Christmas

Netflix’s commitment to its Christmas fireplaces is such that it physically records them and already has several themed ones

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It’s not Christmas until they turn on the lights in Vigountil Mariah Carey doesn’t give us permission and until the Netflix fireplaces. What began, in other formats and on other channels, as a programming filler in a difficult time for small channels, has today become a powerful promotional tool. Let’s see what we warm up to this year. This Christmas. Netflix premieres today three hour-long virtual fireplaces set in the universes of ‘Stranger Things‘, ‘Wednesday‘ and ‘The k-pop warriors‘. Three digital chimneys that recreate iconic scenes from the platform’s three indisputable last bombs. A maneuver whose origins at Netflix date back to 2013, when they created ‘Fireplace For Your Home’, a three-hour loop that accumulated millions of views. What started as an alternative for homes without a real fireplace evolved into a holiday tradition. Differentiated experiences. Each of the fireplaces has its particularities, and even, in an attempt to expand the possibilities of the format, Easter eggs. The one from ‘Stranger Things’ includes the iconic wall with the illuminated alphabet that Joyce used to communicate with Will in the first season. There are six easter eggs hidden, from Demogorgons to Steve Harrington’s spiked bat. Particularities. In ‘Wednesday’, the scene is in Principal Weems’ office inside Nevermore Academy. Thing makes a surprise appearance, and all with the series’ original soundtrack. In ‘The K-pop Warriors’ we go to the lair of the demon Gwi-Ma, where the Saja Boys perform their most recognizable song. There will be instrumental versions of songs from the movies, so that the fireplace takes on an authentic karaoke tone. How it was done. Netflix’s Product and Design teams developed these virtual fireplaces with a level of detail unusual for content of this type. According to what they tell us from the platform, the process included recordings in real physical settings instead of depending exclusively on digital effects. According to Netflix, it collaborated with the showrunners of each series to guarantee fidelity to the original narrative universes. Later, digital artists integrated fantastic elements such as the Demogorgons or the violet flames characteristic of the ‘Wednesday’ universe. Therefore, except for these special effects, the fireplace props are authentic, coming from the original sets or recreated with the intention of maintaining aesthetic continuity. Fireplace: Origins. These fireplaces recover a television tradition created in 1970 by the New York network WPIX-TV, which broadcast a virtual fireplace for the first time on December 24 as a Christmas greeting. That 17-second loop, filmed at the New York mayor’s residence with music by Nat King Cole, also allowed the canal workers to celebrate Christmas Eve with their families. After disappearing in the nineties, it returned by popular demand, spawning imitators that marketed VHS and DVD-ROM versions for decades. In Xataka | There is a reason why Vigo is announcing its Christmas in Japan. And it has little to do with Japanese tourists

Christmas lights begin in a town in Andalusia that sells them to the rest of the planet: Puente Genil

