Important information
Christmas Tree as Giant 700th Anniversary Birthday Cake: Vilnius Officially Embarks Upon Holiday Season
Vilnius Christmas Tree lighting event. Photo by Saulius Ziura
November 26, 2022. Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, just lit its Christmas tree on November 26th. Thousands of spectators have come to see the art installation that plays into the following year’s 700th-anniversary theme and the traditional official holiday launch ceremony, which was finally once again live after the last two years. Bedecked in 700 candles and 700 ornaments, the installation resembles an elegant multilayered birthday cake, joining Vilnius’ iconic past Christmas tree renditions.
The Christmas tree/birthday cake installation is the fusion of elegance and wintery esthetic. 25 meters high and 22 meters wide, the tree radiates holiday charm with ten kilometers of garlands and illuminated Baroque-inspired ornaments. Its shape is a mirror of Vilnius’ gastronomic masterpieces: the three white layers are adorned with decorative, brightly lit chandeliers, while the inside hides a golden gem—a tree made of 6,000 fir branches, golden ornaments, glittering garlands, and a blazing topper.
“There’s no birthday without a cake, it is a tradition dating back to ancient Roman times. People used to believe that candles symbolized the light of life and their smoke carried people’s wishes to the heavens. And the inside of the cake used to hide a surprise—a coin or a ring—which would bring year-long good luck to the one who found it. We hope that Vilnius’ birthday cake and the surprise inside it also raise the spirits of the visitors and make their deepest wishes come true,” commented Dominykas Koncevičius, the creator of the Christmas tree installation.
Besides the Christmas tree, Vilnius has many winter events lined up for this holiday season. Fairytale-inspired Christmas markets with handmade crafts, delicacies, and last-minute gifts, an ice rink set up in one of the edgiest spots of the city—the yard of a former century-old prison Lukiškės Prison 2.0, a 43rd holiday costume run, and international charity bazaar, among others.
The full program of Christmas events in Vilnius is available here.
Marketing and Communication Division, vrt@vilnius.lt
Also read:
The international scholarly conference ‘The Intellectual Heritage of the Jews of Vilnius’
On 10–11 October 2023, the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences and the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities are holding the international scholarly conference ‘The Intellectual Heritage of the Jews of Vilnius’. In Lithuania, the year 2020 was the Year of Lithuanian Jewish History and... ❯❯❯
2023-09-29
Soviet memorial plaques will be removed in Vilnius
The Vilnius City Council has approved the removal of memorial plaques that still contain texts in Russian or refer to, for example, the LSSR. 13 plaques will be replaced by standard commemorative plaques and returned to their original locations, while 3 of them will be completely... ❯❯❯
2023-09-20
There will be no more forced afternoon naps in kindergartens in Vilnius city
Since the beginning of this school year, forced afternoon naps are abolished in kindergartens in Vilnius. At parents/guardians’ request, children who do not sleep shall be offered quiet activities that do not disturb the rest of other children: drawing, production of collages, plasticine,... ❯❯❯
2023-09-11
The project “Vilnius is a School” has been gaining pace: the first guide equipment sets were distributed
The first 30 most active schools participating in the “Vilnius is a School” project have claimed their guide equipment sets at the City of Vilnius. The guide equipment, which will cost a third of a million euros (for 120 for sets) in total, will help users of the project platform to deliver... ❯❯❯
2023-04-04
New Education Project Converts Vilnius Into One Giant School to Combine Traditional and Immersive Learning
March 22, 2023. Having won Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Challenge for a city-wide open school concept in 2022, Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, has launched the innovative education project “Vilnius is a School.” It joins other city-wide initiatives, like an open café and open gallery,... ❯❯❯
2023-03-23
Vilnius Awards Honorary Citizen Title to Internationally Renowned Author Kristina Sabaliauskaitė
Vilnius, recognized as the UNESCO City of Literature, has bestowed the title of Honorary Citizen on the country’s one of the most distinguished authors, Kristina Sabaliauskaitė. Lithuanian, Latvian, Polish, Estonian, and Dutch audiences, among others, have highly praised her literary work,... ❯❯❯
2023-02-22
