spreading holiday cheer the tcnj way

During the holiday season, consumerism can make it easy forget others who are less fortunate. But for the past 18 years at The College of New Jersey, student groups have come together in early December for an interfaith celebration that culminates in the creation of gifts for the area’s less fortunate.

This year’s TCNJ Holiday was no different. Sponsored by the Student Government Association (SGA), the event took place last Tuesday, December 4, in the Brower Student Center. More than 30 student organizations participated in the evening’s festivities.

The night began in the building’s atrium, with speeches about the different religious celebrations of the season: Pasko, Diwali, Christmas, Eid, Chanukah, Three Kings Day, Kwanza, and Simbang Gabi. In past years, these talks were given on the steps of Green Hall, but this year were relocated to the student center so students would not be discouraged to attend due to the weather.

After the speeches concluded, the students moved upstairs to room 202—which had been decorated for the affair—and set about making seasonal arts and crafts. Participants made creative and varied crafts, such as the ornaments made by TCNJ Crew and the decorated stick figures made by the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority. The crafts will be donated to St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, the Salvation Army, Angel's Wings, The Greenwood House, and the Ewing Senior Center.

To keep spirits high, The Trentones, TCNJ’s a-cappella group, sang an arrangement of Christmas songs and a modern pop hit. I-Tunes, TCNJ’s international infused a cappella group, followed the Trentones with more holiday-inspired songs. WTSR was also on hand to provide music throughout the night.

Brianne Stratton, vice president of community relations for SGA and coordinator of TCNJ Holiday, noted that this year’s event was a major success, and said that the close-knit, community feel of TCNJ played a big part in ensuring that success. 

“TCNJ is unlike many colleges in the fact that it is very personal, allowing for such strong relationships between its student and faculty,” Stratton said. “For so many different organizations to come together on one night to celebrate different faiths, traditions, and beliefs is an amazing feat for a college campus. So I would have to say on a personal and community-wide level that TCNJ Holiday truly represents the unity of this campus and the overall thirst to not only learn about others but to help those who are not as fortunate as us during the holiday season.”