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Every year, while cities like vigo boast of their light shows and countries like Venezuela either Portugal compete to light Christmas before anyone else, there is an Andalusian municipality that, discreetly, has been setting the real rhythm of that calendar for decades. Although few know it, this is where Christmas really begins. A light by chance. The story begins in Genil Bridgea town that, before becoming a global benchmark for festive lighting, already had an intimate and almost genetic relationship with electricity. At the end of the 19th century, its flour and electricity factory “La Alianza” turned on some of the first electric streetlights in Andalusia. From that early love affair with light would later arise a seemingly minor moment that would end up changing everything: an electrician named Francisco Jimenez Carmonaowner of a small appliance store, decided to build a wooden star with light bulbs to decorate his window one post-war Christmas Day. What could have been just a nice gesture of local commerce unleashed a collective fascination. The neighbors gathered, the City Council asked to illuminate entire streets, the nearby towns demanded the same, and without anyone being able to foresee it, a company had just been born that would end up illuminating half the planet. The birth of a giant. Decades later, that initial spark transformed into Iluminaciones Ximénez, today Ximenez Groupa group capable of designing and manufacturing lighting installations for more than 600 cities in 40 countriesfrom Madrid or Vigo to Dubai, passing through New York, Moscow, Sydney or Malabo. An expansion that maintains, however, a deeply artisanal root: all the lights are They manufacture in Puente Genilwhere every Christmas campaign more than 180 workers produce millions of LED points day and night that will then travel to the five continents. The company operates like a bright boutique that adapts each project to the culture of the destination, from the amber warmth of the Nordic countries to the explosive colors of Latin America, passing through the classic tones of the United States or the monochrome designs of some Spanish cities. To your catalog collaborations are added with renowned designers and projects as imposing as the largest Christmas tree in Europe or the tallest in Central America, or even giant tunnels in Moscow capable of transforming entire avenues into immersive scenarios. Puente Genil as a secret laboratory. Although the lights travel so far, everything always begins at home. Puente Genil has become a testing ground open, a space where the most risky and innovative proposals are experience before traveling to Vigo, Brussels or New York. La Matallana and Paseo del Romeral function as a technological gateway where new structures, lighting patterns, immersive tunnels and shows synchronized through pixel mapping appear every year, capable of converting entire streets into changing audiovisual surfaces. This 2025 the town will deploy about two million LED pointsa forest of illuminations that extends through villages, avenues, streetlights, squares and facades, accompanied by a cultural program of almost thirty events which turns the city into a first-rate Christmas epicenter. And more. But the hyperbole goes beyond the visual spectacle: Puente Genil, located between Seville, Córdoba, Málaga and Granada, preserves a unique industrial heritagefrom its old power plants to its modernist palaces, and a festive life that transcends even Christmas, with an Easter (the “Mananta”) so unique that it has rituals and processions impossible to find anywhere else. Economic impact. The success by Ximenez Group It not only lies in the ability to dazzle visually. Their projects have become real economic drivers for the cities that hire them: they attract tourism, increase sales, reactivate entire neighborhoods and generate local identity through decorations designed to dialogue with each culture. In Sydney they designed an interactive maze that changes color according to human movement, in Moscow they built an enchanted forest and a 200-meter tunnel, in Seville they synchronize Three Wise Men’s crowns with light and sound, in Vigo they deploy monumental digital trees, and in New York they provide engineering, design and pieces manufactured in Andalusia. The crux. The key, they countis in the fusion between tradition and avant-garde: a family business founded in a small store in Córdoba that today produces shows with its own low-consumption technology, advanced LED systems and intelligent motors capable of rescheduling shows in a matter of hours, as if the streets were gigantic living screens. Homemade star in global phenomenon. Despite driving more than 40 million euros annually and project a 50% growth In the next decade, the company continues to have the soul of a workshop and memory of origin. Three generations have given continuity to that first star burning wood in Puente Genil, transforming it into an industrial model combining craftsmanship, innovation and a deep understanding of what it means to illuminate as a business. Perhaps for this reason, Puente Genil is not only a global supplier: it is, in its essence, the place where Christmas is rehearse every year, where ideas are born that will later shine in giant cities like New York or Dubai, and where technology and tradition come together to demonstrate that some of the most universal stories begin, almost always, with a gesture as simple as turning on a light bulb… in a remote municipality in Andalusia. Image | Ximenez, Vigo Tourism In Xataka | The hidden cost of Christmas in Spain: how spending on lighting has overflowed in just a few years In Xataka | Abel Caballero had his enemy at his doorstep: Portugal’s plan to beat Vigo for Christmas

There’s a reason Vigo is advertising its Kawasaki Christmas. One that has nothing to do with Japanese tourists

