A crowd like this had never been seen before. By turning on the lights for Christmas Holidays 2025in practice, Napoli have discovered a new event. A new anniversary, a promise, a ceremony like never before. Occasional stadium-like cheers stormed the packed Piazza Municipio yesterday starting at 5:30 p.m., approx. 2500 people. Tourists, passersby, families, spectators marking the start of Christmas are on their agenda. Thousands of smartphones raised, ready to film and post the moment. The actual lighting occurred at 18.14, some time after the Mayor’s arrival Gaetano Manfredi. For next year, if yesterday’s numbers and crowds are repeated, it is necessary to plan a real countdown, in style. New Year’s Eve or Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. “We did well this year with the lighting plan – commented the mayor – Next year we will do even better”.
JOY
Regardless of cults, preferences, philosophical ideologies, and political factions, Christmas drives away the clouds from the soul and conscience of almost everyone. Yesterday’s placebo effect put smiles on the faces of thousands of people waiting for the tree to be lit, the bright stars on the Piazza Municipio and all the installations scattered everywhere. Naples. «I took my son to see the party – said Laura, with a stroller in hand – because in these difficult times for the world, it is right to take advantage of all the opportunities where good things happen». “Look father – said a boy to a man in his fifties who was holding his hand – besides the tree, the stars in the square are also lit.” It’s the middle of November, yes, but it’s already Christmas in Naples. Because the opportunity to celebrate is never wasted, under the shadow of Vesuvius. Moreover, city streets from San Gregorio Armeno in Toledo, full of visitors from all over the world. The party in Naples was early, as history goes. From December 5, again in Piazza Municipio, the Nativity produced by the experts of the San Gregorio Armeno Nativity scene will be installed, as last year. A total of 5 thousand Christmas installations have been operating since yesterday, including three-dimensional buildings and trees. The illuminated road is 150 kilometers long, from the center to the East, from the West to the outskirts of the city. The allocated resources, as we have documented in recent weeks, are enormous. Although no funds have come from the Region for lighting in Naples, the Chamber of Commerce and the Municipality have provided 3 million and one and a half million euros each. The signing of the protocol of the “Illuminiamo Napoli 2025” plan began on September 1. With the three 3 million provided by the Chamber of Commerce, the Plebiscite Christmas village will be established from December 8th. The decorations were then installed in the first 4 Municipalities (Chiaia-Posillipo, the historic center, Sanità-Stella and San Carlo all’Arena plus San Lorenzo-Vicaria and the Porta Capuana area and the station). 6 other Municipalities are instead decorated with municipal funds: Vomero (Municipality 5), Fuorigrotta-Bagnoli (Municipality 10), East Naples (Municipality 6) and the Neapolitan suburbs.
VOICE
Big crowd, we say. But in Piazza Municipio there are also institutions that invest in keeping the city lights on. Together with the mayor, there are members of the tourism board Teresa Armato, Antonino Della Notte from Aicast and Chamber of Commerce president Ciro Fiola, who did not make any statements. «This year we have dedicated commitment and resources to Christmas – added Manfredi – also thanks to the agreement with Kadin. We hope to bring joy and tranquility to Neapolitans and tourists. And we hope that Christmas will be a development opportunity for the many traders who are waiting for this period to work.” The busy square «is a recognition: Neapolitans want lights, or they would not have come. Next year we will do even better, for many families who want to have peace of mind. The lights are also in the suburbs: no one is forgotten.” «This moment was very emotional – said Armato – for me and especially for the thousands of people who were in the square, because of the trepidation of the lighting that affected the whole city. Thank you to the Chamber of Commerce and the president Ciro Fiola. And thanks also to Città Metropolitana. A bright Christmas begins on November 16: history teaches us that Naples was a city ahead of its time.”
