Special ceremony in Bussolengo for the 30th anniversary of the first Christmas Village in Italy, including shows, symbolic moments and institutional guests. From the opening of the door with “The Key to the Origins” to the lighting of the large tree, a new season of Christmas suggestions begins until January 6th
The magic of Christmas has arrived in Verona with fantastic creatures, a carriage pulled by reindeer, the notes of a piano and the inevitable Santa Claus accompanied by a child who holds a special key: the one that symbolically opened the doors of Flover Christmas Villagethis year at his thirtieth edition. An inauguration full of emotion yesterday, Friday 6 November, at 6pmwhich officially kicked off the new edition of first Christmas Village in Italy with an evening of shows, suggestions and symbolic moments. Sharing this important appointment is the President of the Chamber of Deputies Lorenzo Fontanathe Minister of Tourism Gianmarco Mazzilocal administrators, bodies, associations and community representatives, gathered to celebrate a significant anniversary together and kick off a new season full of wonder and the Christmas spirit.
“What a thrill to see the Flover Christmas Village open for the thirtieth time – he declares Silvano Girelli, CEO of Flover, together with his brothers Gianpaolo and Sergio –. Thirty years ago everything was born from a dream: the desire to bring the magic of Christmas that I had breathed in Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Italy too. Today that dream continues to live on thanks to the thousands of families who, year after year, choose to return here and make the Village part of their traditions. This anniversary is dedicated to them and to all the people who contributed to writing this story. Our commitment is to continue to give emotions, be creative and renew ourselves, without losing the spirit that has made us unique in recent years: the ability to make Christmas an experience to be shared”.
The inauguration opened with a medieval-inspired show, dedicated to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and with greetings from the mayor of the German city. Following this, the official ceremony accompanied the public in a scenographic tale made up of Christmas suggestions and atmospheres: a parade of elves, elves and dancing unicorns announced the arrival of Santa Claus’s imposing carriage, pulled by reindeer, giving rise to a moment of great wonder. The heart of the celebration was dedicated to the thirty years of the Flover Christmas Village. The protagonist, Master Clavis, the Master of the Keys, who together with a child symbolically opened the door of the Village, officially starting the new edition. The key used for the inaugural gesture, named “The Key to the Origins”is the symbol chosen to accompany this important anniversary and tell the journey to the roots of a story that began in 1996, which over the years has become an event capable of uniting generations of families. The moment was framed by the images projected on the large LED wall of the Village, which celebrated the link between past, present and future.
“The thirty years of the Flover Christmas Village, in the year in which the forty years of the Bussolengo Garden are also celebrated, are a special occasion for our territory – he states Lorenzo Fontana, President of the Chamber of Deputies –. A place where many people meet, where many families share moments of happiness, rediscovering the beauty and meaning of Christmas: a celebration that belongs to our identity and which leads us back to profound meanings. I extend my congratulations and sincere thanks to the Girelli family, to the brothers Gianpaolo, Sergio and Silvano for their commitment, sensitivity towards our traditions, foresight and resourcefulness. When an entrepreneurial project is successful and manages to involve so many people, it becomes an added value for the whole community.”
Great emotion for the celebratory video dedicated to the thirty years of the Village, which retraced the evolution of a story that began with an initial exhibition nucleus and grew to become the imposing reality of today: a journey that over the years has seen the birth of settings and thematic rooms, spaces dedicated to catering, new proposals and entertainment formats, from dinners with Santa Claus to live shows. Following this, institutional interventions and the traditional ribbon cutting officially marked the opening of the thirtieth edition of Flover Christmas Village. They took part in the ceremony Roberto Brizzimayor of Bussolengo; Damiano Tommasimayor of Verona; Flavio Massimo PasiniPresident of the Province. Diego Ruzzaregional councilor; Gianmarco MazziMinister of Tourism; Lorenzo FontanaPresident of the Chamber of Deputies.
“There is a very important candidacy – he comments Gianmarco Mazzi, Minister of Tourism –: Italy has nominated the nativity scene as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and will be completed in December 2027. The nativity scene is a symbol of the tradition to which many great artists and artisans are linked. Today we are here to celebrate this splendid Christmas Village, which the Flover company has been creating for 30 years, also carrying forward the culture and tradition of the nativity scene which belongs to our identity”.
At the end of the inaugural ceremony, the Girelli brothersaccompanied guests and authorities to discover the Christmas Village, inaugurating the journey between the internal displays and the external spaces, with a visit dedicated to the eight thematic rooms, the heart of the immersive experience of the new edition. The journey starts from Christmas shopdedicated to the thirty years and to the memory of the Village, to continue through the atmospheres of Royal Christmashomage to the colors of tradition; Noël à Parisinspired by French elegance; the new room Evergreen Elegance; Snowy Chaletwhich recalls the charm of Alpine chalets; Winter Forestbetween nature and the animal world; Sweet Wonderlandinspired by the American Christmas tradition; And Winter Glowwhere champagne shades meet sophistication. Eight settings, each with its own identity, which interpret Christmas through colours, decorations, plays of light and scenography, accompanying visitors on an immersive journey through different styles and suggestions in pure Flover style.
In the external part of the Village, there is space for the new season’s attractions, including the ice skating rink and the tree carousel. The evening then continued under the banner of music and elegance, with a special moment reserved for guests with the notes of the piano by Cecilia Gasdia, superintendent of the Arena di Verona Foundationaccompanied by the performance of tenor Matteo Macchioni. The inauguration was sealed by the traditional moment of lighting the large Christmas tree, a symbolic gesture that illuminated the Village and officially kicked off Flover’s new Christmas season.
The Flover Christmas Village will remain open until January 6th, every day from 9.00 to 19.30closing on December 25th and January 1st. For the entire season, every weekend the program will be enriched with dinner show, animations e.gpettacles designed to involve adults and children and offer sharing opportunities for the whole family. Among the spaces of the Village it will also be possible to meet artisans, discover their creations, be tempted by themed gastronomic specialties and choose from personalized decorations and compositions.
