国产传媒

The end of the fall semester is a burst of activity at Mount Saint Mary’s University. Students, faculty and staff are on the move — tackling final exams, reading (and grading) papers, and completing projects. But as the year comes to an end, the Mount community also finds time to spread some holiday cheer with different celebrations and gatherings across campuses. The Lighting of the Circle, a beloved Mount tradition that takes place the first week of December, kicked off the University’s holiday season with a fun — and needed — break for students right before finals week. The Mount community came together to light up the Circle and the annual Christmas tree at the Chalon Campus, while enjoying some holiday treats, hot chocolate, Christmas music and arts and crafts. Even a snowman made an appearance, becoming the perfect holiday photo backdrop for attendees who didn’t want to miss the chance to take a unique snowy picture in Los Angeles.

The festivities continued on December 4 at the Doheny Mansion, which opened its doors to spark some holiday magic. Almost 650 attendees — including faculty, staff, students, alumnae, friends of the Mount and family members — enjoyed an enchanting afternoon featuring carolers in turn-of-the-century costumes, tasty treats, lectures about the Mansion’s history and Christmas decorations throughout the iconic Victorian building. While adults mixed and mingled, the little ones became the hit of the celebration. Mesmerized by the Christmas tree located in the center of the majestic Pompeian Room, a piano concert offered by Mount students Kaitlin ’23 and Emily Webster-Zuber ’24, and delicious cookies, children truly embraced the magic of the season and had a blast.

“We are thrilled to welcome our Mount family and friends to join us in celebrating the season’s festivities,” said Ann McElaney-Johnson, president of Mount Saint Mary’s. “As I reflect upon the past year, I’m deeply grateful for what we have accomplished together to continue to foster a community of excellence and care.”

In another Mount tradition, faculty and staff were invited to celebrate the end of the fall semester at the annual Christmas luncheon at the Doheny Campus on December 13, hosted by the President’s office. Every year, this special gathering brings together people from both campuses for some downtime and social mingling after a semester of work.

See Christmas Magic at the Mansion photos .