Chocolate factory lights up the cacti for Christmas

Nicky Fuchs / Special to the Home News

A cactus is decorated with lights for the holiday season at the cactus garden at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory.

By Diana Cox

Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008 | midnight

Nicky Fuchs / Special to the Home News

The crowd cheers during the annual lighting of the cactus garden at Ethel M Chocolate Factory.

Nicky Fuchs / Special to the Home News

A cactus is decorated with lights for the holiday season at the cactus garden at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory.

A Southern Nevada tradition lit up the desert sky Nov. 18: the lighting of more than half a million holiday lights at Ethel M's Cactus Garden.

"This is one of the coolest holiday things you can do in Las Vegas," Chris Phillips of music duo Zowie Bowie said. Zowie Bowie and Clint Holmes treated guests to holiday classics during the event, the 15th annual at the chocolate factory in Green Valley.

Comedian George Wallace served as emcee for the second year in a row, and Santa Claus made an appearance. Choirs from Thurman White and Jack Schofield middle schools sang as well.

The display will remain open daily 5-10 p.m. except Christmas through Jan. 1. Admission is free.

Bob and Karen Forsyth have come to the lighting every year since moving to Las Vegas eight years ago.

"The chocolates are really good this year," Karen Forsyth said of the free samples that were offered to guests.

"Whenever we have relatives in town for the holidays we always bring them here," Bob Forsyth said. "People can't believe it when they see it."

It was Wanda Pettyjohn and Alice Monson's first time at the lighting. Both women agreed it was beautiful.

"We loved it. We might get sick from so much chocolate," Pettyjohn said.

The night was topped off by the presentation of Create Chocolate Create Hope, a chocolate collection whose partial proceeds will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Susan Saidemen, president of Mars Retail Group presented representatives of Komen with a check for $10,000 for breast cancer research.

The crowd was all smiles as families strolled through the garden and snapped photos together in front of the lights.

"Each year it gets better and better," Karen Forsyth said.

Diana Cox can be reached at (702) 990-8183 or diana.cox@hbcpub.com.