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If you walk around Kawasaki these days (lucky you) you will probably come across an image that will catch your attention, one that has little to do with Japanese traditions and landscapes or with the avalanche of tourists that the country of the rising sun suffers. What will probably make you jump is finding a sign in the middle of Kanagawa announcing Christmas in Vigo, a mupi with a photo of XXL luminous tree of the Galician city and a message that invites you to travel the 11,000 kilometers that separate both towns. It could be an anecdote (one more related to the Vigo festivals), but that image tells us a lot about the fever for decoration Christmas that Spain experiences. Vigo Christmas in Japan? That’s how it is. It was the mayor of Vigo himself, Abel Caballero, who was in charge of showing it on networks. On Tuesday he hung up a photo in which a promotional poster for the Olympic Christmas is seen in what looks like the street of some Japanese city. The advertisement shows garlands, the XXL luminous tree erected in the heart of Vigo and a message in Japanese. “Christmas in Vigo is already in Japan,” Caballero wrote in his tweetwhich is already on its way to 220,000 views and 650 likes. Is it a surprise? Not really. In October Knight has already advanced that this year Christmas in Vigo would be announced with 820 posters distributed throughout (almost) the entire world. Most of those mupis (629) would be distributed across thirty Spanish cities, especially Madrid, Malaga, Bilbao and Seville, and another 142 were reserved for neighboring Portugal. The rest would travel the world. The Council boasted that it would take 15 to Paris, 10 to Rome, the same number to New York and 14 to Kawasaki. “This time Christmas will be in Japan for the first time.” Is it the first time? More or less. The jump to Asia is a novelty, but in 2024 Vigo already surprised to some tourists with promotional posters distributed in cities such as London, Paris, Rome or even the Big Apple. “I thought it was a mirage. I was seeing this in the distance and I couldn’t believe it,” joked in X Héctora reporter who encountered a mupi in the middle of Manhattan that read, in large golden letters, “The World’s best Christmas is in Vigo.” How much do these posters cost? In October, when he announced the new campaign, Caballero assured that at least this year’s is “free” and “costs nothing” to the City Council. Last year the Vigo newspaper Metropilitango.gal pointed that the mupis had been installed after reaching an agreement with JCDecaux. But… Who visits Vigo? If we base ourselves on studies on hotel occupancy by the INE, basically Spaniards and visitors from other areas of the EU, especially Portugal. Of the 537,500 travelers counted throughout 2024, 62.7% resided in Spain and 23.9% in one of the remaining EU countries. Of these, Portugal was the most popular market, with almost 77,000 tourists. Among the countries analyzed by the INE, the United States (14,800), Germany (11,800) and Italy (11,200) followed, far behind. From Japan, the market on which the City Council has now set its eyes, only 700 visitors who ended up staying in hotel establishments in the city. And at Christmas? The photo is not very different from the rest of the year. According to the data provided By the Vigo City Council, during Christmas 2022-2023 tourism was mostly national. That campaign was still marked by the shadow of the pandemic, but the data is conclusive: the City Council assures that some 5.3 million visitors arrived in Vigo and that the main foreign nationality was Portuguese, with 140,118 people, 2.6% of the total. French, British, Italians and Americans totaled 68,400. The hotel occupancy data from the INE show a somewhat different picture. In December the institute counted only 62,900 touristsof which 62% were Spanish and 30.5% Portuguese. The sum of French, Italians, British and Americans in fact barely exceeded 1,100. It is not surprising if one takes into account the limited supply of connections that Peinador, Vigo airport, has (right now Aena reports only five routes). Is there Japanese tourism? If we base ourselves on the INE, no. In December 2024, the INE did not count not a single Japanese visitor in the hotels of Vigo. In addition to how complicated and expensive it is to fly between Japan and the Galician city, this absence is largely explained by the behavior of Japanese tourists. Although the country is recording a record arrival of foreign tourists, the number of Japanese traveling abroad still quite below from pre-pandemic data. In fact in June Turespaña I trusted in which the influx of Japanese to Spain recovers its “pre-COVID” levels this year. Why advertise there then? In view of these data, why has Vigo distributed 14 mupis by Kawasaki and 10 in New York? Does Caballero aspire to attract tourists who live on other continents, thousands of kilometers away? The Consistory speaks to show Galician Christmas to potential tourists from other countries, but the measure is probably explained with another word: virality. Caballero’s tweet is a good example. In just a few days his photo of mupi has achieved several hundreds of thousands of views on X and has made headlines on media from Spain. Just as their estimates do about what Christmas means for Vigo: between 800 and 1 billion euros of economic return with a deployment of 6.3 million “visitors” in just two months, which is more than the total number of tourists who stay in hotels in Galicia in a year. The 14 mupis of Kawasaki may see them only a small portion of the 1.5 million people who reside in that Japanese city, but of course they have reached, via networks and media, thousands of people who live in the market that really interests Vigo: the rest of Spain and (especially) Galicia. Does virality … Read more

Every Christmas there are people who fill their balconies with lights and decorations. The Horizontal Property Law has something to say

