Preparation for Christmas on the Campground begins long before December. Many teams work for weeks hanging lights, preparing the Lodge for visitors, setting up scenery, and practicing with Sunday school students for the Nativity pageant, along with many other tasks. Anticipation builds as the lights are turned on the week of Thanksgiving, and the campground become a literal beacon in the neighborhood.

This year, the event took place on the weekend of December 13 and 14. On Saturday morning, Nativity pageant participants reported to the tabernacle for dress rehearsal. The gates were set to open at 5:00 p.m. and by 4:45, a line had formed along Duke Street toward 52nd, and a steady stream of visitors continued throughout the evening.

After days of pouring rain, the weather on Saturday was mild and beautiful. Conditions both nights were perfect for walking by the light displays on the front lawn. Popular attractions included a petting zoo with donkeys and goats, and an outdoor photo station set against a lighted Christmas tree. A highlight for many was the train ride through the back of the campground, where additional light displays and festive music were featured.

A new addition this year was the "Kid's Stop" in the Activity Center, where visitors heard descriptions of the church youth programs. Staff gave children a pair of 3D glasses that turn Christmas lights into a hologram of a snowflake, and gave their parents information about Sunday school and other activities for youth. This area also featured a photo opportunities with lights and a Nativity backdrop, a train for children to climb through, and a movie area that shared the Christmas story.

The Fellowship Lodge was constantly busy as visitors lined up for donuts and hot cocoa before gathering around tables near beautifully decorated Christmas trees. Musicians performed throughout both evenings, providing both vocal renditions and a variety of Christmas numbers by violins, a saxophone, brass, percussion, and piano.

Each evening featured two Nativity pageants, presenting the entire Christmas story through narration and a platform filled with Sunday school students and staff. The narrator shared the account from Luke chapter 2, beginning in Nazareth with the angel Gabriel speaking to Mary and then to Joseph, announcing that she would have a child who would be the Son of God. The play also portrayed different perspectives in Judea at the time: Jewish people longing for freedom from Roman rule, scribes and priests awaiting the promised Messiah, King Herod fearing a threat to his power, the Wise Men following the signs of the Messiah’s birth, and the shepherds who were the first to hear the Good News. At the conclusion, the narrator explained that Jesus did not come to be a political ruler, but to reign in the hearts of His people. Before the final song, the narrator led a prayer encouraging all to invite Jesus into their own hearts.

Christmas on the Campground was well attended, with 5,066 entering through the main gate on Saturday and 4,470 on Sunday. As they left, many of the visitors thanked the staff for putting on such a beautiful event for the community, and one that shares the true meaning of Christmas.