On Friday night, we took in the dramatic Christmas lights extravaganza at the Mesa Arizona Temple grounds of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My wife and mother-in-law chose a moderately chilly and clear night to saunter through the gardens just east of downtown Mesa and marvel at what can be done intentionally with simple, colorful glowing lights.On Friday night, we took in the dramatic Christmas lights extravaganza at the Mesa Arizona Temple grounds of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My wife and mother-in-law chose a moderately chilly and clear night to saunter through the gardens just east of downtown Mesa and marvel at what can be done intentionally with simple, colorful glowing lights.The temple lights always charm us. The tasteful balance of lights often solid clusters of only reds, only blues, only greens or only whites — is so self-evident. Unlike the notion of so many homeowners that the more lights put up the better, the lights on the temple grounds demonstrate an eye-catching use of lighting that is properly restrained and thought out. Its a glorious exhibition of making full use of all the fences, walls, railings, trees, shrubs, flower gardens, walkways, nooks, fountains and water features to showcase a spectrum of colors. Spotlights bathe the light gray walls of the 1927-built temple next door. In between, shaped arcs of white light grace fences, while draped clusters of lights hang from palm trees like frozen white fireworks. I write a Tribune feature article each year about the displays, now in their 27th season. Over the years, I have listened to the masters who design the lighting layouts, fashion displays and coordinate the hundreds of volunteers from the churchs wards who are put in charge of sections of the grounds to decorate. Theres been a maturing of the ambitious project. In some ways, it is successfully achieving simplicity and an avoidance of clutter. The lighted waterfalls and the simple wisemen on the main sprawling lawn catch attention because they dont compete with anything else.We arrived in time to hear the Taylor Junior High Teen Tones present a snappy concert of holiday favorites. Their voices cascaded around the grounds, and later, they were joined by adult singers for a dramatic singing of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handels Messiah. The striking, familiar music accented the scene of the temple grounds, which were busy with people ambling back and forth down all the paths and sidewalks to take it all in. Over the years, the Temple lights have won a place in USA Todays Ten Great Places to Have a Bright Christmas, and, in the 1980s, Good Morning America listed it among the nations best light spectaculars for Christmas. In more recent years, the sprawling manger scene has grown, while across the reflection pool on the west side is a fenced area featuring the pregnant Mary on a donkey, while a supportive Joseph is at her side. A few feet away is a scene of the Prophet Isaiah, seated outside his home, writing and foretelling the coming of a great prince of peace.We stood in line to go through the International Nativity Exhibit in the Visitors Center. It features finely crafted crches and nativity settings from such materials metal, stone, ceramic and fiber. They showr how many ways the manger scene and the Bethlehem environment can be presented, especially against the backdrop of cultures. An eager female missionary carried out a spirited conversation with us about her church, looking to connection points in our lives. The many missionaries and church members bounced with pride around the grounds that attracted about 1.3 million lights sightseers last year. It was fun watching young couples ooh at displays and to see full families share their glee and maneuver through the crowds to get to all sides of the grounds. An hour later after, zagging around the enchanting ground and letting our eyes drink it all in again, we left through the gates leading out to the front entry of the temple then to a quiet neighborhood street to find our car. It was an illuminating light and it inspired me the next day to put up the lights on my house and shrubs.The temple lights are a true gift to the Valley. Make a trip over there some night up through New Years Eve. They are lit from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the grounds at 525 E. Main Street, Mesa. More information, including names of music groups performing at 7 each night for 30 minutes, can be found on line at christmastemplelights.com.

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