Christmas Events Brighten Holiday Season at Mississippi College

Mississippi College students will embrace the true spirit of the Christmas holidays, including several events open to the Clinton community.

Events range from the Lighting of the Quad on the evening of December 1 to performances of the hilarious production “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” at Swor Auditorium December 1-4.

Free of charge and open to the public, the singing of Christmas carols on the Quad along with hot chocolate, cookies and other treats for visitors is a great way to usher in the holiday season. Activities begin at 8 p.m. on December 1. The program on the Clinton campus wraps up three hours later.

Students are collecting T-shirts to send to poor families in Central America and will donate well-decorated Christmas trees on the Quad to needy folks in metro Jackson. Scores of bright lights on the Clinton campus make this an extraordinary kick-off to the holiday season. The Campus Activities Board sponsors the event with this year’s theme of “A White Christmas.”

Other activities at the 5,152-student Christian university happen nearby. MC’s new Choctaw Chorus makes its debut with a December 1 performance at Provine Chapel. The 7:30 p.m. program is free and open to the public. Director of Choral Activities Mark Nabholz conducts the singing ensemble. It represents a combination of the MC Women’s Chamber Choir and the Men’s Glee Choir.

The 45-minute program will please a variety of tastes, from Madrigals to spirituals, as well as selections by Bach.

People that enjoy a few laughs as the holidays draw near will want to see the annual production of Barbara Robinson’s play, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Tickets remain on sale for the MC Department of Communication production directed by professor Sandra Grayson.

The show tells the story of the rotten Herdman kids who eventually discover the true meaning of the season by appearing in a church Christmas pageant.

Show times are 10:30 a.m. December 1-4 and at 7 p.m. on December 1 and December 3. Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for adults.

There’s much more on the to-do list on the Clinton campus.

The 30^th annual Festival of Lights shouldn’t be missed. Programs at Provine Chapel from December 3-5 feature performances by the MC Singers. There’s a special reception in the Aven Hall lobby for members of the MC Singers for the period spanning three decades. Refreshments will be served following the Friday December 4 concert.

Programs each night of the Festival of Lights will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for faculty and staff. The price is $5 for students and $10 for senior citizens.

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift?

Stop by the annual MC Christmas art ornament sale at the university’s cafeteria in the B.C. Rogers Student Center. The event December 5-9 is free and open to the public. Funds generated will help MC students attend the 2016 National Art Association meeting in Chicago.

Hours for the sale are 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. Hours will be 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Friday. The sale will feature 250 ornaments. Items on sale include 100 MC arrowheads, and 50 crosses. Ornaments will sell for $5. Other pieces of artwork crafted by students will cost $10.

Art Department students are getting prepared to welcome residents of the Wingard Home in downtown Jackson to a Christmas dinner at Mississippi College.

Delicious food, music, wrapped presents and Santa Claus will be part of the annual event on December 3 to support this non-profit Christian ministry. The program is designed to make homeless family members, including children, feel the Christmas spirit. The event begins at 6 p.m. that Thursday evening at Anderson Hall.