New lights for Rome's controversial Christmas tree.

Rome city council has redecorated its Christmas tree in Piazza Venezia, giving in to criticism on social media that it was "the ugliest Christmas tree in Italy" and "not worthy of the capital city.”

The tree's new decorations, comprising a series of bow-style drapes with large star on top, were illuminated on 14 December. The city also took greater care to issue a more professional photograph of the new-look tree, compared to the dreary snap it published after the initial illumination on 8 December.

So far the new lights have received largely positive reviews in the local media however, judging by the comments on the Roma - Comune Facebook page, it would appear that there is no pleasing some Romans. Several commentators lamented: "Va meglio di prima" while others attempted humour with quips such as: "Il Rockefeller center ce spiccia casa."

The city, for its part, described the new interventions as "ensuring an aesthetic improvement, but always with moderation."

This is not the first time a Rome city administration has bowed to pressure to change its Christmas tree in Piazza Venezia. In 2011 former mayor Gianni Alemanno ordered the removal of a giant white papier-mâché Christmas tree, within hours of its installation, after an opposition politician captured the general mood by calling it “the epitome of bad taste”.