Caroline Muniz ‘23 
Features Editor 

On December 1st, Holy Cross had their annual Christmas tree lighting sponsored by the Purple Key Society.  

After two years, Crusaders were able to fully experience the tradition that is the lighting of the Christmas trees and manger in front of O’Kane. The last tree lighting before the pandemic was taken inside due to rain in 2019. Therefore, this was the first normal tree lighting for all students, except for the seniors who got to watch it their freshman year.  

Co-Chairs Matthew Sexton ’22 (Santa) and Amanda Wilderman ‘22 opened the night with a warm introduction. They really wanted students to relax and have something fun before finals. Students were able to enjoy Insomnia Cookies and hot chocolate as they waited for the festivities to begin. Secretary Charlie Doern ‘23 said that “this is one of the largest organized events for the whole school since the pandemic began and it was really nice to see how many people turned out for the entire time.”  

There were many musical performances that filled Linden Lane with the Christmas spirit. The Chamber Singers kicked off the night with their opening performance. The choir created the perfect ambiance for a great night.  

The acapella groups followed with their own versions of Christmas classics. The Delilah’s set the tone for a great night of acapella with their renditions of Christmas songs such as “Oh Holy Night.”  The next group that performed was Off the Record and they continued the joy through songs such as “White Christmas” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”  The acapella performances concluded with Fools on the Hill. They got the crowd excited with their version of “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.”  Everyone clapped along as they sang their songs.  

The musical performances continued with a performance by the X-RA’s. Their musical style  was perfect for the jazz that comes with Christmas songs such as “Run, Run, Rudolph” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” 

After the performances, the Purple Key Society gave their thanks to everyone who helped to make the event possible. Sexton and Wilderman thanked all the performers and musicians as well as their advisor, Patrick Rogers. They also thank the students for their engagement and school spirit. Lastly, they wished the football team the best of luck as they are about to head to the second round of the playoffs.  

There was a brief intermission before Fr. Jim Hayes, S.J gave the blessing of the tree lighting. As he said during his blessing, “we praise you, Jesus Christ, for our son. We ask for your blessing as we light this tree.” Shortly after, the trees and the manger were lit with beautiful white lights and the crowd applauded with excitement. Crusaders left the event feeling a little more relaxed and a lot more jolly.