True meaning of the season told for thousands to experience in NYC’s Times Square
Times Square, New York City was lit up this Christmas season with every billboard simultaneously (27 in total) in the center of Manhattan pointing viewers to the true meaning of the season – the birth of Christ. Times Square is one of the biggest tourist attractions attracting nearly 50MM people annually and over 300,000 per day to the bustling metropolitan area. This Christmas, thousands got to hear the good news of Jesus’ birth, and the internet is loving it.
The “Light the World” campaign featured a beautiful instrumental rendition of “Holy Night” along with stunning visuals of the scenes of the birth of Christ, including the manger, the shepherds, the angelic appearances, and the wise men’s visit to Bethlehem. The song ended with a quote from the words of Jesus recorded in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world,” with an emphasis on the word Light, being translated into different languages. The scenes closed with a call to action – “This Christmas, share his light by letting your light shine.”
The was sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who though they differ doctrinally from evangelical Christianity, nonetheless people are rejoicing the message of Christmas is getting out. The team behind the camping shared in an announcement on X, “Visitors to Times Square were in for a surprise on Nov. 27 as its famous billboards became a larger-than-life tribute to the true reason for Christmas: Jesus Christ,” the post stated. “The billboard takeover at Times Square in New York City was part of Light the World, an annual movement to bring people from all over the world together to share the light of Jesus Christ during the Christmas season. The beautiful nativity scene that emerged from the blackout was a tender reminder of the Savior’s birth and why we need His light and love in our lives.”
Light the World isn’t the only major campaign that is happening toward faith. He Gets Us is another sponsored advertising campaign promoting the compassion of Christ and his understanding of our condition. The campaign has produced 24 video ads sharing Jesus with the masses through television ads, including a Superbowl commercial last year. The campaign continued this Christmas season, sharing that family can be tough, especially at the holidays, but Jesus understands and has been there.
