Holiday Cheer Abounds

The campus is quiet today; students have headed out for the longest vacation of the year, Winter Break. The final night before their departure was filled with Thacher traditions and special celebrations.

Well actually, the festivities began before Wednesday night, as students, who had been randomly assigned dates for the Winter Formal, pulled off some fun public asks to the dance. There was a chalk message in front of the dining hall, a post-game wrap-up by the girls’ soccer coach, and lots of other surprise asks.

The first official event of the seasonal celebrations was the Holiday Banquet and the new Mulligan Hall provided a spectacular venue. The dining hall was decorated for all the December holidays, the fireplace added a warm glow to the room, and the view—oh, the view from that building! Students dressed in their finest, and the faculty, clad in festive attire, served the sumptuous meal. But first, the boar’s head was presented to the School Chair, Matteo ’20. No, it wasn’t a real boar’s head, but one cleverly crafted of fruits and veggies by the dining hall staff. Per tradition, the freshmen had learned The Boar’s Head Carol for the presentation. (The Thacher hogs got to feast on that work of art the next day.) 

From Mulligan Hall, everyone headed to the Milligan Center for the Holiday Concert. The Jazz Band, Chamber Ensemble, Dance Ensemble, and Chamber Singers entertained the community with their mostly holiday-themed performances. Finally, the Winter Formal was held on the library patio. Students enjoyed desserts, dancing, and snow. (OK, not really, but movie snow.) And couples posed for mostly humorous photos. It was an evening filled with fun, laughter, and excitement about seeing families and friends back home.