PROVO — If you go to a holiday light display in Utah County, chances are you'll see Dasher and Prancer and Donder and Blitzen — not images of the baby Jesus.
To be secularly safe, communities across the valley are opting to set up lighted reindeer on city hall lawns more than any other holiday icon, although wreaths, snowflakes and candles also are popular choices.
Only colored lights and decorated trees come in ahead of the wired, lighted, white reindeer in city-sponsored displays, according to a quick take of city holiday decorations.
None of Utah Valley's 23 cities hang banners greeting residents a "Merry Christmas."
Instead, residents are wished "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings."
"One year we had a 'Merry Christmas' banner up, but we took it down for a couple of reasons," said Cal Houghton, a public works official for American Fork.
"It was poorly built and we had problems with it, and we were worried that we might offend somebody."
Few cities have Nativity scenes. "We probably sold our Nativity at auction years ago," said Orem City Administrator Jim Reams. "We have toy soldiers, a train, Christmas trees and a 'Happy Holidays' banner. It's all very secular."
Set up in Alpine's city park is a futuristic-looking lighted Christmas trees and Santa in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. They also have a lantern surrounded by carolers by the City Hall.
In Lehi and Cedar Hills, snowflakes are the featured decoration.
In Elk Ridge, Woodland Hills and Cedar Fort, large community Christmas trees are the focal point.
Some holiday displays aren't very holiday in nature. Visitors to the Festival of Lights at Canyon View Park can see a dragons, dinosaurs, leaping frogs and animated bears.
But there's also a large Toyland castle, a waving Santa Claus, polar bears, reindeer, penguins, skiers and toys that greet folks who come to the drive-through holiday light show.
In Mapleton, the private yards on Main Street and 1600 South shout of Bethlehem and the birth of the Christ child.
"You'll think you've arrived in Bethlehem," said City Administrator Bob Bradshaw. "People come from everywhere to see it."
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