The Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, S.J., speaks to students before beginning the countdown to light campus up with blue and white lights.

Every year, Creighton University’s Omaha campus lights up and embraces the holiday spirit with Christmas lights up and down the California Street Pedestrian Mall — and it all starts during the lighting ceremony at Christmas at Creighton, an annual event where the lights are turned on and students celebrate with a meal in the Skutt Student Center. 

Students and staff, joined by Santa Claus, crowded together in front of St. John’s for the lighting ceremony on Tuesday, hosted by the inter-residence hall government (IRHG). Before the lights were turned on, students heard from IRHG’s director of traditional programming, Judith Owusu Sekyere, and IRHG’s president, Enzo Cavaleri. This year’s theme for the event was “Christmas in the Cinema,” which Cavaleri emphasized in his speech when he said that he hopes everyone has a chance to enjoy Christmas movies during the upcoming winter break. 

Following the talks from IRHG officers, the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, S.J., the president of the university, gave a speech. He thanked all of the workers who helped set up the lights and decorate campus. He also said that each of the lights reminds him of Creighton students, because he thinks they all have a light inside of them and will make the world a brighter place. He concluded his speech by highlighting the importance of the Jesuit value “men and women for and with others,” and then he said a prayer and offered a blessing over those in attendance.  

Then, with a pull of a blue and white candy cane lever, Hendrickson turned on the lights.  

The crowd appreciated the beauty, and students said they could feel the holiday spirit. 

JONAH LAGRANGE/THE CREIGHTONIAN

“It’s cool to have the holiday spirit unite everyone together,” Charlotte Crawford, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said. “And it’s just fun that everyone can eat together and celebrate, you know, the wonderful times despite finals coming up.” 

With the Mall and St. John’s now lit up, the crowd got to go inside Skutt for a festive meal free to students. The main line included halal chicken skewers, Christmas enchiladas, ratatouille, vegetables, potatoes, smoked cheddar mac and cheese, a Christmas salad and dinner rolls. They also had starters, two action stations and a dessert bar that included cookies, cakes and chocolates.  

“The food was really good, like better than normal dining hall food, not to hate on them [Creighton Dining], but it was really good,” Marissa Williams, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said. “[I like] the whole aspect of it [Christmas at Creighton] being a buffet [with] Thanksgiving-style food. It was really nice to get everyone together and have good food at a night like this.” 

JONAH LAGRANGE/THE CREIGHTONIAN

Now that the lighting ceremony has taken place, it’s officially Christmastime at Creighton. The ongoing tradition to light up campus is one students appreciate year after year.  

“I honestly really like this event,” Norah Wagoner, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said. “I think it’s a way to bring community to Creighton. … And I think that it’s really unique and something most universities don’t do.” 

The holiday lights will be on every night, continuing into next semester.