Moscow Prepares for Pandemic New Year's
Muscovites are bracing for an unconventional holiday season after the cancellation of the city’s annual Christmas and New Year’s festivities, the closure of late-night entertainment and new restrictions on cinemas and theaters.
Despite the restrictions, Moscow is already putting up extravagant lighting displays across the city, inviting residents to enjoy a festive stroll through the city — the one form of holiday entertainment that rising coronavirus cases couldn’t take away.
Here’s a closer look at how the capital is preparing to ring in the New Year:
Despite the restrictions, Moscow is already putting up extravagant lighting displays across the city, inviting residents to enjoy a festive stroll through the city — the one form of holiday entertainment that rising coronavirus cases couldn’t take away.
Here’s a closer look at how the capital is preparing to ring in the New Year:
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/37/B8756D43-D533-4C1E-9CCD-60CACC61B748.jpeg)
Christmas trees and sparkly lights arrived on Moscow's streets this week.
Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/6f/34F6E0FD-4596-473F-8DBB-59DFA9DD5C97.jpeg)
A curtain of lights illuminates Nikolskaya Street next to Red Square.
Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/ca/B77D5B1B-A66E-46CD-AB05-355E3921D0DF.jpeg)
Even though holiday markets have been canceled, Christmas decorations are already available in shops across the city.
Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/cc/46107237-D375-4C03-9AA5-041EB65E1AAA.jpeg)
In addition to shopping for gifts, snapping a selfie at GUM shopping mall while it's decorated for the season is a holiday must.
Sergei Bobylev / TASS
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/4b/5D3A4994-6938-4D3F-995F-6B00C9B7D24A.jpeg)
Moscow authorities decided to take the budget-friendly route and reuse last year's holiday decorations.
Andrei Nikerichev / Moskva News Agency
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/63/5E87146B-9DFE-47A2-BAE0-0E175A8B65AE.jpeg)
Light installations near Hotel Ukraina were among the first to go up this year.
Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/0a/B4CC3B0B-D6C4-4BF0-A1C3-5F8BF103D007.jpeg)
With more than a month until New Year's Eve, it looks like Muscovites are already eager to say goodbye to 2020. Can we blame them?
Andrei Nikerichev / Moskva News Agency