If you heard joy and jingle bells on campus, you weren’t imagining it. Concordia Christmas came to town on Thurs, Dec. 4, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Student Union patio and common lawns.

This event is backed by months of planning. Amanda Norris, Supervisor of Student Activities and Associate Dean of Student Life, helps oversee the process while students lead the way. “I supervise ASCUI. I make sure they stay on budget, approve the vendors, and approve the theme.”

“Staying within the budget gets harder each year,” Norris said. “I keep the budget the same every year, but inflation makes everything more expensive. Finding activities that interest everyone while still keeping things fun and affordable is definitely the most difficult part of Concordia Christmas.”

Norris gave the student team a lot of freedom. “I let the team plan the whole thing. They’re all trained, so I trust them to run with it while keeping them to the budget. We also meet weekly.”

Safety and logistics are a huge part of the event. She explained that past years have included “a sled, ice skating, a wipeout machine,” all of which require “insurance and waivers.” Weather also plays a significant role in planning, especially for an event that brings together “staff, students, families and the community.”

Planning begins early. “[We] start in April with brainstorming, we first come up with the theme, then go from there with the vendors, decorations and marketing plan.”

For Norris, the best part is watching the excitement grow. “I love seeing the attendance, and I especially enjoy that faculty and staff bring their families. And all the students get to become kids again.”

“Some students aren’t able to go home, so we bring Christmas to them on campus.” She also looks forward to expanding in the future. “A Christmas show performance, food trucks, and more vendors, and my goal before I leave is to have a Ferris wheel on campus.”

A huge portion of the event is driven by student leadership, especially through Tessa Ermeling, a senior majoring in Liberal Studies and the Director of Student Activities. She leads the team that turns the theme into a full campus experience.

Ermeling said the biggest job was spreading the word so the event could grow its usual crowd. “The aspect of Concordia Christmas that took the most time and effort to plan was the advertising,” stated Ermeling. “We started planning in August to ensure we created anticipation.” Her team put together posters, teasers and social media updates to build excitement throughout the semester.

The theme, chosen long before the school year began, helped every creative decision the team made. “We chose the theme ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ before the school year even started, and one tradition we knew we wanted to keep was the Presidential Bake-Off.” They created other activities based on the movie, “making it as on-brand as possible.” For her team, matching the activities to the movie helped keep the event fun, recognizable and cohesive.

One of her hopes is that the night brings comfort to students during finals season. “We hope students feel a sense of nostalgia and that we are able to bring them back to childhood Christmas memories that they hold special… We are excited to see the attendance at Concordia Christmas.”

According to Ermeling, what makes Concordia Christmas stand out is its wide community welcome. “Concordia Christmas is unique because it is an event for everyone, full of new surprises every year.” Unlike other events that target students or families specifically, this tradition includes everyone –  students, faculty, alumni, children and community members.

For Ermeling, the event also plays a meaningful role in bringing the campus together. “This event definitely brings the student community closer together, even in such a busy time.” It becomes a shared break before finals, giving students a moment of joy.

And if she could keep planning it year after year, she would. “I wish I could help plan this event every year. I pray everyone who attends wants to be more involved in the Concordia Community.”

Tags: ASCUI, event

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About Kayla Cimarusti

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