STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Santa wasn’t in the mood to field requests for Christmas gifts Saturday night. Instead, he was asking for help.

“Shout with me, ‘Let it snow!’ ‘Let it Snow,’ ” he exhorted hundreds of people during Sun Valley Resort’s annual Tree Lighting Party.

The weather outside was delightful, instead of frightful, as adults and children helped themselves to complimentary cocoa and cookies before amassing outside the Sun Valley Inn.

The Faculty Lounge has been singing “Silent Night” and, of course, “It Happened in Sun Valley” in the minutes leading up to the Christmas tree lighting for eight years.

Earlier in the day those who wanted to were able to chalk up a quadfecta, getting in a day of downhill skiing, hiking, biking and even fly fishing as the mercury climbed to 54 degrees in Ketchum.

The balmy temperatures made for a most pleasant evening as people strolled through Sun Valley’s European-style Christmas Market, which had been expanded to encircle the Duck Pond, and watched an ice sculptor carve chairs and snowflakes out of ice.

But there definitely was a sense of urgency from those leading the ceremony, even though Sun Valley Resort has opened both Bald and Dollar Mountain for skiing.

“I don’t know about you, but it seems we’re missing that white fluffy stuff. If we sing real loud, maybe the snow will come,” Megan Mahoney told the crowd as the Faculty Lounge launched into singing “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.”

A child watches the caroling from inside the Inn Lounge.

Sun Valley Resort’s COO Pete Sonntag chimed in, as well.

“We’re missing one critical ingredient for Christmas and that’s snow, but snow is in the forecast this coming week,” he told the crowd. “But as I look across this crowd, I realize it’s not about the snow that brings you to Sun Valley. It’s the Sun Valley community you love, and it’s our pleasure to host you.”

Sun Valley Village was transformed into a wonderland of colored lights at the tree lighting.

Santa exhorted celebrants to yell, “Let It Snow!”