Christmas Lights From Around the World

Madrid, Spain

People walk under the Puerta del Sol Square's 

Christmas tree lights on Nov. 27, 2011, in Madrid, Spain. 

Streets of the capital are decorated with lights every year 
ahead of Christmas celebrations, but this season Madrid 
used the same lights due to the nation's economic crisis.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The lights of the world's biggest floating Christmas tree are turned on 

Nov. 26 at the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

The tree is 278 feet tall and is lit by 3.3 million light bulbs.

New York, NY

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is lit Nov. 30 in New York.   

Watch as our cameras capture the intricate process that transforms 

and illuminates a 12-ton Christmas tree in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza.

 Calle, Bulgaria

A house is decorated with Christmas lights Dec. 1 in a street in the village of Calle, 

near the northern German town of Bremen. The sign reads: Merry Christmas.

Sofia, Bulgaria

A woman takes picture in front of a Christmas tree Dec. 1 

during a lighting ceremony in downtown Sofia, Bulgaria.

Kobe, Japan

Some 70,000 people look at the "Kobe Luminarie" illumination 

Dec. 1 at a shopping mall in Kobe, Hyogo prefecture, western Japan. 

The annual light festival, which began in 1995 to boost the spirits of locals 

who experienced the Kobe earthquake in January 1995, 

or the 'Great Hanshin Earthquake' as it is known in Japan, 

will continue through Dec. 12.

 Brea, Calif.

Brothers Beckman, 3, Preston, 6, and Westley Giang, 5, from left, 

are transfixed as holiday lights are switched on Nov. 27 

for the first time this season at their house in Brea, Calif. 

Homeowners in the Eagle Hills neighborhood of Brea 

began decorating for the season in earnest.

Paris, France

Christmas lights in the shape of the Eiffel Tower shine near the real thing 

(in the background) 

Nov. 27 on the Rue Saint Charles in Paris.

London, England

Shoppers walk beneath Christmas lights Nov. 27 

on South Moulton Street in London, England.

 Prague, Czech Republic

A man blows his trumpet from the Old Town Hall Tower as a 

Christmas tree is illuminated Nov. 26 at the Old Town Square in Prague.

Vienna, Austria

Christmas lights illuminate Vienna's city centre Am Graben on Nov. 24.

Berlin, Germany

Vehicles drive along a festively illuminated Kurfuerstendamm on Nov. 22 in Berlin.

From December 2011