Discover the beginning of Holipalooza and follow its evolution from the years after. By Kailey Traylor
After a fast-paced college basketball game, an elderly couple in red footie pajamas sit next to an oversized Christmas tree. Children from 18 to 25 years old gather around their feet to hear them read Christmas stories. The children listen intently while chewing on their decorated sugar cookies. The children, in their pajamas of all sorts, scoot closer and closer. When Jay Kesler was president, before Silent Night earned its name, this was their Holipalooza. They called it Jay's Christmas Party. Taylor students and the campus kids came to the dining commons after the basketball game and listen to President and First Lady Janie Kesler read "Twas the Night before Christmas" and the Christmas story in Luke. The Kesler's would wear footie pajamas with matching hats, and they were the first to wear pajamas to the Silent Night basketball game. After Kesler read to the students, there was a prayer, and everyone watched the movie "A Christmas Story." The students could quote the movie line for line, Kesler remembers. With semester break around the corner, Kesler wanted to keep the family spirit alive. He wanted students to appreciate family traditions, such as reading Christmas stories, watching movies or gathering around the tree in pajamas. "(We wanted) to do something simple that would make (the students) look forward to having Christmas with the parents," Kesler said. "It was really about nostalgia." Jay's Christmas Party was the original Holipalooza, but the Holipalooza of today is very different. It's much larger and modern. Everyone still wears their pajamas, and President Eugene Habecker reads a version of "Twas the Night before Christmas" or "Twas the Night before Finals," but there is more. More games. More food. More everything. "It's a big kid Christmas fantasy world come true," said Inter-Class Council President Hannah Duncan describing Holipalooza. "It's gingerbread houses, sugar cookies, hot cocoa and cards and prizes and candy and prizes and karaoke and photo booths, and everyone's in their jammies." This "fantasy world" follows the excitement from the Silent Night game into the Hodson Dining Commons where games, contests and other activities are scattered throughout. Everywhere you look, students are chatting, smiling, laughing and enjoying the festivities. Many aspects of the Holipalooza we know today are becoming tradition. Karaoke, ice fishing and gingerbread building contests are yearly favorites of students. Duncan reassures students that many past-favorites will be present, like karaoke and the gingerbread house contest judged by President and Mary Lou Habecker. In addition to past favorites, a few new activities will be making their debut, including Santa Arm Wrestling and Snow Ball "Fight" games. These games are the latest additions to the ever-growing tradition of Holipalooza. ICC's goal for Holipalooza is building community and having a shared experience, which is much the same as Jay's Christmas Party. Both have brought Taylor students together to celebrate the semester ending and Christmas fast approaching.
Holipalooza will take place in the Dining Commons after the Silent night game and last approximately two hours.
