By Alexis Garcia
Trevecca students can kick off the Christmas season today at the annual tree lighting outside Waggoner.
With Christmas coming, but finals and papers and projects still looming, the annual event provides a chance for students to celebrate the season together, said Matt Spraker, associate dean of students for community life
“College is very difficult, especially this time of year where we get consumed with classes and papers,” said Spraker. “So it is a good time to stop and celebrate together and remember the Advent Christmas season we are entering. It’s one of the ways we mark our time as a Christian university.
Students can take pictures with Santa, eat Christmas cookies and drink hot chocolate, listen to the Salvation Army brass band, and much more. There will also be a surprise this year, but Spraker said students would have to wait until the event.
To give back to the community, students can pick angles from the angel tree to help the Salvation Army with donations to give children clothes and gifts this holiday season.
This year Kelsey Fenix, women’s soccer coach, will do the honors of lighting the tree.
“I was really honored that (Spraker) asked me to do it, and I know a lot of the Trevecca community will be there,” said Fenix. “I think this is another really neat opportunity for our team to be connected to the community, and I am hoping my team will be there.”
The lighting event is not merely an event. It has meaning to it. According to Spraker, what makes Trevecca’s tree lighting event meaningful is the warmth, and the family feels to it.
“We try to keep our event that way because we want students to get the feeling when they are lighting up the tree with their family,” said Spraker.
Jacinda Johnson, sophomore interpersonal communication major, said she loves the event because it is time to welcome the holiday with the people she loves.
“What I like about this event is how simple yet so fun it is,” said Johnson. “This event, in my opinion, helps create community and conversation among staff and students. Plus, you get to spend the holiday season with people you love.”
The event starts at 4:45 p.m. today.
