Is it possible to celebrate Christmas twice a year?
Lithuanian capital Vilnius launched its first-ever “Vilnius Christmas Before Christmas” this year, celebrating with a series of events and performances on Saturday (December 13) to allow people to experience the holiday joy in advance and rediscover their childlike wonder.
According to multiple media reports, “Christmas Before Christmas” is a new event launched by Go Vilnius, the official tourism promotion agency of Vilnius, in response to the city’s title of “Christmas Capital of Europe,” and is expected to become an annual festival tradition in Vilnius in the future.
Every year, Vilnius unveils a spectacular and elaborately decorated Christmas tree in Cathedral Square, becoming the biggest highlight of the winter. Past themes have included chess, snowflakes, and clocks, while this year it returns to classic traditions, using red as the main color and embellished with gold details to evoke nostalgia and heartfelt emotions for the holiday.
Vilnius’ Christmas tree was named the most beautiful Christmas tree in Europe by the European Best Destinations organization in both 2019 and 2020.
This year, Vilnius was awarded the title of “European Christmas Capital 2025” by the Christmas Cities Network.