Festive displays light up Europe despite crisis

SHOTLIST:RESTRICTION SUMMARY:ASSOCIATED PRESSVigo, Spain - 19 November 20221. Countdown to Christmas lights being turned on in Vigo; pull-out to show celebrationHEADLINE: Festive displays light up Europe despite crisis2. Christmas lights and snow3. People walking on decorated street with carousel seen in distanceANNOTATION: Festive light displays that mark the holiday season are being lit around Europe, despite the energy crisis created by Russia's war in Ukraine. 4. Carousel5. Decorated street6. Close-up of people celebrating7. Wide of decorated streetANNOTATION: With Christmas markets and other holiday events serving as big tourism drivers, especially after two years of pandemic-related cancellations, lit-up decor is providing joy to people who may be forced to cut costs at home.8. Tilt-down of illuminated treeANNOTATION: There was controversy over the Christmas lights in Vigo in northwestern Spain, which has a government plan to reduce illumination in cities. 10. People posing for photos below tree11. Wide of decorated streetANNOTATION: The mayor defends the plan by using low-consumption lights and turning the popular Christmas displays off one hour earlier compared to previous years.ASSOCIATED PRESSBerlin, Germany - 22 November 202212. Pull focus to show lights on trees13. Close-up of snowman made of lights14. Wide of snowman made of lights15. Close-up of Christmas ornament reflecting snowmanANNOTATION: Energy-efficient LED bulbs were also switched on on Kurfuerstendamm, Berlin's most popular shopping street.ASSOCIATED PRESSVienna, Austria - 19 November 202216. Vienna mayor Michael Ludwig, left, switching on lights; tilt-up to show illuminated Christmas tree17. Pull focus of lights on tree18. City Hall tower (background) and tree with heart-shaped lights (foreground)ANNOTATION: As the energy crisis continues, cities are trying to strike a balance between conserving energy and celebrating the holidays.19. People walking under tree with heart-shaped lights20. Heart-shaped lights21. SOUNDBITE (German) Michael Ludwig, Vienna Mayor: ++STARTS ON SHOT 19++"I was asked if we could afford – being in such a difficult time with all the worries about energy we're having – if we could even justify to have a Christmas market and an illuminated tree. I say: yes, because especially in dark times people need light in the truest sense of the word, both physically but also light in ourselves."22. Vienna Christmas market entrance23. Close-up of glass ornament24. Girl talking picture of decorated glass ornaments25. Close-up of nativity sceneANNOTATION: Vienna's famous Christmas market aimed to be more sustainable this year, reducing the number of stalls from 154 to 100. 26. Girl looking at carved figurines 27. Sign reading (German): "Vienna Christmas Market" ANNOTATION: Despite the slimmed down version, the market still attracts visitors from around the world. 28. SOUNDBITE (English) Andrew Gower, tourist from the UK:"I think the Vienna Christmas market is just incredible. We've come here to see the real thing and it's just blown us away. It's tremendous."29. Crowd with stalls and tree in backgroundSTORYLINE:Festive light displays that mark the holiday season are being lit around Europe, despite the energy crisis created by Russia's war in Ukraine. With Christmas markets and other holiday events serving as big tourism drivers, especially after two years of pandemic-related cancellations, lit-up decor is providing joy to people who may be forced to cut costs at home.But in cities across Europe, officials are wrestling with the choice of dimming Christmas lighting to send a message of energy conservation and solidarity with citizens squeezed by both higher utility bills and inflation, or let them blaze in a message of defiance after two years of pandemic-suppressed Christmas seasons, illuminating cities with holiday cheer that retailers hope loosen holiday purse strings.There was controversy over the Christmas light display in Vigo in northwestern Spain, which has a government plan to reduce illumination in cities. The mayor defends the decorations saying that low-consumption lights are being used and that the popular Christmas displays would be turned off one hour earlier compared to previous years.Energy-efficient LED bulbs would also be used on Kurfuerstendamm, Berlin's most popular shopping street."I was asked if we could afford – being in such a difficult time with all the worries about energy we're having – if we could even justify to have a Christmas market and an illuminated tree," Vienna's Mayor Michael Ludwig said."I say: yes, because especially in dark times people need light in the truest sense of the word, both physically but also light in ourselves." Vienna's famous Christmas market aimed to be more sustainable this year, reducing the number of stalls from 154 to 100. The market was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a very slimmed down version was held last year. Despite this year's scaling back, the market still attracts visitors from around the world."I think the Vienna Christmas market is just incredible," said Andrew Gower, a 60-year-old tourist from the UK."We've come here to see the real thing and it's just blown us away. It's tremendous."AP video shot by Maria Gestoso, Pietro de Cristofaro, Philipp Jenne ===========================================================Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.