By Suzy Alstrin, Assistant Director of Media and Public Relations, Reinhardt University
Soon after the Thanksgiving tables are cleared, the little town of Waleska comes alive with the Christmas spirit.
Christmas on Stage
This year the Christmas Concert Series includes 3 Redneck Tenors, finalists of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, performing their Christmas SPEC-TAC-YULE-AR musical comedy revue on December 4.
The Woodstock School of Ballet honors a classic holiday favorite by performing The Nutcracker Ballet on the Reinhardt campus on December 8 and 9.
A Joni Mitchell Christmas is a show sure to warm your heart and get you in the Christmas spirit. Starring Lauren Fox, two performances on December 11 feature familiar Christmas songs as well as songs made famous by singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.
A perennial favorite, the sold-out Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Christmas performance on December 15 has a waiting list now available.
As patrons visit the Falany atrium throughout the season, they can take photos by the festive Christmas tree and enjoy a display of joyful holiday paintings of Santa by local artist Brenda Harris Tustian.
Visit with Santa
Visit with Santa The Christmas season wouldn’t be complete without a visit with Santa Claus. All families are invited on December 10 from noon to 4:00 p.m. to stop by the North Pole mailbox outside the Falany and send their letters to Santa. Children can sit in Santa’s sleigh and chat while taking a photo. No child will leave empty-handed, and each will receive a special surprise by mail.
Later that evening, experience the holiday tradition of watching The Polar Express on the big screen in Flint Hall at 6:00 p.m. Complete with a hot cocoa bar and cookies, this free event is sure to keep the magic of Christmas in all of our hearts. Reservations are recommended for both events.
A Season of Giving
The spirit of Christmas of course includes charitable giving. Each year the Reinhardt community supports the R. M. Moore Elementary School Giving Tree program. Reinhardt faculty, staff, and students collaborate with this partner in education to donate gifts to families and children in need within the local community.
Waleska United Methodist Church at Hagan Chapel on Reinhardt’s campus holds its annual Christmas Angel program to provide Christmas gifts and groceries for dozens of children and families in need throughout the Waleska community. Each angel ornament includes an item on a child’s wish list to choose and donate. Beginning December 3, the church offers an Advent and Christmas Worship on Sunday mornings at 10:30. The community is also invited to join a candlelight Christmas Eve service on December 24 at 5:30. celebrating Christmas joy and love through carols, candle-lighting, and a meaningful message.
Students at Reinhardt are treated to a night of holiday cheer to welcome the holiday season. The cherished tradition includes dinner at the W. Frank & Evelyn J. Gordy Center, the campus dining and meeting facility at Reinhardt University, followed by desserts at The President’s Home. Most students will return home after final exams in December, but thanks to the generosity of local families opening their homes, those who are not traveling have a friendly place to stay.
Spread the Joy
Last year, a Season’s Greetings message from the university was a video featuring University President Mark Roberts playing guitar while singing “Auld Lang Syne.” The video became one of Inside Higher Ed’s 2022 top ten holiday videos in the nation for colleges and universities. The Reinhardt community highly anticipates learning the secret of what is coming this year.
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