By Maria Spiliopoulou, Valentini Anagnostopoulou
ATHENS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Christmas tree in Syntagma square in front of the Greek parliament building shines brighter than ever this year and the festive decoration on Aristotelous, the main city square on the waterfront of Thessaloniki in northern Greece, is equally impressive.
As the traditional festive events will be held online this year, municipal authorities across the country invested more effort in illuminating squares and avenues to help lift people up during the Christmas and New Year holiday season after a most difficult year.
The protagonists in videos released by Greece's two largest cities as part of the Christmas decorations are the health workers at the frontline of the battle against COVID-19, as well as other "unseen heroes" who keep working day and night to ensure that people are serviced even during a pandemic.
Dionysis Nikolaou, a 62-year-old electric engineer, who has been working at the municipality of Athens since 1982, is one of them. Nikolaou is the protagonist of the short festive video of the municipality this year. He is the oldest employee of the municipality and has been the person in charge of the illumination of the Christmas tree in Syntagma Square and along the capital's central avenues since 1995.
He is one of the employees in the city working the night shift throughout the year to solve problems when most people stay home.
"This year we put the spotlight on those who indeed brighten our lives. Merry Christmas!" read the closing message from the city's video.
The municipality of Thessaloniki also seized the opportunity to express gratitude to health workers through a similar video -- "We thank you. We will touch again; we will be together again. Where there is light, there is hope."
At least 15 doctors and nurses have lost their lives and 13 are currently intubated in different parts of the country, according to the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Employees (POEDIN).
Greece has registered a total of 4,257 fatalities in the past 10 months and a tally of 131,597 confirmed infections.
Currently, 505 patients are treated in intensive care units (ICU), while 812 have been discharged from ICUs, the official data showed.
The country has been placed under a new lockdown since Nov. 7 which will last till Jan. 7. Although numbers of daily cases have been declining lately, those of daily deaths (85 on Monday) and ICU patients remain high.
Last week, authorities imposed stricter lockdown in three municipalities in western Attica and Kozani in northern Greece, to tackle the high epidemiological load there.
The city of Serres in northern Greece decided to reduce the budget for festive decorations and donate the money saved to local hospital by funding two more ICU beds and medical equipment needed as well as 1,000 protective suits for health workers.
Private sector companies have also donated their funds usually spent on parties to further boost the healthcare sector.
However, the festive decoration is not a luxury, but a necessity to help put a much-needed smile on the faces of both children and adults, people told Xinhua on Syntagma square.
"We need this a lot because we've stayed at home for over a month already. It is nice, it makes a difference so we can enter the Christmas season. It definitely gives us joy, optimism, and courage to face what is ahead in the coming months," Tassos said.
"It is very nice. It is something to lean on during these harsh days," Marios, another passer-by, noted.
"Very, very beautiful," said Markos, a migrant.
They all had to send SMS or have a signed document on them to justify their presence on the square under lockdown rules. Leaving home is allowed only for work reasons, a visit to a doctor or pharmacy, to help a person in need, to shop or exercise. Otherwise, they face a fine of 300 euros (366 U.S. dollars).
Going out just to take a closer look at the Syntagma square tree and the city lights is not on the list of permitted trips, therefore Semina also had to combine the short visit with shopping.
"It is amazing going out for a walk and briefly forgetting about everything," she said.
"(These are) very difficult and depressing days. It certainly is something, but we are not free. Merry Christmas, people!" added Efi who was accompanied by her husband on her way to enjoy the tree. (1 euro= 1.22 U.S. dollars) Enditem