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It happens December after December. As the holidays approach, there are balconies, windows and facades that are invaded by a mixture of led lights, garlands, papanoels Various Christmas-themed pendants and ornaments. Where before there was a simple and nondescript terrace, suddenly there is a confusing mass of colors, lights and shapes that leaves bouncing a tricky question: Do apartment owners have the right to turn their balconies into small theme parks? To answer it you have to go to the LPH. Lights, give me (many) lights. The one from Vigo may be the best known casebut there are many cities in Spain that in recent years have begun to fill their streets with thousands (or even millions) of Christmas lights, far surpassing the decorations that could be seen a decade ago. In the Galician city they boast this year of having nearly 12 million of LEDs spread across 460 neighborhoods, in Madrid they talk about 13 millionin Alcalá de almost fivein the busiest areas of Malaga they will shine 2.7 million…And so on a long list of cities that every Christmas put on a peculiar suit of lights. And what happens in the buildings? The City Councils are not the only ones that get carried away by this lighting fury. Every year there are people who transfer this display of lights and decorations to their own homes, both inside their homes, with Christmas trees, nativity scenes or garlands, and to balconies and facades. It comes with taking a walk through most cities to see people who, when December arrives, fill their terraces with colored LEDs or even decorations that stick out from the balcony. The catalog is extensive: papanoels pendants, decorations of wise men climbing stairs or garlands that fall from the façade. Can they do it? A quick Google search shows that that question reborn each Decembercoinciding with the dates on which people decorate their homes. Can the rest of the neighbors forbid me from giving free rein to my passion for Christmas decorations? Are there limits when we talk about decorating balconies? If I want to decorate a common area of ​​the building, do I need permission from my neighbors? These are questions frequently enough that platforms specialized in both law and the real estate market have devoted attention to them over the last few years. Two clear cases are Legalites and Photohouse. The best: communication. These may seem like far-fetched questions, but we must take into account a fundamental fact: the balconies, facades and roofs of a building do not have the same condition as the living room or kitchen of a home. Terraces, for example, are usually spaces for private use: they are enjoyed exclusively by the owner of the apartment, but in reality they are common elements, so the owner cannot do whatever he wants with them. Without going any further, before carrying out a work, what recommend agencies like Reale is to consult with the board. The same logic can be transferred to Christmas decorations if what we have in mind is to make a huge display of lights or decorate the facade. The first thing is to confirm if the community statutes regulate the exterior aesthetics of the building. As they remember in LegálitasIf we want to install decoration that invades the sidewalk, public spaces or street furniture, it is also advisable to consult the City Council first. After all, the private use of these spaces may require a permit or even entail the payment of a fee. LPH Word. When we talk about communities and coexistence, there is a reference standard that is always good to keep in mind: the Horizontal Property Law (LPH). The text does not specifically talk about LED lights, Christmas trees or papanoels pendants, but gives some guidelines that are applicable in these cases. One of its clearest articles on the matter is the seventh, which clarifies what exactly the owner of an apartment or premises can and (cannot) do: “You may modify the architectural elements, facilities or services of the building when it does not undermine or alter the safety of the building, its general structure, the external configuration or state, or harm the rights of other owners, and must report such works to whoever represents the community.” “The owner and occupant of the apartment or premises are not allowed to carry out activities in it or in the rest of the property that are prohibited in the statutes, that are harmful to the property or that contravene the general provisions on annoying, unhealthy, harmful, dangerous or illicit activities,” adds the LPH in the same article. In case there were any doubts, the norm (citing in turn the Civil code) remember that there are elements subject to a “co-ownership” regime. Why is it important? Because although the wording of the LPH may be generic and does not explicitly talk about Christmas decorations, it touches on the key points that can generate conflict between the different neighbors of a block. To be more precise, it emphasizes that no owner can “undermine” the “external configuration and state” of the property or “harm” the rest of the tenants. So, if we decide to turn our balconies into small tributes to Christmas, we will have to ask ourselves a series of questions first: Do the decorations hang or stick out enough to affect the “exterior configuration” of the property? Is the installation of outlets, wiring and lights safe? If they are very close to another neighbor’s window, can we cause inconvenience? “Out of prudence”. The most advisable thing is therefore to keep all these issues in mind and above all to be aware of the internal rules of each community. Also communicate with those responsible. So advises it in elDiario.es Patricia Briones, from the College of Property Administrators of Madrid (CAFMadrid). “Any neighbor who wishes to install decorative elements in a common space on a private basis must, out of prudence and to avoid conflicts, request authorization from the board,” … Read more

