“The Christmas period signifies joy. It’s about love, optimism, beauty. We are in need of the light it brings,” City of Athens Mayor, Kostas Bakoyannis had said when announcing decorations would start earlier this year.
And crowds flocked to watch the 19-metre-high tree brought from Karpenissi lighting up with a total of 60,000 lights.
Mr Bakoyannis and visiting Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew watched the event from a hotel closeby.
The annual tree-lighting event took place at Syntagma Square on Tuesday evening.

View of Syntagma square, Athens, Greece lit up ahead of Christmas 2021 Source: Kostas Bakoyannis/Facebook

View of Christmas tree at Syntagma square Source: AAP Image/EPA/GEORGE VITSARAS

The City of Athens annual tree-lighting event for Christmas took place on Tuesday evening, 23 November Source: AAP Image/EPA/GEORGE VITSARAS

A 19-meter-tree from Karpenissi was lit with a total of 60,000 multicolored lights at the Greek capital Source: Kostas Bakoyannis/Facebook

Source: Kostas Bakoyannis/Facebook