By Avery Walker, Copy Editor
In the midst of finals preparations and studying, students were invited to take a break and focus on the Christmas season at Ouachita’s beloved event, Christmas on Ouachita Street. Put on by Student Life on Dec. 1, Christmas on Ouachita Street was a time for reflection and celebration as a campus before students head home for break.
Christmas on Ouachita Street is a newer tradition on campus, beginning in 2022. However, it has quickly become one of Ouachita’s most beloved holiday celebrations. To celebrate the season, students listened to a reading of the Christmas story, drank hot chocolate and participated in a tree-lighting ceremony. This event was a culmination of the hard work of Student Life, the Communications and Marketing Office, Campus Ministries, the President’s Office and Sodexo Catering.
Brook Hanna, the director of Student Life, described the reason behind this fun, seasonal celebration: “The goal is to build community and welcome the Christmas season. It’s a sweet time to share in the anticipation and wonder of the season together!”
Throughout the years, Student Life has expanded Christmas on Ouachita Street to include several different events. “This year we added story readings and a tree lighting portion to the typical Christmas party set up,” Hanna explained. “We had to adjust due to the weather, but it was a great time!” The Christmas tree lighting was an especially memorable part of the event as scripture was read and students were encouraged to focus on what truly makes Christmas worth celebrating.
Because of students’ busy schedules, Christmas on Ouachita Street was set up as a come-and-go event. Daniel Griffin, a junior mathematics and computer science double major, was able to stop in and greatly enjoyed the time: “Christmas on Ouachita Street was really cool. Different people got up on stage and read children’s books to the audience. I really enjoyed it; I sat down for a little bit at that. All of it was pretty fun. It was a good study break.” Overall, Christmas on Ouachita Street served as a fun and festive study break for students where they could fellowship and focus on what truly matters: Christ’s birth at the first Christmas.