eight original tech (and non-tech) gifts to advance Christmas shopping

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There is very little left until the arrival of Christmas, so it is a good time to buy gifts. If this year you have to give a good gift, in this article we are going to review eight original ideas of tech and entertainment with which you can hit the nail on the head. Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite by 53.99 eurosa TV accessory with which to have a very different experience when watching movies and series. Ember 2 by 148.95 eurosa smart cup with temperature control. Sofa strip pro 34.43 eurosa power strip with several sockets. OutIn Nano by 119.99 eurosa portable coffee maker to make coffee anywhere. Rocketbook Core by 30.64 eurosa reusable notebook in A5 size. Playmobil from ‘The Fantastic Car’ by 59.97 eurosincludes three figures and lights and sounds. LEGO from ‘Home Alone’ by 299.99 eurosa set with many traps hidden inside. Donkey Kong Game & Watch by 125 eurosa second-hand console of the iconic character. Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite Philips Ambilight technology can offer a very different experience when watching movies and series, which is why some brands have tried to get closer to it through their devices. He Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite It is a pack that includes a strip of LED lights that is placed behind the television and a camera that captures the colors of the TV to reproduce them on the LED strip. It can be found for different prices depending on the size of the television: Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite for TVs 32 inches by 42.49 euros. Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite for TVs 40 – 50 inches by 45.49 euros. Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite for TVs 55 – 65 inches by 53.99 euros. Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite for TVs 75 – 65 inches by 72.99 euros. Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Ember 2 The Ember 2 It is a curious smart cup that is capable of maintaining the temperature for a long time. Costs 148.95 eurosYeah; but it is very interesting for everything it offers: up to 90 minutes of constant heat (from 50 to 62.5 ºC) and is capable of maintaining the temperature. In addition, it can be paired to the mobile phone through the app to set the ideal temperature, personalize the settings or receive notifications. Of course, it can only be washed by hand. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Sofa strip Not everyone has an electrical outlet next to the sofa, so a good power strip can be very useful. The one of Brennenstuhl Not only is it beautiful thanks to its textile surface, but it can be placed on the sofa and has a good price of 34.43 euros. Furthermore, it incorporates two USB-A ports and an electrical outlet (European) and includes a three-meter long cable. Brennenstuhl power strip The price could vary. We earn commission from these links OutIn Nano For the most coffee lovers, on Amazon we can find the OutIn Nanoa portable coffee maker with which you can prepare coffee anywhere. By 119.99 euroswe are talking about a travel coffee maker that weighs only 670 grams and that, according to the brand, is capable of preparing coffee in 200 seconds. On the other hand, it incorporates a battery, it can be recharged in the car through a USB port and You can prepare ground coffee or capsules. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Rocketbook Core Beyond traditional notebooks, there are some very practical smart notebooks. He Rocketbook Corefor example, has a price of 30.64 euros and it is reusable, so using the erasable gel pen that is included we can erase what we have written to continue writing. Through your app we can send the written pages and view them on the mobileits cover is waterproof and the pages are A5 in size. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Playmobil from The Fantastic Car Playmobil has a good catalog of sets based on movies or series and the ‘The fantastic car It is now on sale for 59.97 euros. Includes lights and sounds, plus three character figures Michael Knight, Devon Miles and Bonnie Barstow. In addition, it is also worth mentioning that it comes with scenery in case we want to display it. Playmobil The Fantastic Car The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LEGO Home Alone Now that Christmas is coming it’s a good time to watch some movies like ‘Home Alone’. And what better than to do it together with him Home Alone LEGO set. Its price in the official store is 299.99 eurosconsists of 3,955 pieces, comes with five minifigures and can be opened to see the many traps inside. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Game & Watch If you want a good dose of nostalgia, be careful because on eBay we can find the Donkey Kong Game & Watch by 125 euros. It is expensive and not new (used, works and sold by TodoConsolas), but it is one of the few ways that can currently be purchased. It can be folded and has a similar format to the Nintendo DS. If you are interested, you can also find the Green House Game & Watch for a price of 135 euros. This is also a used console which, as mentioned in the store, may show signs of use. Nintendo Game & Watch Donkey Kong The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Image | Govee, Ember, Brennenstuhl, OutIn, Rocketbook, Playmobil, LEGO, Nintendo In Xataka | Capsules, automatic or manual. The best coffee makers according to your tastes and needs In Xataka | Ambilight technology and alternatives: buying guide for LED systems to create ambient lighting on the … Read more

Vigo has shown that Christmas can be a million-dollar business. So northern Portugal has decided to take note

