What to know about Christmas at Temple Square this year
A look at the lights, displays, activities, events and concerts available at Church headquarters to celebrate the ‘Babe of Bethlehem,’ plus photos of this year’s displays
For 60 years, the annual Christmas displays at Temple Square have attracted thousands to the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City.
On a mild December evening in 1965, Church President David O. McKay spoke to nearly 15,000 gathered on the southeast corner of Temple Square before pushing the button to light nearly 40,000 lights.
“Our minds tonight should be on the Babe of Bethlehem whose coming into the world Christmas morning reminds us all that we each should have in our hearts the love of Christ,” he said (Church News, “Famed ‘Square’ A Yule Fairyland,”Dec. 18, 1965, pp. 8-9).
People look at the Christmas lights surrounding the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Since then, the Church has dressed Temple Square in its Christmas finery each December, inviting the world to come and remember “the Babe of Bethlehem.”
Here’s a look at what’s available to visitors for the 2025 Christmas season, along with photos of this year’s displays:
Christmas lights, displays
Although the ongoing Salt Lake Temple renovation has closed some areas, many locations on Temple Square are open and decorated, featuring lights, luminaries, international Nativities and more.
The Conference Center will also feature Christmas-themed large-form artwork throughout the plaza lobby. Tours of the building are also available, except during scheduled events and closures.
When: Available at all open areas of Temple Square daily from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. beginning Friday, Nov. 28, through Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
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The Green family of Lehi, Utah, admires 6-month-old Allessia as the family walks through Salt Lake City’s Temple Square amid the Christmas lights on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Nine-month-old Raymon Secrist reaches for a string of Christmas lights in Salt Lake City’s Temple Square on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Salt Lake City’s Temple Square is aglow with over one million Christmas lights on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Luminarias are scattered around the Temple Square grounds in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Harper Allen, 11, of Saratoga Springs, Utah, looks at the Christmas lights in Salt Lake City’s Temple Square on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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People look at Christmas lights in Salt Lake City’s Temple Square on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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People walk up Main Street past the Conference Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Transparent ornaments float in the reflecting pool in Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Nativity scenes are displayed around the Temple Square grounds in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Nativity scenes are displayed around the Temple Square grounds in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Teddy Hansen, 4, of Millcreek, Utah, admires a nativity scene with his sisters and cousins on the Temple Square grounds in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Salt Lake City’s Temple Square is aglow with over one million Christmas lights on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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The Joseph Smith Memorial Building is reflected onto the pool in Salt Lake City’s Temple Square on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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People look at the Christmas lights surrounding the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Salt Lake City’s Temple Square is aglow with over one million Christmasb lights on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Scripture verses are illuminated with a backdrop of Christmas lights around Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Christmas lights and decorations displayed at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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Christmas lights and decorations displayed at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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Christmas lights and decorations displayed at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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Christmas lights and decorations displayed at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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The Salt Lake Temple, under renovation since 2019, can been seen amid the Christmas lights and decorations at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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The Salt Lake Temple, under renovation since 2019, can been seen amid the Christmas lights and decorations at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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International Nativities are displayed as part of the Christmas lights and decorations at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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International Nativities are displayed as part of the Christmas lights and decorations at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
As in previous years, the museum will also host a variety of local choir performances in the lower-level auditorium.
On the upper level, in the museum’s Victorian-era drawing room, visitors can enjoy family-friendly Christmas crafts inspired by cultures around the world. This year’s displays include luminaries from Mexico and “parols,” or decorative stars, from the Philippines.
A photo of the Victorian-era drawing room in the Church History Museum decorated for the 2024 Christmas season in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The museum staff enjoys sharing the excitement of the Christmas season with visitors, their family and friends, said Natalie Bodine, events coordinator at the Church History Museum, in a press release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“Together, we celebrate the birth of the Savior by creating traditional crafts from around the world, donating to those in need via the Giving Machine and enjoying beautiful musical performances,” she said.
All Christmas activities are free and open to the public.
When: Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesdays-Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Seth Harvey, 11, grabs glue as he and his sister, Saralyn Harvey, 13, work on crafts beside their mother, Angelyn Harvey, all of Gunnison, Colorado, at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Concerts and events
Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square Christmas concert
Tony Award-winning actor Stephanie J. Block and her husband, Broadway and television star Sebastian Arcelus, will join the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square as the featured guest artists at this year’s Christmas concerts.
“Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus are wonderful, gifted performers,” said Mack Wilberg, the choir’s music director, in an Oct. 24 news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. “It will be a privilege to share the stage with such talented artists as together we celebrate the Savior’s birth during the Christmas season.”
The concert — with the 360-voice choir, 150 instrumentalists in the Orchestra at Temple Square and 32 bell ringers from the Bells at Temple Square, all of whom are volunteers — celebrating the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ, will be held in the Conference Center.
Tickets are free but required for entry. The random selection process is now over, but a standby line in the Tabernacle will open 90 minutes before each concert.
Admission is open to those 8 years and older.
When: Thursday, Dec. 11, through Saturday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m.
Featured guest singer Ruthie Ann Miles, left, associate choir director Ryan Murphy, actor Dennis Haysbert, center right, and Charles Mulli of Kenya close out the 2024 Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The 2024 Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert featured Broadway’s Ruthie Ann Miles and film and television actor Dennis Haysbert, who shared about the experiences of Charles Mulli, an orphan in Kenya who found Christianity and now helps homeless children in his home country.
The 2024 concert will air on PBS on Dec. 15 and 24 and will also run on BYUtv. The choir is releasing DVD and CD versions of the concert — titled “Hope of the Season: Christmas With The Tabernacle Choir” — and was available beginning Oct. 25.
Ruthie Ann Miles sings with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Christmas Concert at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
The “Savior of the World” production portrays the sacred story of Jesus Christ’s birth, life and Resurrection, including music that testifies of the Son of God, the Savior of the world.
Tickets are required for entry. All have been distributed, but a standby line will be available at a marked location inside the Conference Center plaza-level lobby near the west wall portrait gallery.
When: Thursday, Nov. 20, through Saturday, Dec. 27, in the Conference Center Theater (excluding Sundays and Mondays).
Matinees begin at 2 p.m. and evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m.
The red cast (performing on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights) perform during the manger scene at a dress rehearsal of the "Savior of the World" production on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. | Cristy Powell, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Close to 300 concerts are scheduled between Thanksgiving and Christmas at four venues around Temple Square, including daily performances by schools, missionary and community organizations, as well as various string, flute, guitar and bell groups. Daily performances will be held at the:
