As usual, Catawba College’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony created an atmosphere of unity and cheer among students, faculty, and their families this year. On Monday, November 24 around 5:00 in the evening, the Student Center was filled with smiling faces as people gathered around the stage to enjoy the school’s special rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” led by sophomore student, Justin Burroughs.

In Catawba’s version of the song, students and professors donned the stage to represent the various gifts that the speaker’s “true love” gave to him or her. Reverend Dr. Kenneth Clapp was our “parson in a pear tree,” and Mr. Catawba Greg Alexander along with his fiancée, Sydney Hyder, were the “two turtle doves.” Many teams and organizations on campus got in on the fun, as well; members of the cheerleading squad were our “five golden rings,” members of the swim team were our “seven swans a swimming,” and some of the Delphi women on campus square danced on stage in order to be our “eight maids a milking.” The crowd went wild when our “nine ladies dancing” appeared on stage in the form of nine male students decked out in dresses (fake breasts included with some) and makeup. It was refreshing for many to see Catawba College professors outside of class as they hopped on stage playing kazoos as our “eleven pipers piping.”

Before the actual lighting of the tree, Burroughs passed the mic to President Brien Lewis to read yet another Catawba College rendition of a Christmas tradition, the reading of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” In Lewis’ version, he sprinkled in some personal tidbits by relating the poem to the students and professors, and even including some specific events from the past semester. Lewis made jokes about finals and grading, renamed each reindeer after some of our favorite professors, and slipped in a reference to Uriah Futch’s very public proposal to Allison Andrews, which made the audience applaud energetically.

After the tree was lit, the crowd dispersed to enjoy more of what the event had to offer, including a hot dog dinner and some arts and crafts. There were homemade sugar cookies to be decorated and ornaments to be made, and some campus clubs participated in a gingerbread house decorating competition. Chris Money returned as this year’s Santa Claus, and students and children were able to take pictures with him. Overall, the event was a wonderful way to relax and have some fun before the last few busy weeks of the semester.