The little trees in Kiesling Park will have Christmas lights and the City Christmas tree will be in front of city hall as in the past, according to present plans.

Richard Salvati, city manager, said the Chamber of Commerce had requested that the city put up lights on the small trees in the park. The lights are bought by the Chamber and installed by city workers,just as are the Christmas decorations on Minnesota Street.

SALVATI SAID the lighting on the Minnesota Street Christmas decorations will go on Nov. 27 and be on from dusk to 10p.m., except on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Last year the lights didn’t get turned on until Dec. 14 and were on for those same hours. In previous years the Christmas lights had been on virtually all night every night from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Salvati noted the lighting plan will be a moderate one and said New Ulm has always relied on natural greenery rather than elaborate electrical displays as the main decoration.

HE SAID there are no restrictions on private citizens having outdoor Christmas lights but the city is suggesting moderation there too. Last year the city opposed such private lights.

“It’s not a high energy consumption item,” Salvati said of the Christmas lighting, “but we can be reasonably moderate without any problem.”

He also noted that as electricity rates have gone up it has become more prudent to economize.

There hasn’t been much mention recently of the energy crisis and the need to cut back on energy use, but Salvati said the city plans to give out free brochures at the city treasurer’s office on methods of cutting energy use.

“The energy crisis is a long-term problem and people should reasonably make permanent adjustments in such things as home heating and air con-ditioning and home insulation.”

THE NEW ULM Chamber in its November letter to members noted, “While the amount of energy used for Christmas lighting is an insignificant part of the total energy use of the state, indiscriminate use of Christmas lighting does create an impression that energy sources are plentiful and impedes the development of a conservation-minded energy attitude.”

The state director of conservation and planning has asked all city chambers of commerce to help bring about energy saving measures during the approaching Christmas lighting program.

The director suggested moderation in street lighting–used of a small percentage of lights available for Christmas deocration — and no home lighting contest.

The director said, “It might be well to remember that excessive and flamboyant Christmas lighting is of rather recent vintage, that only our present energy-oriented society has used it extensively, and that its continued use may well be a thoughtless rebuke to the true spirit of Christmas.”

New Ulm Daily Journal

Nov. 11, 1974