive lights enhance the shopping experience. The massive Christmas light motifs were assembled in a large warehouse on Vienna's outskirts weeks before the official switch-on. To mitigate the environmental impact, Vienna has adopted LED lights and sources the electricity for the displays from renewable energy, equivalent to the annual usage of a 14-apartment building.

Greenpeace noted that consumer behavior, such as purchasing unnecessary gifts, contributes more to the Christmas season's carbon footprint than the lights. In a 2022 survey, 64% of Austrians found the festive light displays created a pleasant, Christmassy atmosphere. In 2022, due to rising energy costs following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the lights were turned off two hours earlier. However, since 2023, the displays have once again sparkled until midnight.

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