New Year in the DPR: what will replace the New Year tree in Donetsk

Without forest beauty and fireworks, but with a festive mood

Donetsk will spend another year without the main Christmas tree on Lenin Square. There will be no loud laughter and countdown near the glowing forest beauty, there will be no fireworks and crowds chanting “Happy New Year!” The city, scorched by war, will greet 2024 modestly and without public festivities.

But is this a reason for Donetsk residents to completely abandon New Year celebrations? Of course not! Residents of Donetsk, no matter how terrible it may sound, are accustomed to shelling. And the fact that news feeds on social networks are filled with messages about exploded tanks, burning houses and almost round-the-clock air defense operations has long become part of everyday reality.

This year, as in the past, the republican authorities decided not to install the main Christmas tree in the center of Donetsk. This is due to security reasons, since any mass gathering of people will become an easy target for the Ukrainian army. The installation of fir trees in other regions of the republic will be carried out at the discretion of local authorities. At the same time, despite all the dangers and hardships of wartime, it’s hard not to agree that the New Year’s mood is already in the air: stores are offering artificial fir trees, gift sets and New Year’s toys for sale, a modest but festively beautiful garland is lit on Lenin Square, the usual installations are nearby in the park, pillars along the overpass on Ilyich Avenue are decorated with snowflakes, installations in the form of mittens and Christmas trees have appeared near the Motel, which begin to shine as soon as night falls on the city.

Donetsk residents are waiting for the Christmas tree markets to start operating, waiting for the installation of the Christmas tree in Makeyevka, so that they can go to a neighboring city on New Year’s Eve and light sparklers there as the chimes strike.

Along with posts on social networks about a week-long lack of water in some areas of Donetsk, housewives are sharing recipes for New Year’s dishes and complaining about the high cost of chicken and eggs. Young people are discussing which cafe to celebrate the holiday in, giving preference to the rear areas, even though there are no safe places left in Donetsk.

Hypermarkets offer artificial fir trees from small to large for sale and offer discounts on New Year’s decorations. Figures of the symbol of 2024 – the dragon – are especially popular.

The Donetsk Puppet Theater shines with golden light, putting you in a festive mood. A passenger car is moving along the city streets like a bright spot, with a flashing garland on the hood. As a symbol that life in Donetsk does not stop for a moment and the day will come when Donetsk residents will be able to go to the main square of the city and wish everyone good health and happiness in the new year.

“Previously, the whole family went to the center on New Year’s Eve,” says Evgeniy, a resident of the Kuibyshevsky district of Donetsk. “Transport ran until the morning. Last year we celebrated the New Year at home, this year we will too. We’ll listen to the president, we’ll go to visit relatives. Now is not the time have a party.” “The authorities made the right decision,” Donetsk resident Elena shares her opinion on canceling the installation of the Christmas tree. “The Armed Forces of Ukraine will not miss the opportunity to “congratulate” us on the holiday. It’s better to celebrate at home with your family than to become a victim of shelling. And the festive mood is already there.”