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Christmas is a time of peace, reunion, carols, sweets and a lot of other positive things, but also (and increasingly) of ‘pique’ between cities. As the holidays have gained appeal as an economic engine, especially for attract tourists In the middle of the low season, town councils throughout Spain have launched a race to show off the tree with the most meters, the largest display of LED lights or simply be the first to debut the ornament. Vigo is perhaps the greatest exponent of that fever, which in recent years has led him to cross challenges (more or less casual) with Madrid either Badalona. However, its true rival appears from another corner: on the other side of the Miño. Christmas in November? Christmas in November. It’s nothing new. In Vigo they began to install their lights already at the end of July, when they were missing almost 150 days for the start of the festivities. It may seem extravagant (maybe it is), but it certainly has its logic: the Galician city boasts to deploy millions and millions of LEDs along hundreds of streets (12 million in 460 neighborhoods this year), which requires a notable logistical effort. Also a substantial investment. Other cities like Madrid, Badalona, Malaga either Cadiz (to cite a few examples), determined to stand out on the map of national Christmas decorations. In fact, a quick review of the newspaper archive comes to find cross challenges between the mayors of Madrid, Badalona or Vigo on account of the festivities. The objective: to claim itself as the city with the brightest offer (literally). Why’s that? For various reasons ranging from pure economics to politics. After all, Christmas offers a showcase of brilliance barbaric for municipal administrations. If there is one reason that has become more evident over the years, however, it is tourism promotion. It is no longer just a matter of decorations encouraging purchases or more or less boosting commerce. No. Having many lights, large XXXL trees, Ferris wheels, markets… has become an effective hook to attract visitors in the middle of winter. Vigo once again leaves a good example. In December 2012, before the lighting boom, its hotels recorded just 33,600 overnight stays, far from the 100,000 in August. In 2022, already in the midst of the Christmas frenzy, this figure exceeded 101,500 overnight stays. And that’s not just visits, it’s also hard euros. In July the mayor of the town, Abel Caballero, spoke that Christmas attracts some 6.3 million visitors to Vigo and generates an economic return for the city of “more than 800 million euros”. May or may not be suspicious of those figures, but something is undeniable: the city fills every year between November and January and merchants and hoteliers already they have made it clear your support for Christmas. Which city is ahead? The battle between cities is not just about seeing which one achieves the most spectacular display of lights or raises the tallest tree. Another detail that generates expectation are the dates: Which city turns on its lights first? Which one comes forward, in an attempt to be the first to catch the eager Christmas visitors? It may sound strange again, but little by little this struggle has brought forward the festivities until placing its ‘start’ (at least unofficially) in the first half of November, almost immediately after Halloween. In Estepa, a town in the province of Seville, they debuted their lights last friday. Yes, November 7th. This urgency theoretically makes it the first municipality in Spain to activate the Christmas lighting. It won’t take long for other cities to follow in their wake. In Vigo (rain permitting) a ceremony will be held this Friday (November 15) to mark the beginning of the festivities. In other cities you will have to wait longer: Madrid either Barcelona They will press their ‘red button’ the 22ndin Badajoz it will be the 27th and in Malaga the traditional light and music show on Larios Street will also be at the end of the month, on Friday the 28th. What happens in Portugal? The most curious thing is that Vigo’s competition will probably not come from other Spanish cities, but from the other side of the Miño: from the north of Portugal. The neighboring country shares an extensive Christmas tradition and seems determined not to give up the tourist wealth that its Galician neighbor is fighting for. reveals it Vigo Lighthouse in an article in which he explains that near Raia there are towns that this year will surpass Vigo both in dates and in ‘meters’. In Valongo they opened their lights on Friday the 7th. And the next day Ermesinde, one of their parishesalso activated a Christmas tree 55 meters high, the largest in Portugal. With that data it even surpasses that of Vigo, which reaches 45 m. Another early riser town in northern Portugal is Viana do Castelowhich has a light show on one of its main avenues. Viana do Castelo and Valongo share an interesting characteristic, in addition to their Christmas zeal: they are close to Vigo. From Ermesinde it takes about an hour and a half by car. Something less if visitors travel from Viana. Simple coincidence? The commitment of northern Portugal is better understood if one knows a fundamental fact: a large part of the tourists that Vigo receives during Christmas come precisely from Portugal. In fact, in December it is not unusual to find buses in the center loaded with visitors from the neighboring country. So much so that Vigo presume of being the main Christmas destination for the Portuguese, which in turn acts as the main foreign market of the campaign. Although the Galician city has advertised your Christmas United Kingdom, Italy or France, the proximity makes Portugal its great fishing ground for visitors. “Portugal discovered Christmas in Vigo. The city was Portugal’s favorite destination at Christmas. More than Madrid and Barcelona. In 2019 we were eighth, now the first. It is a very important qualitative leap,” … Read more

Christmas has revived the specter of redflation and rising prices. And Suchard’s nougat is the bloodiest example

