Students clad in ugly sweaters and Santa hats will flock to Carroll Hall tonight from 6 to 10 p.m. for the annual Carroll Christmas.
"It's a great, festive time to get in the Christmas spirit," Carroll Christmas commissioner junior Mike Weiss said.
Weiss said the event includes a performance from the Glee Club, a tree lighting ceremony with a 17-foot tree, pictures with Santa, free food and much more.
Weiss said he is most looking forward to the annual cookie contest, which will take place at 8 p.m.
"For the past two years I've been in the picture … and I missed the cookie contest both years," Weiss said. "One of the R.A.'s moms has won it for three years in a row, and I'm dying to eat these award-winning cookies."
The trek to Carroll will be easier this year, thanks to funding from the Student Union Board (SUB) for a horse and carriage to take students from the LaFortune Student Center to Carroll Hall between 6 and 8 p.m.
Carroll SUB commissioner, sophomore Ethan Montemayor, said the carriage rides will be a big draw, but the walk to Carroll will be equally as pleasant.
"The path will be lined with luminaries, so it is a very pretty walk on a nice December evening," Montemayor said.
Also new this year will be a service project that visitors can complete during the event, Weiss said.
"It is in conjunction with another club," Weiss said, "and it is writing letters to soldiers abroad or people in underdeveloped countries."
Because Carroll is such a small dorm, everyone pitched in to help with their signature event, Weiss said.
"Everyone has been downstairs, decorating every night," Weiss said. "It's a big community-building event."
Montemayor said the willingness of all the Vermin to set up the event makes Carroll Christmas so successful.
"Everyone's been pitching in a bunch," he said. "It's really nice to see all years here at Carroll, from freshmen to seniors, all pulling for this event to happen."
Montemayor said the multiple contributions from dorm residents has made the decorations quite impressive.
"The halls are decked," he said.
In addition to decorating, the men of Carroll also took shifts to publicize the event.
"I would say half the dorm signs up for a shift to hand out fliers and candy canes outside both dining halls Thursday and Friday afternoon," Weiss said.
Weiss said the men of Carroll are very excited for their signature event.
"It's the week we all look forward to, despite the fact that everyone has finals and all sorts of papers due in the next two weeks," he said.
Montemayor said he is expecting a large turnout for the event.
"It's a great time to come out, have a bit of a walk, meet some great people, have some food, have some cookies, take a picture with Santa, listen to the glee club — you can't go wrong," he said.
