By Ashley Fountain, Staff Writer
Hofstra officially kicked off this holiday season on Dec. 7 by inviting everyone to the Holiday Lighting Ceremony where Hofstra Hall became the highlight. Everyone gathered to enjoy its radiance cutting through the night sky. Hofstra University students and faculty were all encouraged to come out to the event.
Hofstra University students Belinda Darote and Kanisha Kennedy feel the campus Christmas lights give the cold nights a warmer feeling, a feeling of home. "I think that the lights add to our campus a lot. They add a Christmas feel that tells us the holidays and break are right around the corner which I know all students are anxiously waiting for," said Darote.
"Christmas is my favorite holiday to celebrate. I think that the lights are a great idea and a great way to kick off this holiday season," said Kennedy."
Hofstra made this year's theme: Sharing Children's Stories. The over two dozen clubs and organizations wanted to put more of their funding towards purchasing a wider variety of crafts, to buy materials to paint murals and build 3D objects to create a Winter Wonderland display in the main dining room.
This year, Student Leadership and Activities Graduate Assistant Ashley Gray had a great deal of involvement in making this holiday season an eventful one. "‘Hofstra Celebrates the Holidays' is different this year," said Gray. "Last year student clubs and Greek organizations came together to build a big holiday village for local children to come and play in. This year things have been altered differently and more money has been spent on gifts and better crafts for our visiting children."
‘Hofstra for the Homeless,' a new club on campus goes to the Saratoga Inn, a homeless shelter located in Jamaica, Queens every Friday to help the kids with their homework. This Wednesday, students brought the children to Hofstra to do crafts with them.
The Kwanza Celebration took place Monday, Dec. 6 and was sponsored by the Black Student Union. The Chanukah Community Candle Lighting, sponsored by Hillel, will take place Sunday through Wednesday, Dec. 5-8, at 5 p.m., in front of the Student Center. A Christmas Mass sponsored by the Campus Catholic Parish will be celebrated on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m.
(Sean M. Gates/The Chronicle)