More than 3,000 people showed up to see the turning on of Christmas lights draped over trees and shrubs on the New Zealand Temple grounds Dec. 9.
Once again, hundreds of "oohs" and "aahs" filled the night as the spectacular 38,000 Christmas lights came on. The lights are turned on nightly at 9:15 p.m. - as soon as darkness falls in the summer climate in the Southern Hemisphere - until Jan. 5.Although ominous clouds hanging over the Waikato region during the day threatened to bring a wet evening, set director Mark Strother and his crew went ahead and set up the stage and props for the program. By 5 p.m., however, skies cleared and the crowd soon began to travel to the rural setting outside the city of Hamilton for the program.
A favorite of the visitors was a living Nativity arranged by Dorothy Downer. The Nativity included appropriately dressed children, and a life-sized donkey bearing the expectant Mary.
The Nativity "is the best presentation we've ever had," said one official.
Music was presented by the combined Temple View Choir and the Hamilton Telcom Brass Band. Those who attended also joined in singing Christmas carols.
New Zealand Temple Pres. John Sonnenberg gave a Christmas message.
The lights were synchronized to come on exactly at 9:15, and did so, responding perfectly to Pres. Sonnenberg's countdown.
The lights were arranged by Arthur Bedford, temple building engineer, who said the project took countless hours, but the results made the effort worthwhile.
Prior to the lighting, the visitors center at the temple received many calls inquiring about the lights, said Elder Calvin P. Rudd, visitor center director.
"The public in Hamilton is very responsive to the lights and they come out in large numbers," said Elder Rudd. "Many say that Christmas is not Christmas without a visit to the Christmas lights."
The tradition of caroling on the temple grounds began in 1982 when a group of members in the Temple View community got together and sang Christmas carols from house to house and ended up on the temple lawn. Lights were installed in 1985.