Mercer’s campus lit up on Thursday evening as hundreds of students attended the annual Christmas tree lighting and Winter Wonderland celebrations.
The Christmas tree lighting, which was arranged by the Student Government Association, took place in Willingham Hall’s Toney Auditorium and attracted about 400 students, university faculty and staff, and community members. Among those present were children from Roberts Academy, a school affiliated with Mercer for students with dyslexia, who sang the first carol of the night, “Deck the Halls.”
Following two carols led by Mercer Singers, Ashley Stephens ‘22 read a Mercer-specific version of “The Night Before Christmas.” Stephens, an admissions counselor for Mercer, wrote the Mercer rendition of the play herself.
"This is a age-old Mercer tradition, a revered Mercer tradition, the Christmas tree lighting, and being able to have a role in it was super exciting to me," Stephens said.
The school-spirited play included references to the Historic Quad, Legacy Hall and, of course, Cricket, President Bill Underwood’s black labrador.
"Down the tower Saint Nicholas came with a bound. / He was dressed head to toe in orange Mercer gear / With a T-shirt that read 'We beat Duke, didn't ya hear," she read, eliciting laughter from audience.
University Minister Craig McMahan gave remarks to the crowd, opening with his love for Christmas trees. What made them so special, he told the auditorium, was that they started not as towering firs, but as small, nutrient-packed seeds.
McMahan's speech encouraged students to learn and grow in their own time. "Don't be secondhand versions of another person. Be a firsthand version of yourself."
As candle wicks were lit, Mercer Singers and those gathered sang “Silent Night” together while the lights of the auditorium were dimmed. As the final stanza came to an end, Stanley Roberts, a professor of music and conductor for Mercer Singers, led the crowd to lift their candles up, encompassing the auditorium with their soft, orange glow.
SGA President Dalton Loyd '25 said the candle lighting is his favorite part of the event because the lighting shows that "there's so much light in the world, and it's with our candles."
Led by freshman SGA Senator Jocelyn Ramirez ‘28, the congregation counted down the seconds before the Christmas tree was officially turned on.
Five, four, three, two, one. Applause.
The tree, lit up with hundreds of lights and laden with ornaments, was flanked by a few smaller trees, each of which were decorated by a different club on campus. Those who attended the event were encouraged to vote for their favorite tree. According to Alisha Mitchell '26, the head of SGA’s Heritage Life Committee and staff writer for The Mercer Cluster, Mercer Players won the contest among a collection of trees decorated by Mercer Mock Trial and sorority Chi Omega, among others.
As the lighting came to a close, Mitchell encouraged the crowd of students, faculty, and community members to celebrate Mercer's Winter Wonderland tradition.
Winter Wonderland
As a rush of students exited Willingham Hall, members of SGA prepared to hand out commemorative coffee mugs to those who had a program from the Christmas tree lighting in Mercer Village.
Christmas lights flashed and sparkled as holiday music floated through Mercer Village, alongside the scene-setting foamy fake snow falling over the crowd.
The lights, put on by the Macon Area Habitat for Humanity, inundate the village throughout the holiday season and include the festive "Candy Cane Lane" found along Stadium Drive and Winship Street. The lane, surrounded by light-covered trees alongside the road, flash to the beat of the music when listeners turn their radios to 107.3FM.
Elsewhere along the section of Montpelier Avenue that was cut off for the evening, there were tables set up by various student organizations for students and community members alike.
QuadWorks was responsible for the event in Mercer Village. Khushi Kathiria ‘25, vice president of programming for QuadWorks, said that the event was catered towards a younger crowd and that she hoped to see 200-300 people to come out.
“We kind of cater this event to kids, so hopefully they can have fun,” Kathiria said. “Also this is just a de-stressing event right before finals.
Winter Wonderland goodies included snacks, arts and crafts sponsored by on-campus organizations, football game tickets for current Mercer students, a hot cocoa station and an opportunity to take photos with Santa under the light of a giant glowing gingerbread house.
Adam Penland ‘20, assistant director of Campus Life, said that he was looking forward to seeing people gather in Mercer Village. “Everyone coming together, having fun, not worrying about finals. It gives students a chance to get their mind off of academics and have fun while they’re at college,” Penland said.
Among those enjoying the lights and community was Rayhan Stapleton ‘27, who dressed up as the Grinch for the event. Stapleton said that he wanted to create a “warm environment full of love and care for everyone” and was able to snag a few pictures with kids who liked his costume.
Gabriel Kopp '26 is majoring in Journalism and Law and Public Policy at Mercer University. He has written for The Cluster since he started at Mercer, and currently works as co-Editor-in-Chief. When he isn't studying, he enjoys going for runs and reading The New York Times or the AJC while sipping coffee.
Megan Jackson ‘25 is a Journalism student with a goal of working in multimedia journalism. Megan currently acts as The Cluster's co-Editor-in-Chief. In her free time, she enjoys reading a good book or spending time with her sorority sisters.
