‘A Christmas Story’ lands in the KSC Ballroom

Katie Moore

Winter weather couldn’t keep students from enjoying the holidays

Christmas music greeted cheerful students Tuesday night as they entered the Kent Student Center Ballroom for some holiday fun.

Students lined up early to get in and help themselves to the activities provided by Kent Student Center Programming. Tessa Saylor, student co-manager for KSCP, greeted people as they entered in the Ballroom, explaining the different stations that were set up.

Jennifer Gunnoe, marketing coordinator for KSCP, was walking around snapping pictures of students as they visited each station.

“It was a group effort,” Gunnoe said. “No one person was the mastermind. In our office, we brainstorm for each event. The idea came out of a marketing retreat in May. We spent 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. going over events and other units within our programming.”

Banquet services helped set up the milk and cookie station so students could have a tasty treat. In the center of the table, along the wall, was a box filled with Santa Claus, snowman and Christmas tree shaped sugar cookies for students to decorate. Red, green and white icing was used to paint the cookie canvas. Sprinkles, imperials and snowflakes were also used to accent the drawings on the sugary cookies.

Kelsey Beall, freshman early childhood education major, came with a friend before the movie started to enjoy the activities provided.

“I decorated a Christmas tree cookie, and it tasted really good,” Beall said. “I think this was a good idea. It definitely gets you into the holiday spirit.”

Santa Claus walked in ringing a bell with the students so he could pose for pictures in front of a Christmas tree and light up the fireplace. After posing with Santa, students could write down on the “Wish List” what they wanted for Christmas.

“Create a Card” had students using some their imagination as they colored, cut and glued pieces of paper together.

The topper of the evening was a decoder contest that was displayed on the big screen. The students got a piece of paper with a cipher at the top of the page when they walked in and had to decode 20 sayings being flashed across the screen. After they were done, the 45-inch leg lamp and “Fragile” wooden box was positioned on stage next to a box for the students to drop their entries into.

Caitlin Siegfried, freshman exploratory major, came with her big sister, Glennis, to partake in festivities, but had her eye on the leg lamp.

“I think it’s a good idea for the decoder contest,” Siegfried said. “Come on, who doesn’t want a leg lamp in their front window? Over Thanksgiving break, we were in Medina and saw a leg lamp in someone’s front window.”

Glennis had taken a picture because the sisters thought it was so cute and random.

At 9 p.m. Saylor drew a name from the box to reveal the recipient on the leg lamp.

April Biggs, freshman exploratory major, jumped up from her seat, when announced as the winner, with a giant smile on her face to claim her prize.

“I’m excited,” Biggs said. “I’ll probably put it in my room. I didn’t think I would win it.”

To view students posing with Santa check out the KSCP Facebook page on Facebook.

Contact Katie Moore at [email protected].