As the lights go up around campus, it’s beginning to look–and feel–a lot like Christmas. Christmas can be felt everywhere at St. Michael’s, making these shorter and colder days seem a little bit more festive, and the Christmas spirit is most easily felt when our community comes together in anticipation of the season filled with hope, peace, joy and love.
St. Mike’s Christmas traditions kick off with the Santa Claus Parade celebration. St. Mike’s invites alumni and their families to get ready for Santa coming to town. On November 24, stay warm at St. Mike’s winter wonderland in Father Madden Hall while the little ones are entertained at the arts and crafts table and, at noon, Santa Claus himself will stop by. If interested in joining, please RSVP and consider bringing a grocery gift card and winter accessories such as toques, gloves, or socks to donate to the Out of the Cold program, which St. Michael’s students participate in throughout the year by providing meals, gathering items for Christmas packages and supporting the less fortunate.
As a thank-you to our donors for their generous support, St. Mike’s Office of Advancement is hosting a Christmas Tea for invited guests on December 3. The afternoon will include celebrating the season with a cozy cup of tea, delicious treats, caroling with the Gaudete Singers and the company of friends, old and new.
Also on December 3, Elmsley Place will transform into a festive outdoor market with student and alumni vendors offering baked goods, jewelry and homemade gifts. Partial proceeds from the event will support Romero House and St. Basil’s Out of the Cold Program.
To mark the season, a group of student volunteers will travel by transit to Cardinal Ambrozic Houses of Providence, a long-term care home in Scarborough on December 4. There they will sing carols and spread Christmas cheer among the residents.
The St. Michael’s Schola Cantorum will present their Advent concert on Monday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Basil’s Church. The concert will feature the Oratorio de Noël (Christmas Oratorio) by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), a lush and lyrical meditation on Christ’s birth through musical settings of biblical passages for soloists and chorus. The Schola, directed by Dr. Christina Labriola, will be joined by singers from Professor Mia Bach’s third year Oratorio Class from the Faculty of Music, and St. Basil’s music director, Dr. John Paul Farahat, on organ. The program will be rounded out by a romantic choral anthem, Peace on Earth, by American composer Amy Beach (1867-1944). Admission is free, with donations towards St. Mike’s Campus Ministry outreach gratefully accepted.
Once again, the Kelly Library will be open 24 hours a day during exam period for those who need to study before their holiday break can begin. While you’re there, be sure to check out the Kelly Library’s Christmas book display, set to go up on December 1.
Starting December 2, Kelly Café will add two seasonal drinks to its menu. Peppermint Mocha and Peppermint Hot Chocolate will be available for a limited time–the perfect pick-me-up for the late-night study sessions.
When you need a study break, or an excuse to stretch your legs, take a stroll through campus to marvel at St. Mike’s Christmas decorations, including the oak trees along Elmsley Place decked out in lights, with plenty of St. Mike’s hallmark blue of course.