Making Spirits Bright since 1693

I’ll Admit It!  I’m a bit biased towards W&M, my alma mater, and so I choose to believe that no other college captures the joy of the season as awesomely as W&M does.  It all begins with Grand Illumination (an event in Colonial Williamsburg when the area is lit for the season with single candles in each window – albeit I’m always a bit perplexed by the presence of what I assume is an electric candlelight in the windows of 17^th and 18^th century houses).  The College follows suit as a single candlelight is placed in each window of the historic Wren Building and its surrounding buildings on Ancient Campus – not sure a campus can look prettier than that.  This is followed by W&M’s Yule Log ceremony which occurs the Saturday between the two weeks of finals.  The campus community gathers in the Wren yard, and students from each of the various religious organizations speak as to why December is an important month for their faith.  A cappella groups sing songs of the season.  The President reads How the Grinch Stole Christmas while dressed as Santa.  The VP for Student Affairs reads Twas the Night Before Finals.  And then, each student throws a sprig of holly on the burning yule log in the Wren Building.  Finally, all of this is capped off with the College’s holiday greeting.  Whether reminding us that W&M can always be our “home for the holidays” or “making our spirits bright” the message is the antithesis of the traditional stale or generic holiday greeting, but is instead a creative exhibition of the talent of W&M students and a powerful message that reminds all of us why we love W&M.

Happy Holidays from all of us in the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Senior Assistant Dean of Admission