Friday, December 16, 2011

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS OF TEMPLE SQUARE


My hubby and I have finally found a way to give each other a Christmas gift that we both enjoy.  We plan a trip together and share the expenses.

 This year we had a coupon for great prices on a nice hotel in downtown Salt Lake City.  Fluffy king bed, big screen t.v.---

---and a splendid view from the sixth floor.

Meals were yummy and we did some window shopping at the fancy stores and some serious shopping at a huge outlet mall.

In the evening we walked across the street to Temple Square to see the Christmas lights.

The place was busy with people like us,  there to 
wander around and stand open-mouthed staring at the beauty of the displays.

Workers start setting up for the lighting in August.  
They string strands of LED lights on just about everything.

Christmas lights on Temple Square--our hotel in the background

 Young trees, already strung with lights, are “planted” in the landscaping.  The trees have been harvested from State Educational Trust Fund lands. Using these trees has multiple benefits, for Temple Square and for the state.

For the state, the money used to purchase the trees benefits the state educational system, and thinning state-owned stands of timber allows the remaining trees to grow strong and healthy. For Temple Square, using stand-in trees for the lights display protects the living trees.

Families and Church groups spend an evening draping nets of lights over shrubs, 
while service missionaries hang garlands that function as cordons along the sidewalks.

 When the lights are switched on the evening after Thanksgiving 
the sight is just awesome in every way.

Temple Square is a landmark for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a.k.a.  “Mormons.”  The area includes visitor centers, museums, The Conference Center and The Tabernacle, home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

 The large temple is the centerpiece of the site.

Note: in spite of reports to the contrary: faithful members of the L.D.S. Church—Mormons- (not to be confused with various and random splinter groups) are law-abiding Christians.


15 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

the lights in the trees are really awesome!

Sarah said...

Pretty impressive lights. I would like to wander around there enjoying it. I work with a mormon funnily enough, I wonder if she has been there. I will ask her.

Linda Sue said...

Looks like Walt Disney had some hand in this!
Pleased to hear that you had a great time, beautiful city!

Jeannelle said...

Thanks for this holiday tour!

Debbie said...

very impressive....lot's of attention to detail and these are gorgeous. the lights are one of my favorite parts of this season.

we have not taken our usual christmas trips and have missed the beautiful christmas light displays....thanks for sharing!!

Alica said...

Your Christmas gift to each other is great! And those lights are fantastic!!

Maude Lynn said...

That looks amazing!

Far Side of Fifty said...

So beautiful..I really enjoyed the manger scene..impressive! Thanks for taking us along on your Christmas gift! :)

Anzu said...

Thank you for sharing your fantastic night!
Happy illumination make us happy anytime.

Terry and Linda said...

Beautiful! I enjoyed as having never seen the square in winter or at Christmas!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Butternut Squash said...

Absolutely beautiful post. I'm so glad that you are enjoying yourselves. Thanks for sharing your trip.

Anonymous said...

Awesome lights!
My hometown in Australia is very much low key, but a LDS temple was built in our area recently and was open to the public. All the Italian marble workers and plasterers were proudly showing off their exquisite workmanship to their families. "We don't usually have such a wonderful opportunity here in Adelaide to do such work and show the depth and range of our skills" they beamed.

Pearl said...

I've never been to SLC. The lights look like Minneapolis, though, and if it's anything like that, it's okay with me. :-) And I love you and your husband's gift to each other -- the chance to see a big city, the people -- that's a bigger experience than the wrapped box.

Pearl

TALON said...

How gorgeous! I love when deciduous trees are draped in lights. It's pure magic!

susan m hinckley said...

Beautiful! I almost got to see them this year...*sigh...been years since I've been home for the holidays. Thanks for the bit of pre-election-year educating as well, or anti-propaganda, or propaganda -- depends on how you look at it, I guess, but I'm always happy to see people spreading the (right) word.