HIGH POINT, N.C., Dec. 19, 2014 – Some said it looked like the North Pole. Others called it a Norman Rockwell painting brought to life.
The second night of High Point University’s Fourth Annual Community Christmas attracted thousands more guests to campus, ending with a record-breaking 14,000 community members who attended the celebration over the two nights.
Thousands of Christmas cookies and plates of hot food, along with hundreds of gallons of hot chocolate and cookies, were shared with the community at the event while children visited with Santa and had their photo taken with him. Clydesdale carriage rides carried families around campus to carolers, a life-size Nativity, choir performances, elves and simulated snow, and each person – children and adults – received a gift from the university.
The university added extra parking and a shuttle service at Oak Hollow Mall tonight to accommodate the number of people who came to campus.
Beverly Parker, a High Point native who attended the event for the first time this year, was in awe when she stepped onto campus with her family.
“When I got to this campus, I was like, ‘Woah, this is beautiful,’” said Parker while her granddaughter sat on Santa’s lap. “There’s nothing like seeing this campus in person to realize how wonderful it is.”
Leo Coleman’s family, who lives nearby HPU, are regular attendees at the event, which has grown in size each year since it began in 2011.
“My wife always brings our grandson,” he said as crowds scurried along the Kester International Promenade. “I just love this. I love the hot chocolate and I love seeing my grandson have fun in the bouncy house.”
The event involved hundreds of people working behind the scenes, including nearly 100 volunteers from the university.
“As High Point’s University, we appreciate our neighbors and enjoy celebrating Christmas at this annual celebration,” said Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president.
This year’s Community Christmas was held Dec. 18 and 19 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Next year’s dates have already been set for the Fifth Annual Community Christmas for Dec. 17 and 18, 2015.
Fun Facts – HPU’s 2014 Community Christmas includes:
- 13,000 Christmas cookies
- 10,000 assorted cookies
- 12,000 hot dogs
- 800 gallons of hot chocolate
- 300 gallons of coffee
- 82,000 Christmas lights
- 9,200 feet of garland
- 163 wreaths
- 468 Christmas banners
- 407 Christmas bows
- 34 nutcrackers and soldiers
- 20 Nativity scene figurines
- 70 gallons of simulated snow
- 12 snow machines