Annual Mesa Temple Christmas Lights run Nov. 29 through Dec. 30

Photo of Mesa — The lights will be on each evening from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Mesa Arizona Temple The event is free. *(File Photos/***DigitalFreePress**)

The adjacent Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center hosts the annual Nativity Exhibit

By Jill Adair | Digital Free Press

The beautiful grounds of the Mesa Arizona Temple, 101 S. LeSueur, will light up with Christmas spirit this year from Friday, Nov. 29, through Monday, Dec. 30. The lights will be on each evening from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event is free.

Visitors are welcome to stroll through the north lawn and gardens of the temple grounds and enjoy the hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights adorning palm and citrus trees, cacti, hedges, shrubs, and flowering beds, according to event planners.

Isaiah prophesies of the birth of Christ in one of 10 biblical vignettes found on the temple grounds.

In addition, there are 10 favorite biblical vignettes placed among the olive trees that help tell the Christmas story, including figures of Mary and Joseph on their way to Bethlehem, a near life-size Italian Fontanini nativity scene with a star above shining with tens of thousands of twinkling lights, and three lighted wisemen with camels. Each area has a stand that identifies the biblical story and special QR codes so visitors can use their cell phones to access additional videos and information for these scenes depicted.

Thousands of volunteers make this beloved, free community event possible, which started in 1979 and has become a holiday tradition for many who come each year to enjoy the Christmas lights and feel the spirit of peace in these historic gardens.

The Mesa Arizona Temple, dedicated in 1927, was the first temple built in Arizona by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The 20-acre temple grounds are home to a wide variety of vegetation as well as two stunning reflection pools and has long been a landmark in the East Valley.

More than 150 nativities from around the world are on display at the Visitors’ Center.

After enjoying the Christmas lights, walk across the street on the west side of the temple grounds to the Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center, 455 E. Main St., to view the annual International Nativity Exhibit. This event is also free to attend. Over 150 unique nativity scenes from around the world tell the Christmas story through inspiring works of art — many which are handmade — depicting the Savior’s birth. The nativity display runs the same dates as the Christmas lights event and is open 5-10 p.m. each evening with daytime viewing 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesdays/Thursdays. Free parking is available nearby.

More information on the Mesa Temple Christmas Lights and International Nativity Exhibit, including FAQ, can be found at MesaTemple.org/Christmas.

Other important info:

Free parking is available nearby or use Valley Metro’s Light Rail System, with a stop at Mesa Drive and a short walk to the temple grounds.
Special needs parking in the lot directly east of the north temple grounds on Hobson; parking attendants will assist visitors.
Wide pathways of cement and gravel can accommodate strollers and wheelchairs.
Hosts wearing red badges can help assist visitors, if needed.

Learn About the Author

Jill Adair

Jill Adair is a journalist, photographer and copy editor with 35+ years of professional experience. She taught reporting and editing at ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication for eight years. She has extensive experience with website building/management software WordPress and in writing website content. She has taught writing to children with city of Mesa’s community education program. Her first book, “The Mesa Easter Pageant: 80 Years of Sharing the Story of Jesus the Christ,” was published in 2022.

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