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There is still a month and a half until Christmas begins (unless you live in Vigo), but that has not prevented the shelves of supermarkets in half the country from starting to fill with boxes of Polvorones, panettonesalmonds, marzipan and (of course) nougat tablets. With them, however, something else has arrived: the shadow of the reduflationa phenomenon about which OCU and FACUA they have been for years warning and which basically consists of covering up price increases. You go home believing that you have paid the same (or a little more) than last year when in reality, if you do the math, the kg/€ ratio is much higher. It is not a new practice or exclusive to Christmas, but is already giving something to talk about on account of one of the classics of the national holidays: Suchard’s nougat. What has happened? that the platform Fitstore.es has done an interesting experiment that is generating intense debate. Basically, he has dedicated himself to analyzing the evolution of Suchard chocolate nougat bars between 2020 and 2025, which allowed him to detect two apparently opposing trends: we are paying much more money in exchange for much less product. To be more precise, FITstore ensures that the tablet has gone from costing €2.99 in 2020 to the current €4.99almost 70% more. On some websites, such as Alcampocan be found for less, but that (€4.99) is the sale price in chains like Carrefour, Day either Eroski. The striking thing is that tablets do not weigh the same today as they did five years ago, when they were cheaper. In fact they have decreased. Click on the image to go to the tweet. How have they decreased? According to the FITstore studioIn 2023, Suchard chocolate nougat bars went from weighing 260 grams to 230 g, 11.5% less. If you go to a supermarket (we have done the test in Vigo) that is probably the format you are going to find: 230 g tablets. It is not a phenomenon that only the online sales platform has detected. Last year already warned of this ‘bailing’ the Facua association, which explained that although the price of Suchard nougat had not increased (€3.99) the €/kg ratio had gone from 15.35 to 17.35. That is, (sneakily) the product became 13% more expensive. In some stores the tablet was even more expensive. In DAP They explained last year how Suchard nougat, which in 2023 cost €3.67 in Alcampo, had gone to €3.98. And this despite the fact that the product weighed 30 g less. Is it an isolated case? No. Or it wasn’t, at least a year ago, when Facua published an extensive report in which he cited more cases of reduflation between Christmas sweets. Specifically, it spoke of about a dozen articles that applied “significant price increases” taking advantage of a change in design. For example, Dulce Noel black crunchy nougat went from costing €1.85 in Dia stores in October 2023 to €1.99 a year later. An increase of 7.6% that actually hid an increase in prices of 43.4%. The reason? In addition to becoming 14 cents more expensive, the tablet had been reduced by 50 g, going from 200 to 150 g. More or less similar cases, with increases per kilo of up to 52%, could be found in other items from Nestlé, Lindt or the Dia white label. What is the reason for the increase? The million dollar question. The rise in prices of chocolates and nougat can be explained in part by manufacturing costs: in the last year they have become more expensive the energyrents and ingredients such as rice, flour and the eggs. However, if there is a product that has seen its price skyrocket with a key impact on the candy industry, it is chocolate, mired in an international crisis which has directly influenced its price. The CPI gives a good account of this. According to the last data published by the INE (corresponding to September), chocolate has skyrocketed by almost 16% during the last year. Cocoa has increased by 8.5%. These are high percentages, but they also show a relaxation compared to those recorded just a few months ago, when the year-on-year increase in chocolate exceeded 20%. The question remains to what extent cocoa fluctuations are now influencing nougat. What do they say from the sector? At Xataka we have contacted Mondelez International to ask them about the changes in Suchard nougats and, more specifically, about their apparent reduflation. The multinational does not go into details, but remembers that it operates “in an increasingly complex and unstable environment” that forces it to make “adjustments” so as not to “compromise the taste and quality” of the product. “As food manufacturers, we continue to face high costs throughout our supply chain, especially in key ingredients such as cocoa. This makes manufacturing our products significantly more expensive than in the past,” explains the company, which claims to do “everything possible to assume the extra costs.” “However, in such a complex environment, we sometimes have to make carefully considered adjustments to our Suchard range.” The goal, they say, is “to continue offering consumers the chocolate nougat they love, without compromising the great flavor or quality they expect.” “For this reason, and despite the context, we have not altered our recipe, again in order to protect the quality and taste of this iconic Christmas product.” Images | Vitaly Gariev (Unsplash) and Xataka In Xataka | I have made homemade nougat and it is delicious. The problem is the price

There are ‘Wednesday’, ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ and more

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October is Halloween month. There are many ways to celebrate this holiday that is celebrated on October 31, such as a good horror movie marathon. Alternatively, if we are LEGO® fans, we also have a wide selection of sets that They are ideal for Halloween and that belong to some franchises, series or movies that are very beloved, such as ‘Gremlins’ or ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’. It is a good opportunity to expand our collection of sets or give a gift to that friend or partner who is a fan of this holiday. Below, we leave you a selection that fits perfectly for Halloween: LEGO® Disney Tim Burton: The Nightmare Before Christmas by 199.99 eurosa set loaded with details and with six minifigures. LEGO® Halloween wreath by 39.99 eurosa floral crown with Halloween details. LEGO® House of Morticia by 99.99 eurosa set inspired by the Netflix series ‘Wednesday. LEGO® Gremlins: Gizmo by 99.99 eurosa set with accessories that can be assembled both standing and sitting. LEGO® Malfoy Manor by 149.99 eurosa buildable set ideal for both Halloween and Harry Potter fans. LEGO® Disney Tim Burton: The Nightmare Before Christmas The first of the sets we bring is this one from ‘Nightmares Before Christmas’, one of Tim Burton’s gems. We have Jack’s house, Hgalloween City Hall and the iconic Spiral Hill. The set consists of 2,193 pieces and includes six minifigures, as well as lots of details. We have it available for 199.99 euros. Disney Tim Burton: The Nightmare Before Christmas The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LEGO® Halloween wreath We now continue with a minimalist set, but it is perfect for giving a touch of Halloween to your home. It is a floral wreath that has several details closely related to this holiday, such as a ghost or a pumpkin. It has a string, so we can hang it wherever we want. There are more than 600 pieces and it costs 39.99 euros. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LEGO® House of Morticia Turn of a set inspired by the Netflix series ‘Wednesday’. This is Morticia’s House, which can be rotated and opened to reveal all the rooms inside. In addition, it comes with the car that we can see in the series and four minifigures that include Morticia and Wednesday Addams. It is made up of 1,002 pieces and costs 99.99 euros. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LEGO® Gremlins: Gizmo ‘Gremlins’ may have been released in the 1980s, but there are still many of us who remember these movies with great affection. This set stars Gizmo, the protagonist of the saga. It is designed so that we can assemble it both standing and sitting and comes with several accessories so that we can customize it. Costs 99.99 eurosalthough shipments of this set will not begin until November 6. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LEGO® Malfoy Manor We close with a Harry Potter set, although with one that is perfect for Halloween. This is Malfoy Manor, which we saw in ‘The Deathly Hallows’. It has more than 1,600 pieces and has a lot of very special details that reproduce this scenario perfectly. Includes 9 minifigures in this case and costs 149.99 euros. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | LEGO® In Xataka | Your favorite series, comics and movies also in LEGO: 15 construction kits ideal to assemble yourself or give as a gift In Xataka | LEGO constructions on another level: the Technic Series has the models that any collector would dream of

