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Continuing the Winter Light story and the message about Elves as the main decorators of the town, we are continuing the story this year about Tukums as the garden town.

Four seasons in the winter

Traditionally, the first lights were set up and lit in the 4 main roundabouts in the town. Elf — the Winter gardener — had arrived at the town already in early November and decorated the town centre roundabout with a sheet of red white and red leaves. He also stuck the leaves onto the lantern poles across the town so that those who are coming by car from Riga know that they are entering the Garden town. This way the Autumn was lit in the town.

Elf has left the memories from the summer in another roundabout, the Mego Roundabout, as the locals call it. Here, the hay stacks take us back to the summer heat and the big field works, but the round balls remind us of the delicious first berries in the garden.

The spring has blossomed at the roundabout near Pavārkalns, because we see colours that are as bright and green only in the springtime. Whereas the winter fun can be seen in the roundabout near the Tukums train station. Here, elves are hiding, leaving only their hats visible to those passing by and reminding us that the winter is the time of elves and magic.

Thinking about the flowers seen in the gardens and parks, Elf has made the small blue flowers blossom in the town centre at the “Money source” square. Where the flower cake was blossoming lavishly in the summer time, now the blue flower lights are shining. To remind us that Tukums is the Rose Town, Elf has made the White rose bed in the station to blossom in the winter. Where about 600 white roses where blossoming in the summer, now, in the freezing cold, ice flowers are blossoming as if having fallen out from the fairy tale about the Snow Queen.

The large and small Christmas tree and the Light Path through the town

As we continue the tradition dating back to many years, Elf has brought the Big Christmas tree for Christmas to the town centre at Brīvības Square, and has decorated it with large, red baubles. While Elf was decorating the tree, he was thinking about the expected rich cherry harvest of the next summer, reminding us that Tukums are a garden town is boasting with gardens and fruit trees around houses.

Whereas, in the Town’s Park, Elf has created a Fairy Tale forest, which is constantly changing from pink to purple to green to lilac. One of the little huts in the Fairy Tale Forest hosts the little relatives of Elf, who are looking at the windows to see the faces of the visiting children.

But to find the way to walk on winter evenings, Elf has been particularly diligent to light the streets — the way from the train station to the Town Park — with old-style lanterns. And if someone has come to Tukums by train and wants to find the way to the large Christmas tree or the Fairy Take Forest, they will not get lost. They will also be pleased to see the small Christmas tree to bring joy to everyone whose day starts or ends at the train station, whether a local or not.

Katrīna of Tukums will also be dressed up for the winter. The caring Winter gardener has prepared a new umbrella for the bronze girl — a brighter and more colourful this winter. I suppose, we don’t really know what the winter will bring — whether blizzards or rainfall. Not far away, crafts people from Tukums and vicinity have decorated the glass showcase on Katrīna Square where brightly illuminated we will have a chance to check out the crafts and perhaps choose some as a gift for ourselves or a loved one.

As we invite to travel to and visit Tukums, not far from the tourist information centre, there are two small zaz cars, all decorated with little Christmas trees and fairy lights bringing joy and making you slow down, smile and take a photo. If on your evening stroll you pay attention, you will also spot other zaz “brothers” around the town all dressed up for Christmas.

Events and activities during the Advent

The first Advent will start with lighting of the tree — while the locals are sleeping, the Elves will dress the Christmas tree up for the celebrations on Sunday and the following weeks. The tower of the Tukums Evangelical Lutheran Church every quarter of an hour will play fragments of Advent melodies arranged and recorded by the pianist Vestards Šimkus, but the large Advent wreath will be set up in the church courtyard.

The “Shack of good deeds” will be open on the four Advent Sundays at the Tukums Town Park; it will host the always jolly elves of “the smile workshop” and will be inviting the children of Tukums and their guests “to bring” their good deeds to the Town Park and to put them in the puzzle wall of good deeds. Here, the Lapland Post Office will have a mailbox where everyone will be able to post their letter to Santa. Every Advent Sunday – 28 November, 5, 12 and 19 December at 12.00 @TiekamiesTukumā Facebook page, you can watch live streams from the “Shack of good deeds”; we will hear the good deeds stories and a song or two from the elves, the Santa and other guests.

On 19 December, you are invited to the concert “Winter stories” at the Tukums Evangelical Lutheran Church, to a performance by a local of Tukums and of Cēsis Rihards Saule.

On the eve of Christmas Eve – in the evening of 23 December a concert will be held at the Tukums Evangelical Lutheran Church “Klusi skan eņģeļu dziesmas” (Quietly singing angels’ songs), with Christmas carols and other well-known songs. Performing at the concert: Erita Karlsone (vocals), Uldis Timma (vocals, guitar), Gundars Caune (vocals, keyboards), Rolands Stepanovs (base guitar) and Dairis Petrauskis (percussions).

We can continue experiencing Christmas and enjoying music also after Christmas, because on 26 December, Ieva Rozentāle and Atis Ieviņš with their band will be offering a special concert programme at the Tukums tow Culture Centre. The most beautiful Latvian and foreign composers’ Christmas melodies will be performed at the concert.

Tickets to all concerts can be purchased at all box offices of “Biļešu paradīze” in Latvia, as well as online at www.bilesuparadize.lv. Number of visitors is limited in all concerts. The attendance of concerts must comply with all epidemiological safety measures established in the state.

More information about the events is available at @TiekamiesTukumā and on @VisitTukums Facebook page.

See you in Tukums in the winter!