Santa drops by the LSA family holiday party to thank the hosts.
On Saturday, December 3, The Gavel student lounge at the Law Centre was transformed from a place filled with students enjoying a cup of coffee from Hello My Friend Café while eating their lunches, pouring over books, or simply chatting, to an unlikely venue for a family holiday party. Aside from the ever-present pizza boxes, The Gavel was nearly unrecognizable as the ping pong table had been stowed to make room for our small guests.
The Law Students' Association hosted the annual event, recognizing the needs of some of our students with young families.
"The holiday party is a great tradition for the LSA as a welcome break during the stress of exam season," said Nick Todd, LSA President. "This is one of the many ways the law school is able to engage with and welcome all students in our Faculty. We love seeing the kids' eyes light up for Santa every year, and, if we're perfectly honest, we all love the opportunity to act like a 5-year old again - if only for an afternoon."
Some of the first-time attendees liked the event so much that they expressed their disappointment they couldn't do it every year. Upon being informed by their father, Chad Graham (1L) that the party is indeed an annual event, they exclaimed: "No way! I can't wait for next year!"
Holiday party activities included a gingerbread house-making station, a viewing of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", and a visit from Santa, who bore a striking resemblance to Dean Paul Paton. Trixie, the afternoon's entertainment, kept the children enthralled with her mixture of magic and comedy, and she also worked the crowd before the show, introducing herself and performing close up illusions in a more intimate setting than a stage show.
Thank you to the LSA and to the event volunteers for organizing such a special afternoon for our students and their young families.