A Christmas wish for the Mount
Kelly Pilger
Issue date: 11/30/05 Section: Forum
- Page 1 of 1
Forget CDs, books, or that nice digital camera . . . my one true Christmas wish this year is that whoever is in charge of Christmas decorations at the Mount gets a lesson in how to decorate for the holiday season.
When I returned from Thanksgiving break, I was truly pleased to see the holiday decorations in Patriot Hall. Between the classy Christmas tree and garland around the walls, the room looks festive and attractive.
I was also excited to see the fake snow lining the bookstore windows and the little tree and wreath at the Wellness Center. It really put me in the Christmas mood, and I thought how the Mount was doing a great job of holiday decorating this year.
And then as I was walking from Sheridan towards the AC on Monday afternoon, I saw something that changed my mind. Something that made me cringe.
I saw Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. The camels. The palm trees. The light-up nativity scene facing Route 15 that I had hoped all semester the Mount would not set up again this year.
The nativity was not yet lit up, but I only had to think back to one year ago to visualize how garish and tacky it would look with the lights turned on. And to imagine how sad it would be to think that all the people driving down Route 15 would associate our school with what might well be the kitschiest Christmas-related item since the infamous leg lamp in the movie "A Christmas Story."
Honestly, I don't know who likes that nativity scene. I'm sure somebody must. After all, someone decided to purchase it and put it up two years in row. But since it made its first appearance last Christmas season, I haven't heard any positive comments about it from students.
In a way I suppose it's good that the Mount has chosen to display this nativity scene once again. After all, rumor has it that it cost a couple thousand dollars, and at least this way we're getting our money's worth. But I really, really wish that the Mount could have used this money on attractive Christmas decorations, decorations that make the school look classy and festive and not like something from the circus.
I think it's great that the Mount decorates for the holidays. But I only wish that all of the decorations could be as nice as the ones in Patriot and some of the other buildings. It's unfortunate that the outdoor decorations - which visitors to the Mount are most likely to notice first - are the most unattractive ones.
Between the nativity scene and the light-up arches outside Patriot that look simply out of place during the daytime when they're not lit up, I'm starting to understand why it was that the Grinch wanted to steal Christmas.
When I returned from Thanksgiving break, I was truly pleased to see the holiday decorations in Patriot Hall. Between the classy Christmas tree and garland around the walls, the room looks festive and attractive.
I was also excited to see the fake snow lining the bookstore windows and the little tree and wreath at the Wellness Center. It really put me in the Christmas mood, and I thought how the Mount was doing a great job of holiday decorating this year.
And then as I was walking from Sheridan towards the AC on Monday afternoon, I saw something that changed my mind. Something that made me cringe.
I saw Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. The camels. The palm trees. The light-up nativity scene facing Route 15 that I had hoped all semester the Mount would not set up again this year.
The nativity was not yet lit up, but I only had to think back to one year ago to visualize how garish and tacky it would look with the lights turned on. And to imagine how sad it would be to think that all the people driving down Route 15 would associate our school with what might well be the kitschiest Christmas-related item since the infamous leg lamp in the movie "A Christmas Story."
Honestly, I don't know who likes that nativity scene. I'm sure somebody must. After all, someone decided to purchase it and put it up two years in row. But since it made its first appearance last Christmas season, I haven't heard any positive comments about it from students.
In a way I suppose it's good that the Mount has chosen to display this nativity scene once again. After all, rumor has it that it cost a couple thousand dollars, and at least this way we're getting our money's worth. But I really, really wish that the Mount could have used this money on attractive Christmas decorations, decorations that make the school look classy and festive and not like something from the circus.
I think it's great that the Mount decorates for the holidays. But I only wish that all of the decorations could be as nice as the ones in Patriot and some of the other buildings. It's unfortunate that the outdoor decorations - which visitors to the Mount are most likely to notice first - are the most unattractive ones.
Between the nativity scene and the light-up arches outside Patriot that look simply out of place during the daytime when they're not lit up, I'm starting to understand why it was that the Grinch wanted to steal Christmas.