Holiday celebrations to take place at Purdue Memorial Union

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Memorial Union will be fully decked out for the holiday season once again. On Monday (Dec. 6), with the arrival of a freshly cut Christmas tree, the festivities will begin.

The tree will be located in the Great Hall and will arrive at around noon. A 7-foot-tall gingerbread house also will be featured. Guests must follow Protect Purdue guidelines and wear a mask when inside Purdue Memorial Union.

The annual ceremony for the lighting of the tree will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday (Dec. 7). President Mitch Daniels will light the tree, and the Purduettes will provide a musical performance. The entire event will also be available by livestream.  

On Wednesday (Dec. 8), several student organizations will feature performances and displays of their cultures and their respective holidays in “Holidays Around the World.” This event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will kick off the “Holidays at the Union” programming.

Holiday musical performances will take place Wednesday to Friday (Dec. 8-10) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature local music groups and student performances.

Breakfast with Santa will be 8-11 a.m. Dec. 11 in the South Ballroom. A meal of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, fruit and juice, and milk or coffee will be available for $10 (children) or $14 (adults). Children can visit with Santa, share story time with Mrs. Claus and create holiday crafts including make-your-own reindeer food, snow globe and stockings. Pictures can be taken with Santa in the Great Hall. Crafts and reading with Mrs. Claus will be located in PMU, Room 118. Children also can visit Jingle the elf and his reindeer at the breezeway between PMU and Stewart Center.

The Christmas tree will be taken down later in December. The tree will be tested daily for compliance with the Indiana fire code. If it does not meet the requirements, the tree will be removed from the building.

All of the holiday festivities are organized by the Purdue Student Union Board and open to the public. Guests can enter through the hotel entrance or the PMU entrance closest to the Grant Street Parking Garage. There will be signage guiding them to the Great Hall for performances.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked in each of the last four years as one of the 10 Most Innovative universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://purdue.edu/.

Writer, Media contact: Bella Vina, ivina@purdue.edu

Source: Mckenna ​Hufford, mhufford@purdue.edu