The Christmas lights downtown were on only 12 nights this year in New Ulm, as the city Council moved to do its part in conserving energy in the nationwide shortage. Last year the lights were on from Thanksgiving through Dec. 25from 5 p.m. to midnight. This year the lights went off at 9:30 p.m.,a reduction of 77 per cent from last year’s usage. Only time will tell if it was a temporary crisis measure or an omen of the future. Other towns in the area generally went without lighted Christmas decorations entirely or cut down on the lighting schedule drastically. An unscientific survey of a few people around the Journal office produced one house on West Street with Christmas lights outlining the exterior of the house. Another house on Clay Circle had lights up outlining the house but they were lit only one night. (Photo by Ron Grieser)