Danish park welcomes Christmas with a tree decorated by Swarovski

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Starting with a spectacular Christmas tree adorned with 3,000 sparkling crystals unveiled to the public in Denmark's most famous amusement park, the Christmas season in the Nordic country keeps getting more dazzling.

Since Saturday Tivoli Gardens, located in the center of Copenhagen, has been celebrating the 25th anniversary of its traditionally-themed Christmas market.

The Christmas market, which includes amusements and more than 60 Christmas stalls, runs from Nov 16 to Jan 5.

Beneath a dangling chain encrusted with 130,000 lights, 1 million multicolored bulbs gleam. A Christmas tree adorned with 3,000 Swarovski crystals, worth approximately 1 million Danish kroner ($150,000), dazzles brilliantly at the very center of the park.

On Saturday, the 100 children in the Tivoli Youth Guard marched through the park as music wafted from the park's stages, serenading the first visitors strolling starry-eyed and enchanted by the sparkling maze of Yuletide decorations.

Comprising boys and girls aged 8-16, the Tivoli Youth Guard celebrated its 175th anniversary in August. The world's oldest youth guard is widely listed as a mustsee attraction for visitors to Copenhagen.

The 10-meter high Christmas tree was designed by renowned Austrian glass manufacturer Swarovski and decorators took 10 days to beautify the tree, to which Swarovski promised to give a unique and "exclusive Nordic look".

Groups of excited visitors took selfies in front of the bejeweled tree throughout the weekend.

"The lights are amazing, and for Christmas, it's the best thing you want to see. I can stay here all day long and stare at it, to be honest," said Ioanna Nomidou, a visitor from Greece.

Tivoli, founded 176 years ago, is the second oldest seasonal amusement park in the world, after Bakken amusement park. Ten kilometers north of Copenhagen, Bakken opened in 1583.

Xinhua