See photos of this year's Christmas at Creighton celebration here!
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By Micah Mertes
Creighton has a rich history of Christmas traditions — carols, decorations and a holiday-hued embrace of the giving spirit and religious values that make up our Jesuit, Catholic identity.
(You can read all about Creighton's holiday history here.)
But of course there's no better way to show how things have progressed than a big ol' chronological collection of photos.
Merry Christmas, Creighton!
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Christmas traditions at Creighton really got going in the 1920s, even if some of those traditions lagged a bit mid-century.
Still, the holiday spirit has remained alive and well over a very long span of time.
With carolers in the 1950s ...
Decorations throughout campus in the '60s and '70s ...
Campus encounters with a certain bearded gentleman throughout the '90s and up to today ...
And of course the evergreen traditions of making time for friends and studying, studying, studying.
Some traditions date back to our very beginning. Christmas Mass at St. John's, for instance, continues to bring the community together year after year.
A new tradition began in 1978, with the lighting of the Christmas tree, which originally stood atop the St. John's Fountain.
The tree eventually moved from the Fountain to make way for the "Eternal Flame" sculpture.
Though the sculpture occasionally undergoes temporary modifications each year, weather permitting.
The campus Christmas tree first moved to the front of Creighton Hall, then outside the Kiewit Fitness Center. Over the years, lights and other decorations have continued to shift and expand across campus and 24th Street.
Nativity scenes were added in the '00s.
Year after year, students, faculty, alumni, friends and University presidents have celebrated the lighting of campus.
Just recently, Creighton hosted the Celebration of Light ceremony and the traditional lighting of campus for the holidays, which honors the many faith traditions represented at Creighton.
(See more photos and videos of this year's ceremony here.)
Each holiday season, campus looks bright, festive and gorgeous.
It's especially beautiful when it snows.
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Stories like this wouldn’t be possible without the help of the University Archives, the keeper of Creighton’s history. Please consider making a gift to the Archives and helping us preserve Creighton’s amazing story for generations to come.