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Once again, the city lights will play a prominent role in the festivities. Fashion designers -David Delfín, Roberto Torreta, Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada...-, graphic designers -Óscar Mariné, Roberto Turégano...- and architects -Teresa Sapey, Alberto Marcos...- have all played a part in their creation. This year, the celebrity designers will be sharing the limelight with the new illumination that Ben Busche has come up with for Gran Vía, an avenue that will be celebrating its 100^th anniversary in 2010. Motifs outlining an imaginary skyline formed by skyscrapers, cinemas and theatres will set aglow the 20^th century's first backbone of trade and nightlife. Lavapiés will also boast special decorations, and Plaza de Ministriles will be filled with 400 glowing golden cages storing 400 memories donated by citizens from the neighbourhood.

The youngest members of the family will be able to enjoy the magic of Christmas in Kid's City, erected next to the jetty and the bandstand in El Retiro Park from December 23 to January 3. There will be games, workshops, storytellers... and even a zeppelin (December 23 to 28) offering an unprecedented journey to the age of the great aviation pioneers. Visitors can travel even further back in time by stepping into the fascinating Jurassic World, at Puente del Rey next to Príncipe Pío, which will be exhibiting 34 highly realistic dinosaurs.

The city will be dotted with Christmas trees like the tree that will preside over Plaza de España, a tip of the hat to the 2010 Shanghai Universal Exhibition. Moving on to the nativity scenes, the City Hall's crib, comprising figures made by master José Luis Mayo Lebrija and designed by Enrique Haro, will be located in the Colón Tourism Centre. The nativity scene presented by Telefónica (Gran Vía, 28) will be an impressive display of technology. 

The Christmas season would not be complete without the traditional markets, like the ones on Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Jacinto Benavente -Christmas Card Fair-, Plaza de los Carros -Pink Christmas- or Chueca -Relax Christmas. A stage will be set up in Callao* for music performances although there will also be concerts in the Jardines del Cabo Noval (December 19 to 27) and in La Caja Mágica, which on December 17 will host the Playing For Change project, devoted to the art of street musicians.

The programme also features an endless list of activities staged in theatres, cultural centres and churches. Two other unmissable events: Jerez Flamenco Christmas next to the Almudena Cathedral (December 21, 8pm), with a spectacular zambomba (song, guitars and dance set to popular lyrics), and the Three Kings Parade, on January 5 from 6.30 pm starting at Nuevos Ministerios and going all the way to Plaza de Cibeles. The theme of this year's floats will be Around the World in 80 Days, to celebrate the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures. Merry Christmas!!