On Christmas Eve, Athens whispered its wishes into the sky. Athenians gathered in Kotzia Square in front of the Town Hall to join in this recent tradition. Traditional paper lanterns, symbols of luck and happiness, were lit and set aglow, their flames ascending like silent prayers against the night. In that brief moment, a collective hopefulness took hold, a shared sense of positivity weaving through the crowd. And when the lanterns drifted away, carried by the breeze, the celebration continued with an after-party, the spirit of joy lingering long after the last flicker had faded.