Light the World is the Christmas campaign of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, begun in 2016 as an invitation to spend December serving other people the way Jesus did. Its best-known feature is the Giving Machines, the red kiosks that sell food, clothing and farm animals for people in need instead of snacks, and Utah Valley has had its own for years. This guide covers where the machines have stood here, how the money works, how to find service locally, and how Light the World fits the rest of a Utah Valley December.
The Giving Machines in Utah Valley
In 2025 the Giving Machines came to Utah Valley in two places:
- University Place, Orem. The mall on University Parkway is the machines' usual Utah Valley location; they ran there from late November into early January. Orem was also where the Church tested its newer digital machines in 2024.
- BYU, Provo, for the first time. Six digital kiosks split time between the Wilkinson Student Center and the Marriott Center from December 1 to 23, launched during BYU's 150th-anniversary Night of Light.
Elsewhere in Utah the 2025 machines were at City Creek Center and the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City, at Ogden's Christmas Village, and in Logan and St. George.
The Church announces each year's locations in mid-November; the 2025 season was launched on November 12. Check the Church's Giving Machines site then for the 2026 locations and dates.
How the donations work
At the machine you choose an item, from a meal or a coat to chickens for a family, and pay for it; the item is delivered to people in need through one of the participating nonprofits, which numbered more than 500 in 2025. The Church covers all of the machines' operating costs, so every dollar of each donation goes to the nonprofits. By the Church's figures, the machines raised more than $16 million in 2024 and nearly $50 million over their first eight years.
The machines have spread well beyond Utah: in 2025 they stood in 126 cities in 21 countries.
The service map
Light the World is meant to be more than a donation. The campaign has pointed people to JustServe.org, which lists volunteer opportunities in the community where they are available, and in past years it has offered a daily service calendar for December, with 25 small ways to serve and optional daily text or email reminders. For giving locally, including Sub for Santa and the drives that actually help, see Holiday Giving in Utah Valley.
The December calendar
Around Light the World, a Utah Valley December usually includes:
- Late November: the Giving Machines open at University Place, and the Temple Square lights come on in Salt Lake City.
- Early December, a Sunday evening: the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional; see the Christmas Devotional and Conference Center.
- Through December: the Tabernacle Choir's Christmas concerts, nativity displays and the season's light walks; see Nativity and Crèche Events in Utah Valley and Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point.
- All month: a small act of service each day, if you follow the calendar.
Practical notes
- Check mid-November. That is when the year's Giving Machine locations are announced.
- Go to University Place. It has been the machines' Utah Valley home.
- Look on JustServe. It lists local volunteer needs.
- Give locally too. The holiday giving guide covers the drives that help most.
Related Guides
- The Christmas Devotional and Conference Center
- Holiday Giving in Utah Valley
- Nativity and Crèche Events in Utah Valley
- Christmas in Salt Lake From Utah Valley
- Christmas Village in Ogden and the Midway Ice Castles
- Every Nutcracker on the Wasatch Front
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the Giving Machines in Utah Valley?
How do the Giving Machines work?
How much have the Giving Machines raised?
Where can I find local service opportunities for Light the World?
When does Light the World start?
Who pays to run the Giving Machines?
Were there Giving Machines at BYU?
When did Light the World begin?
