Students mingled while eating gingerbread at this year’s Ugly Holiday Sweater Party hosted by the Student Activities Board last Saturday night. Amidst the crowd of vivid colors, outlandish designs, and flashing sequins, three a cappella groups — Azure, Keynotes, and Yorkies — graced the air with cheerful holiday tunes.
Max Rigby-Hall ’18, President of the Student Activities Board, said, “The Ugly Holiday Sweater Party has become sort of this annual event with all these a capella groups performing. We decorate cookies, there’s hot chocolate, [and] it’s kind of the big event where you can get really excited and… start celebrating the holidays. Especially knowing that today’s our first snow, so everybody’s kind of in that holiday vibe.”
According to attendee Ashleigh Cohan ’20, the event was a great way to relieve stress and devote time to socializing and having fun.
“[The Ugly Sweater Party] is the best event on campus the whole year; it’s like a fun office Christmas party in like a really cool movie, and it reminds me that I don’t have homework just for a couple of hours. This was my favorite thing last year, and it’s my favorite thing this year,” said Cohan.
Santa, an “unknown” Blue Key Head, donned a full red-and-white suit to take pictures with partygoers and kids.
Santa said, “I just love the cheer. It’s good to get hyped up with two weeks to go and see what everyone wants for Christmas… My favorite part of being Santa has got to be putting smiles on people’s faces.”
Azure, Keynotes, and Yorkies performed carols such as “Deck The Halls” and “Winter Wonderland,” adding modern twists to some classic tunes through remixing.
“I feel like performing in even little events like this brings the Azure community together in a way, and it’s really fun to sing holiday songs with everyone,” said Martina Gil-Diaz ’21, a member of Azure.
According to Holt Bitler ’21, a member of Yorkies, preparation for the performance at the party was minimal.
“I think we really came together as a group, and we did this in such a short time… One song we added in the last 45 minutes before the show, and it was a decently hard one too, but overall good,” said Bitler.
