The capital of Ljubljana will turn on the holiday lights next Friday. In addition to the lights, the Prešeren Square already boasts a 20-metre-tall pine tree, which will be adorned with 10 kilometres of Christmas lights for decoration.
According to the Ljubljana City Municipality, the pine was cut down in a forest near Medvode. The workers who put it up have nicknamed it Melania, inspired by the wife of the newly-elected U.S. president Donald Trump. As every year, the pine’s journey to the capital was quite a logistic undertaking. No lights have been put on it yet but will be added in the coming days.
The light switch will be ceremoniously turned on at 5.15 p.m. on 25 November, giving 64 kilometres and other air-suspended sculptures a chance to shine and light up the holidays. The organisers have announced a short cultural programme and a speech by Zoran Janković, the mayor of Ljubljana. By switching to an earlier date, the city has responded to requests from the tourist sector, which had been complaining for years about Ljubljana opening its holiday season later than other European capitals.
K. K., MMC; translated by K. Z.
