LÒMM – Christmas and New Year in Santarcangelo
LÒMM, which means “light” or “lamp” in the Romagnolo dialect, captures the atmosphere that accompanies us from the Christmas season to the New Year. It evokes moments of warmth and intimacy, sparkling trees, shared traditions, and festive cheer.
LÒMM, from the small glow of a candle lit on a windowsill, grows into a flame—the domestic hearth that warms the Christmas season. This transformation reaches its peak on New Year’s Eve, when fire becomes a central, explosive element in the city’s celebration.
LÒMM represents the spirit of togetherness and magic that permeates the town, becoming the flame that brings the festivities to life.
In 2021, Focus, in collaboration with the agency Tino, developed a new concept for Santarcangelo’s holiday programming. The goal was to create a format that preserved the originality and quality of the previous “EcoNatale” project, while renewing its message. Inspiration came from a poem by Raffaello Baldini dedicated to Christmas—Nadèl (“I lòmm, la bòba, al machini, la zènta”), a nostalgic tribute to both intimate family traditions and the wonder of public celebrations.
Key elements of the project include poetic light installations, public art by renowned visual artists throughout the historic town center, and the large New Year’s celebration “Capodanno in un km quadrato”.
Blending performance, culture, warmth, and lights, the Santarcangelo Christmas program offers a fresh interpretation of tradition each year, infusing the most classic holiday with originality and community spirit.
The 2023 edition of LÒMM – Christmas and New Year in Santarcangelo focused on the identity of the local community, reflected in its historic crafts and traditions—especially rust-printing, a hallmark of regional artisan production. This concept was visually represented in the graphic design of the event: iconic Christmas symbols were stylized, allowing rust-colored decorations to emerge and suggest their presence.
It was a craft-inspired Christmas, proposing an alternative to opulence and consumerism—championing a more human-scale, village-style festivity that illuminates the community rather than just the city. A place where personalized, non-intrusive, and non-standardized commerce is still possible.