King's Annual Christmas Tree Lighting

The King's campus community gathered at Monarch Court on December 5th, 2024, for the cheerful Annual Christmas Tree Lighting. This beloved tradition marks the start of the holiday season, featuring festivities such as hot chocolate, tree decorating, raffles, festive photos with Santa and Leo, carols sung by the Cantores Christi Regis Choir, ending with the blessing and lighting of the Christmas tree.

The merry day began with the Christmas Festival, where student clubs, vendors, and crafters showcased their holiday goods in the Campus Center. Attendees shopped for festive items, decorated ornaments, enjoyed delicious seasonal treats, and mingled with friends and colleagues.

Despite the cold weather, the crowd gathered in Monarch Court, full of holiday spirit, eagerly awaiting the moment the beautiful tree would be lit. The event was emceed by Dave Reynolds, professor and chair of the Theatre Department, with presenters Kelly Letteri, Nate Cook, and Dr. Mike Little sharing their personal Monarch success stories.

Reynolds kicked off the event with a positive message:

"Even if you didn’t share a success today, we all know you have them. Be proud of that and keep striving to get the most out of your time at King’s. And remember, learn from your failures—failure is simply an opportunity to learn more about yourself."

Robert Yenkowski, who also leads the Cantores Christi Regis Choir, led the group in festive carols, spreading smiles across the crowd with songs like "Jingle Bells" and "Dominick the Donkey." Father Brogan Ryan then took the reins, blessing the beautiful Christmas tree. As a community, everyone swayed together, singing "O Christmas Tree" in celebration as the tree was finally lit.

The Annual Christmas Tree Lighting was once again a remarkable success, marking a joyful beginning to the holiday season at King's.