Carolers at Pinehurst, 1987

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.

~ From Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane

The first Christmas celebration at Rollins was held in the Parsonage, a nine-room frame house that was the home of President Edward Hooker.   Holiday traditions have come and gone over the past 126 years, but the joy of sharing the season remains the same.

Here are some campus traditions, past and present:

Vespers, celebrated in Knowles Memorial Chapel since 1932

Christmas cards, this one from Pres. Hamilton Holt

And another depicting Knowles Chapel under a starry sky

Holiday parties –  Pres. Hugh McKean serving students

Another Christmas party, with Prof. Hoyt Edge as an elf, Associate Vice President for Finance Bill Gailey as an angel, David Lord ’69 ’71MBA as Tiny Tim, Pres. Thaddeus Seymour as Santa Claus, and Vice President-Treasurer Jesse Morgan as Scrooge (circa 1982)

Celebration of Hanukkah

Diwali dinner

Annual FunFest for children, with Pres. Lewis Duncan entertaining the crowd

The Bach Festival Society, providing holiday music every year.  Last December, members also took part in a new tradition, the holiday flash mob.  Click here to watch: http://youtu.be/wKK_hbyyhpg

Best wishes for a joyous holiday season from the Rollins Archives.

~ by D. Moore, Archival Specialist