A UK city’s Christmas lights have been dubbed “embarrassing” after Brits spotted an unlikely detail. It’s since caused quite a stir, and has left people divided
When it comes to embracing the Christmas spirit, few things rival the twinkling lights and vibrant colours that December delivers, but a UK city’s festive display has sparked quite the debate. Whilst the Welsh capital is renowned for its particularly cheerful Christmas appearance, some eagle-eyed observers have noticed an unexpected element in the city’s Christmas lights that’s left residents rather split.
Video footage of St Mary Street was recently posted online by Claire Gibson, who branded what she witnessed as “embarrassing”. Though she acknowledged that Christmas is “commercial”, she took issue with what was being showcased on the decorations.
Stretched across the sparkling banner above the shops and buildings, visitors can clearly see an advertisement for the Visit Cardiff website. She summed up her feelings bluntly, declaring it a poor choice by Cardiff Council.
She captioned her post: “Oh Cardiff Council, no.” The clip has triggered widespread discussion about whether having promotional text on festive lights strips away Christmas’s enchantment.
What are people saying?
One disgruntled viewer remarked: “I really upsets me. Same decorations every year, and they just look tacky. Now this?” A second person chimed in with: “I see one questionable Christmas decoration and two adverts that don’t relate to Christmas.”
Someone else responded: “Pretty sure a quick internet search would bring up the same website. I mean, how do visitors cope the rest of the year? That’s just tacky.”
A fourth person also weighed in: “Oh dear, how embarrassing.”
However, not everyone saw an issue with the display, with some residents actually embracing the festive lights. One person questioned: “What’s the issue?”
Another chimed in: “[Can] anyone tell me what’s wrong here? Cardiff’s a majorly diverse city. I think we’re doing great.”
A third person simply described them as: “Very Christmassy.” Whilst another pointed out: “It does say Nadolig Llawen (Merry Christmas) if you wait long enough.”
Is it normal to see this?
You might not be aware, but numerous councils across the UK actively encourage and provide opportunities for businesses to advertise or sponsor Christmas lights and associated switch-on events. Some rely on this funding to help offset the expenses of seasonal illuminations, as it presents a prime visibility opportunity for local enterprises.
In certain instances, commercial businesses are granted the opportunity to incorporate their company name, logo or a festive image into existing light displays on lamp posts, though each council operates differently.
Whilst councils may sometimes seek sponsorship, there are typically policies in place to ensure any advertising remains appropriate, doesn’t clash with council aims and meets regulatory requirements. Nevertheless, in this instance, Visit Cardiff is a council department, not a commercial enterprise.
A Cardiff Council spokesperson explained: “Cardiff has a fantastic offer for visitors at Christmas, so bilingual messages wishing people a ‘Merry Christmas’ are alternated with the bilingual address of the council’s Visit Cardiff tourism website.
“Christmas is a critical time of year for many businesses in the city. The website is a one-stop shop for visitor information and aims to support the city’s economy, making sure people know about the huge range of opportunities to enjoy themselves in Cardiff during the festive season – whether that’s ice-skating at the Castle, taking in a pantomime at the New Theatre, browsing the fantastic artisan traders Christmas markets, visiting the independent shops that fill our Victorian arcades, or gathering with friends and family for a festive night out, or just a quick break from shopping at one the city’s many cafes, bars and restaurants.
“The use of ‘Croeso Caerdydd’ for the Welsh version of the website address, instead of ‘Croeso i Gaerdydd’ follows a standard format for many ‘Visit’ websites across Wales.”
