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Students and guests savor Christmas cheer on campus during busy weekend of events

A band plays during the Christmas Coffeehouse: Bright & Merry, early Sunday morning at the Vines Center. (Photo by Chase Gyles)

With the Academic Lawn illuminated by a giant Christmas tree and thousands of lights setting University Boulevard aglow, the campus of Liberty University is an idyllic location to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. This past weekend, before final exams begin this week and Winter Break officially begins on Dec. 18, the university hosted several events open to students, faculty, staff, and the greater Lynchburg community.

Christmas Coffeehouse, a Liberty tradition since 1992, was staged by Student Activities late Saturday night into early Sunday morning in the Vines Center. Students filled the 10,000-seat, fully decorated arena for a two-hour extravaganza of talented performances from their peers.

“At each and every Coffeehouse, the best performers, musicians, singers, dancers, and videographers on Liberty’s campus put on a massive show for the Liberty student body,” Student Activities Director Cort Comfort said. “This year’s theme was ‘Merry and Bright,’ where we focused on the nostalgic and simpler times in our lives when Christmas was about family, handmade gifts, gathering around a tree, and overall Christmas spirit.”

The audience was treated to 15 student performances as well as a few student-made videos, live games, and many other surprises over the course of the variety show.

Between-performance entertainment at Christmas Coffeehouse kept the student crowd engaged.

“We had 22 Student Activities staff members working all day on Saturday to decorate the Vines Center just in time for the Christmas season, all of whom have worked all semester getting ready for this one night,” Comfort said.

Along the concourse, there were photo opportunities, decorations, and Christmas scenes like Santa’s Sleigh, a Christmas Tree Farm, and a cozy living room. Students enjoyed hot chocolate, coffee, and traditional arena concessions, along with a special cookie vendor.

Comfort said anticipation over this year’s Christmas Coffeehouse was especially high since attendance had been limited during the two previous years by the pandemic.

“There is nothing quite like being in a full Vines Center surrounded by your friends and classmates, and we are glad our student body could experience that once again,” he said.

Charles Billingsley was a soloist during Friday night’s production of “Christmas on the Boulevard Pops.” (Photo by Andrew Snyder)

Students and the general public were invited to join the School of Music for two separate “Christmas on the Boulevard” concerts in the Center for Music and the Worship Arts, Concert Hall. “COTB Pops” was held on Friday night and “COTB Classic” is set for Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Both concerts feature the Liberty University Symphony Orchestra and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. “COTB Pops” featured many Christmas favorites performed by worship choirs, including LU Praise, Charles Billingsley, and other musical guests. “COTB Classic” will feature a medley from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” and highlights from Handel’s “Messiah” by the Concert Choir, University Chorale, Chamber Singers, and faculty soloists.

Opportunities also abounded for students to get out and take in some fresh air and exercise before finals begin, with the LaHaye Ice Center hosting an open skating session on Sunday afternoon and the university’s Campus Recreation Department offering the annual Reindeer Run 2 Mile Trail Race on Saturday morning. The event is part of the Liberty Mountain Trail Series and is held out of the Hydaway Outdoor Center. Runners dressed up and competed in a Christmas costume contest.

Reindeer Run participants ran with antlers on their heads and bells on their shoes. (Photo by Payton VanHorn)

“We passed out jingle bells for the runners to tie to their sneakers and you could literally hear the Christmas jingling all the way from the start to the finish line,” said Mike Ellsworth, Outdoor Recreation Director.

The Campus Recreation Department also put on its Christmas at Hydaway light display for students and the community from Thursday through Saturday evenings with activities and photo opportunities, bonfires and s’mores, Santa meet-and-greets, free ornaments, and food trucks.

This week, Student Activities will host a Christmas-themed Open Mic Night on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Montview Student Union, with students leading Christmas songs while enjoying cookies and hot chocolate.

Starting on Wednesday and running through finals, students will be given plenty of opportunities to relax and unwind at the upper and lower atriums in the Jerry Falwell Library for a lineup of “De-Stress for Exam Week” events, from games, giftwrapping, Christmas crafts, and coloring sheets to storytime while sipping coffee or hot tea.

Children lead off during a mass start at Saturday’s Reindeer Run 2-Miler at Hydaway Outdoor Center. (Photos by Payton VanHorn)

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