On Thursday, Nov. 29, the spirit of Christmas was evident in the dining hall of Saint Leo University as the staff hosted the event “Santa for Lunch.”
The visitor from the north pole was accompanied by Mrs. Claus, and the couple was seated near the entrance of the cafeteria so that students entering would have an early opportunity to take pictures with them, and it proved to be a wonderful idea.
The magic of Christmas must have been present in the hearts of faculty members and students as everyone gravitated towards Santa. Whether it was couples or simply friends, the idea of getting photographed with Santa was popular as person after person shuffled into the seats with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Some persons in passing shouted to Santa to remember them on Christmas Day.
Santa and Mrs. Claus were delighted to be at the event and spread early Christmas cheer. Credit: Yvan Lafortune
As finals’ week is impending, Santa’s visit momentarily relieved the general apprehension towards the last evaluations of the semester. Santa’s visit also seemed to have lifted everyone’s mood as it could be felt that the cafeteria was oozing with happy vibes.
Even the cafeteria menu reflected the Christmas mood as the menu featured food like scallops, carved steak, smoked ham and bourbon chicken. The desserts were decorated in a way to evoke Christmas cheer and included gingerbread cookies and green filling top biscuits.
Valdini Eugene, a sophomore majoring in political science, really enjoyed the meal with Santa. “Santa needs to come more often,” he said. Eugene praised the dining hall crew as the food, according to him, exceeded expectations. Eugene continued by saying that a good meal can always be a morale booster if one is going through a hard day.
Everything was placed in an accommodating manner for Santa, from the decorated chair down to cookies, since they are his favorite treat. Credit: Yvan Lafortune
Fabrice Valles, a sophomore majoring in economics, enjoyed another aspect of the meal. “Christmas for me is a time where everyone comes together as family,” he said. Valles stated that Christmas is famous for bringing people closer together as they exchange gifts, decorate trees and enjoy activities as a family. It is a period where one is supposed to give back to the community and take to time for his fellow brother.
Having Santa for lunch was a good initiative from the Campus Activities Board as the event lifted a lot of the tension that finals’ week can cause. The event was popular among the community as many faculty members, staff and students were eager to interact with Santa.
