California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

    Students say winter festivities lack publicity

    Hanukkah celebrations: Senior Allison Himber lights the menorah at one of the holiday celebrations happening on campus.  Photo by Arianna Cook-  Staff Photographer
    Hanukkah celebrations: Senior Allison Himber lights the menorah at one of the holiday celebrations happening on campus.
    Photo by Arianna Cook- Staff Photographer

    โ€˜Tis the season for joy and holiday activities. Even though California will not be getting a whole lot of winter weather this year, there are many activities put on by California Lutheran University to get you in the holiday spirit. With celebrations of all faiths and events ranging from ice skating to an alternative gift market, hereโ€™s your guide to what is going on this December.

    Club Lu is sponsoring two events before Christmas break, according to The Hub. On Dec. 5, there was โ€œIce Skating Under the Starsโ€ at the Thousand Oaks Lakes.

    There was free ice skating sessions from 7- 9:30 p.m., with two sessions for students to enjoy the ice rink.

    Club Lu also will sponsor their annual โ€œLet it Snowโ€ event, Dec. 13, in which snow is brought to campus for students to play in from 7-10 p.m.

    For those of you who get into the Christmas spirit with a little music, there were plenty of events this past weekend.

    The CLU Choral Ensembles and University Symphony performed their annual Christmas concert โ€œGift of Winter,โ€ to an audience of community members, family, friends, faculty and students.

    On Dec. 8, the theatre arts department also put on its first musical theater cabaret, โ€œSongs for the Holidays,โ€ featuring student performers from different departments on campus.

    Instead of going to the mall this holiday and buying family gifts from big corporations, why not make a donation in someoneโ€™s name to his or her favorite charity? Campus Ministry held its โ€œAlternative Gift Marketโ€ on Dec. 9.

    Organizations, such as Pura Vida, ELCA Malaria Campaign, Beads for Life, Heifer International, and Free the Girls were available to students to purchase alternative merchandise and make donations in the spirit of giving back this season.

    The Festival of Sankta Lucia is on Dec. 12 from 11:25-11:55 a.m. in the Samuelson Chapel.

    Held by Campus Ministry and the CLU Scandinavian Club, this ceremony honors Lucia, the Christian martyr who died in 304 A.D., according to The Hub. Lucia, her attendants and their escorts are chosen by the undergraduate students.

    Campus Pastor Scott Maxwell-Doherty, one of the facilitators of Sankta Lucia, said that there are many reasons why he likes this time of year.

    โ€œThere are too many reasons to name all of them,โ€ Maxwell-Doherty said. โ€œBut, I love it when it gets colder and people seem to get closer and friendlier.โ€

    While these activities are happening on campus, students seem to be out of the loop. Many would like to participate in these activities, but are unaware that they are happening.

    โ€œI knew about the choir concerts, but thatโ€™s because Iโ€™m in choir. I would like to have known that there was ice skating at The Lakes, but I found out about it too late,โ€ sophomore Philip Anderson said.

    Similarly, junior Myles Moore was disappointed to know that an event, such as the Alternative Gift Market, was happening, but that he did not know about it.

    โ€œItโ€™s upsetting, you find out later about these great activities that you think, โ€˜Man I wouldโ€™ve liked to go to thatโ€™,โ€ Moore said. โ€œBut there was no advertising of these events, so nobody knew about them. You basically know that events are going on if you happen to walk by them.โ€

     

    Sarah de la Garrigue
    Staff Writer
    Published December 11, 2013