SMU Student Foundation hosted the 42nd annual Celebration of Lights on the Dallas Hall Lawn Monday night.
The Student Foundation partnered with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and helped to make 90 children’s holiday one to remember.
The event drew students, faculty and surrounding community of SMU. Although it was a cold evening, there was hot coco, apple cider and cookies to help warm everyone up.
The SMU tradition certainly did not disappoint. This year SMU purchased 5,000 lights to light up Dallas Hall, along with the lights on the Christmas tree and trees all down the boulevard.
The ceremony started with Christmas carols as everyone in the crowd lit their candles. There were several different SMU student musical performances from the Belle tones and Brazen Brass 5 to the Voices of Inspiration Gospel Choir.
Freshman Molley Agapiou enjoyed the night with her friends. Her favorite part about the celebration was the hot chocolate.
“We came to get into the Christmas spirit,” said Kelly Mark, freshman business major.
The crowd of people started at the steps of Dallas Hall and ended at the fountain on the lawn.
“There are a lot of people here. This is the first time I feel the community at SMU,” said freshman computer science major Austin Chen.
Among the light show, the most exciting new features of the Celebration of lights were the carriage rides that took place around the Boulevard and the ice skating rink in front of the flag pole. The long lines for both made it clear that they were crowd favorites.
Following SMU tradition, students sang Christmas carols and President Gerald Turner led in prayer before reading the Christmas Story.
“This is my third year I’ve been coming,” said senior civil engineering major Bernardo Almeida.
Freshman applied physiology major Sydney Lyng said she will definitely come back next year, and found her first time enjoying the Celebration of Lights to be a great one.
“It’s one of the biggest traditions at SMU, it feels festive,” said freshman accounting major Eli Quezada.
