Forty years ago, Deseret News publisher E. Earl Hawkes proposed an idea that had some skeptics literally blinking: decorate Temple Square with thousands of lights and a nativity scene.

Backed by Elder Mark E. Petersen, a member of the Quorum of Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and chairman of the Deseret News board, the Christmas lights appeared on Dec. 9, 1965.

During that first open-night ceremony, 15,000 people crowded the square to watch then Church President David O. Mckay turned on a modest display of about 40,000 lights on a mere eight trees and a small nativity scene in the southeast corner of Temple Square.

Today, hundreds of thousands of people pass through Temple Square to view the spectacular display of numerous nativities and more than 700,000 lights twinkling in the trees.

The Temple Square lights are ranked as one of the nation's top 100 holiday events by the American Bus Association, but it took decades for the lights to become so magnificent.

In 1967, about 100,000 lights were put up. The number slowly increased through the years. By 1979 there were 180,000 lights, in 1981, 200,000 lights and in 1985 there were 250,000 lights.

The lights will be on until the end of the year from dusk to 10 p.m.