Holiday tree lighting

More than 400 presents were collected last night for the Order of Omega fund-raiser at the annual holiday tree lighting. The gifts will benefit the children of Child Protective Services of Fort Worth. Students formed a long chain around the north side of Sadler Hall and passed the gifts to a CPS truck.

But all of that was preceded by the traditional favorites: caroling (enhanced again this year with the dulcet tones of the O.D. Wyatt High School Gospel Choir), the arrival of the purple-suited Mr. and Mrs. Claus (played once again by Howard '48 and Mildred Erby Payne '48), the reading of "Twas the Night Before Finals," candles, hot chocolate and the ceremonial lighting of the university tree on the steps of Sadler.

Standing 33 feet tall, the blue spruce tree in front of Sadler will be the tallest tree ever to grace the admin building's steps. But it won't be the largest on campus. New this year was a second tree – a 37-foot-tall, 3,000-pound blue spruce tree – placed in the Brown-Lupton University Union Amphitheater on the Union Plaza. The Union tree is the second-largest live tree in Fort Worth. (The City of Fort Worth's tree in Sundance Square is 17 feet taller. Read the Star-Telegram's account of the man who cut both trees.)

Also new this year was the sounds and smells of 5-year-old reindeer named Donner. (No, not Donder.) Students clamored to pose with the hoofed visitor, which was enclosed in a small pen on the Clark Hall lawn.

Once again, fun was had by all and 400 kids in Tarrant County will enjoy new toys. Chancellor Victor Boschini ended the evening on the right note when he read the final line of the poem: "Happy finals to all and to all a good night."

To watch a video of the night's revelry, check out this.

- Rick