Christmas market reopens in Prague after two years

A Christmas tree is illuminated as the traditional Christmas market opens at the Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic. — Reuters

Thousand of people poured into the medieval Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic, recently for the lighting of a 25m-high Christmas tree and the recent reopening of the annual Christmas market after a two-year Covid-19 shutdown, but the energy crisis meant fewer lights than usual.

The market – which is popular with Czechs and foreign tourists alike thanks to its mulled wine, sausages, sweets and gifts – was set up with more energy-efficient bulbs to both save money and send a seasonal message of energy efficiency.