Traditionalists are breathing a sigh of relief in Greece today. Athens' current mayor, Dora Bakoyannis, has decided to abandon the competition for Europe's tallest Christmas tree. For the past six years, under a previous mayor, Athens has claimed the honor, though it has required elaborate metal scaffolding to edge out the competition.
Until recently, Christmas decorations in Athens were few and far between as Orthodox Greeks focused more on the sacred aspects of the holiday. But in the past decade, all of that has changed and more and more elaborate displays of Christmas lights and decorations have sprung up throughout the city.
This year's civic Christmas tree in Athens will be a mere forty feet or so high.
That's not to say that Christmas in Athens will be boring under Mayor Bakoyannis; she has announced a fireworks display and a concert in Syntagma square as part of three weeks of holiday festivities and celebrations.
