While their trees may not look like Rockefeller Center's 65-foot-tall tree, students still find creative and festive ways to celebrate the season by decorating Christmas trees with friends and family.
One tradition many students participate in is making a special trip home to decorate a tree with their family.
"My family and I always go the day after Thanksgiving to pick out a tree together," said Jeremy Cooley, sophomore in marketing. "It's kind of a tradition we have had since I was little."
Fran Bishop, graduate student in consumer affairs, said she decorates a special Christmas tree at home with her family the day after Thanksgiving as well.
"I think what I love most about my family's tree is the fact that it is our tree," Bishop said. "No one else could ever or will ever have a tree that is like it because my mom lets us all put our spin on it."
She said her family uses garland, lights and a large variety of ornaments, giving her tree an eclectic look.
"Our tree consists of decorations that we have accumulated over 23 years together, as well as some from my mother's childhood," Bishop said. "The most precious things that are on the tree are three hands that my mom saved from my brother, sister and myself in nursery school."
The ornaments her family has on their tree don't really have a cohesive style. The cohesion of their tree, Bishop said, lies in family ties.
Cooley said his family also has a special ornament tradition for their Christmas tree.
"My mom tries to buy Christmas ornaments from all the places she visits," Cooley said. "We have ornaments from all over the world."
While many students make special trips home to decorate for the holidays with their families, some find time to spread the cheer right here in Auburn.
Bishop said she has to decorate a tree in Auburn every year to give herself a break from the stress of exams.
"I love Christmas because it gets me all warm and cozy inside," Bishop said. "So when it comes to have a Christmas tree and decorations, I have to have them."
Bishop said she has a miniature tree that she decorates with white ornaments and snowflakes to remind her of the possibility of a white Christmas.
Hunter Henry, senior in fashion and apparel merchandising, said he tries to decorate a tree here at school every year too.
"The only tradition I have is making sure the tree looks hot and that my house is full of Christmas cheer," Henry said.
Another Christmas tree tradition many people have is the placing of a special topper on their tree at the end of decorating.
Bishop said her family has a snow angel tree topper that was crocheted by her grandmother, which gives the tree special value to the whole family.
On her Christmas tree in Auburn, though, Bishop said she just ties a ribbon to keep it from being top heavy.
Cooley, however, said his family just picks a special ornament every year to top their tree.
The timing of tree decorating is often highly debated and important to many students.
"We never put a tree up until after Thanksgiving," Cooley said. "Anything before that is just way too soon."
Bishop said, while her family does not put its tree up right after Thanksgiving, she usually tries to wait till the beginning of December to decorate her apartment because it is the Christmas month.
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