Hang Christmas ornaments

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We are on July 30, so in Vigo they are doing what proceeds at this point of the year, at least there. In exultant tone and accompanied by several of his councilors, the mayor of the city, Abel Caballero, gave for officially initiated This morning the Christmas decoration campaign. Yes, we are in summer. And yes, it’s hot. But that does not mean that in Vigo they are already dustying the lights. For something It is claimed as the world capital of Christmas. Vigo at 35º. It’s hot. Even in the streets of Vigo, which usually enjoy a benign microclimate guaranteed by the Atlantic and the estuary. Despite that and that Meteogalicia hopes that today the 35ºC of maximum In the city, its mayor has dusted Christmas ornaments. Literally. Accompanied by several of his councilors and in full Porta do Sol, in the urban heart of Vigo, Abel Caballero sediment Together with several Christmas garlands and started the assembly of the ornaments. “We started in July, even with a substantive heat, because riding Christmas is a very complex process.” Shocking? Not so much. Probably the most surprising thing is that the fact that Caballero is hanging Christmas lights in the middle of summer already has little surprising. Did exactly the same a year ago. Then the vigués mayor, surrounded by the same people, on the same place and the same day (July 30) also announced that the city would begin to immediately deploy its Christmas ornament. Not only do they coincide day, place and staging. Like last year, Caballero has also refused to go beyond the strictly scheduled (posing with the ornaments) and did not want to specify when the lights will turn on. “It’s a state secret,” he ironized. It is probably in November (in 2024 it was 16), But in recent years the announcement of the date has come accompanied by another staging on the same street with A clock That marks the countdown. Are there so many lights? Yes. Caballero took advantage of the appointment to remember that the city will display millions of LED lights (around 11.5 millionto be precise) along hundreds and hundreds of streets. This year, Caballero clarifiedwill be 460, 40 more that in 2024. The city will be adorned with 7,000 ornamental motifs such as the ones it showed today to astonish tourists who pass with a cap and sandals. Caballero also revealed that special lights will be used in woodland to not damage them and slid that this year (again) there will probably be surprises related to the size of the mega Christmas tree. At the moment he did not want to reveal how much will exactly measure to prevent others from “copying.” Beyond the show. The mixture of show, virality and waste of LED lights seems to have worked to the city, which in a matter of a few years has managed to take a 180 degree turn to its Christmas: to be a time without major importance, than the hospitality of the city even considered a low season, it has become a real mass phenomenon, with hotels and bars full, saturated streets and riades of tourists from other cities. How many? To specify it is not easy. Between November 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025, the INE counted some 138,300 visitors housed in hotels in Vigo. Not all people who come to the city to enjoy the lights spend the night in it (many arrive from other points of the community or the province), but still the global balance that the City Council is managed is surprisingly high. Recently gentleman He came to ensure That “at Christmas we count 6.3 million visitors in one day.” Not bad for a city of 300,000 inhabitants. Beyond Vigo. Vigo’s zeal for becoming the great reference of Christmas has reached such an extreme that last year the City Council He installed posters Announcing their Christmas lights in Rome, London, Paris and New York, where Spaniards found them who ended up sharing their astonishment in networks. “I was seeing this in a lot and I couldn’t believe it,” tweet An X user next to a photo in which a poster installed in Manhattan was seen. The Galician city is not the only one that has been launched to Christmas frenzy. In recent years, the perspective of becoming a busy tourist point in December has attracted Other municipalitiessuch as Badalona, Madrid or Malaga, which has generated an authentic “War of Lights”. Not surprisingly if you consider that Vigo estimates in 800 million The economic return of the parties. Images | Vigo City Council In Xataka | Kings Night, Night of Pitis: Children from a Portuguese town have been fired from Christmas with cigarettes for years

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