St. Ben’s Spruce Lit For Christmas Season

(KNSI) – As the sun set in the background, a 47-foot spruce at the heart of the College of St. Benedict campus came to life.

The tree-lighting ceremony featured a choir performing staples like ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’ and speeches from officials like university president Brian Bruess and CSB Senate President Celine Ferguson. Even with temperatures in the 20s, the Nassau, Bahamas, native says it was a heartwarming scene.

“We’re very community-focused here at St Ben’s and St John’s. So, we love to invoke smiles, invoke warmth, and just foster that sense of community in every event that we do here at CSB/SJU.”

She says the annual ceremony is one of her favorites because it highlights the strong sense of community at the school. She thinks strengthening bonds with those closest to you is the true meaning of Christmas.

“I just hope that everyone has a great holiday season this year and continues to be blessed and stay uplifted, and just take some time to spend time with family. I think that’s what the holidays are all about, just getting some time out there and being with family.”

The ceremony is a perfect fit on a campus whose motto is ‘So Let Your Light Shine.’ As the giant switch was flipped by Bruess and Ferguson, the choir serenaded the hundreds in attendance with ‘This Little Light of Mine.’

In addition to the spruce decked out in white, there are several smaller trees adorned in red. Not only is that seasonally appropriate, it also happens to be the school colors. The display will greet students for the final week of their semester.

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