Seton Hall is set to welcome its return to an in-person celebration of “Christmas at the Hall” next month for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The return comes after Best College Reviews ranked Seton Hall the best college in the nation for holiday events yet again.
Though the lights have never gone out on Seton Hall’s acclaimed Christmas Tree, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a virtual tree lighting ceremony in December of 2020.
This year, the 60-foot Norway Spruce will be proudly lit before the campus community on Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. on the University Green.
Pioneering the return to an in-person Christmas at the Hall are the members of Seton Hall’s Student Activities Board (SAB), particularly its Traditions Committee.
Jolie Candelore, current SAB Communications Director, is happy to share the return of the blue Santa hats that traditionally adorn the heads of all attendees. Blue Santa hats will be given out on the Green an hour before the tree ceremony starts on a first-come, first-served basis.
When the tree lighting ceremony begins, Setonians can celebrate from near and far, as a live stream link will be provided.
Attendees, both virtual and in-person, can look forward to presentations by campus speakers and live performances from campus groups. They also should anticipate the tree lighting, where tens of thousands of bulbs will glisten and continue to shine through the holiday season.
The evening will conclude with an extended celebration at the SAB Christmas party, open to all members of the Seton Hall Community.
SAB Director Madison Mindham invites all to attend, requiring members to wear their best holiday clothing to partake. The location is yet to be determined, but updates on the event can be found on SAB’s Instagram page @shu_sab.
In addition to preparing the night’s entertainment, SAB has worked to ensure all necessary safety precautions are in place for the in-person return of Christmas at the Hall. Masks are required for all indoor activities, per the University’s Health and Safety Guidelines, but the University does not require masks outdoors. Students are therefore not required to wear masks at the outdoor Christmas at the Hall ceremony but should be prepared to mask up for any indoor events, like the SAB Christmas Party.
Candelore instructed students to download the Corq app which will be utilized to monitor attendance. Hand sanitizer and masks will be available to attendees at each tent on the Campus Green during the event.
Jolie also expressed her joy in assisting the planning process of Christmas at the Hall, remarking how much she missed the Tree Lighting when she was a remote student last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially since the event is her favorite part of the holiday season.
“I am excited to see all the life on campus again at the tree lighting, and we’re confident we will make this year better than ever since it was remote last year,” she said.
Alyssa Ventura, a sophomore and Marketing Coordinator for SAB, will witness her first in-person Christmas at the Hall and is enthused to be part of the planning process as well. She remarked that she was “beyond excited to be in the process of planning Christmas at the Hall alongside fellow committee members!”
Madison Mindham, the SAB Director, has worked to make the Christmas magic happen for the Seton Hall Community. Her message is that “it feels really exciting to be able to have Christmas at the Hall again after not having the usual festivities last year.”
“This year,” Mindham affirms, “will definitely feel more of a celebration because we can all be there to enjoy it and celebrate it together.”
Blake Harrsch can be reached at blake.harrsch@student.shu.edu.
