Christmas Time is Here: PC Rings in Holiday Season with Tree Lighting

by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019


Campus


Dean of Students Steven Sears flips the switch at the PC Christmas tree lighting. Lillie Hunter ’22/TheCowl

by Nicole Silverio ’22

News Staff

To kick off the Christmas season on campus, the Office of Student Activities & Cultural Programming hosted the Aannual tree lighting on Slavin Lawn on Tuesday evening. Originally scheduled for Monday, it was postponed one day due to weather conditions. This campus tradition is a magical way to start the Christmas season and get students into the Christmas spirit. 

While the large evergreen stood in front of Slavin Lawn awaiting its special moment, the event provided Insomnia Cookies, hot chocolate, activities, and live music. A crowd of students stood outside in the freezing, thirty-degree weather on Slavin Lawn with goodies waiting for the tree to be lit. 

The ceremony began in the late afternoon so the lighting would be visible. An estimated 50 people arrived to watch this wonderful tradition. Luckily, the snowy weather from Monday night continuing into Tuesday morning had ended, clearing up the sky to allow the event to take place. 

The Providence College A capella group,  Strictly Speaking, performed to further spread the Christmas spirit. Mike DeMaris, a guest singer at the event, sang “Silent Night” to the crowd. After the musical performances, Father Peter Martyr Yungwirth, O.P., gave a short welcoming speech and told the nativity story, the story of the very first Christmas, the story that began it all. He then wished everyone on campus a wonderful Christmas. 

When the time came to light the tree, the crowd counted down, and the College’s Christmas tree was officially lit for the Christmas season. As a Catholic campus, PC has a special opportunity to have Christmas traditions and decorate the campus  with evergreens and shining lights to put all of the students in the Christmas spirit. For the remainder of the season, the tree will sit on Slavin Lawn beautifully lit. Although it happens every year, this yearly event was equally as special, bringing students together for Christmas festivities as well as having a light-hearted event to get their minds off of the stress of finals.