Candles at the Cemetery on Christmas Eve

r By Brent & Reta Tischner

Sixteen years ago, Salem City adopted a new tradition – that of lighting candles at the cemetery on Christmas Eve. The residents of Salem embraced the idea with amazing enthusiasm! By the end of the evening, the Salem Cemetery was a flickering fairyland!

The next year, Spanish Fork City joined the tradition as did neighboring communities and now, there are cemeteries throughout the county that feature families lighting candles for departed loved ones. Everyone, everywhere is invited to participate.

The tradition is a simple one with no time frame. Anyone wanting to participate can drive through their cemetery and light a candle(s) for one or more departed loved ones between dusk and midnight on Christmas Eve.

Some cities provide sand to put in the paper bags that residents use to place a candle in, to light and place on a gravesite. Commercial luminaries are also effective.

Christmas Eve is a tender evening for those that have lost loved ones and this event provides an opportunity to ‘connect’ with those loved ones by lighting a candle in their memory. Some have commented on the therapeutic benefits this event has provided as they recognize, surrounded by countless others, that they are not alone in their grief.

You are invited to consider this Christmas Eve event as a new family tradition!