Holidays in the Halls 2023

The hall-themed gifts were a hit! Thank you to all who have supported already. Remember: there are still three more days to make your gift!

I'm excited to meet new people and eat some tasty treats! I'm also looking forward to making some paper snowflakes. Another thing I am looking forward to is seeing how the Hall Gift turns out and witnessing residents’ reactions when they receive it! - Emily Nachreiner '27, Mohn Community Council Member

I’m looking forward to taking my mind off of finals and distracting myself with some food and games! Also, I’m excited to deliver the hall gift to all the residents. - Ben Zupfer '27, Mohn Community Council Member

I’m super excited to see how the hall gift turns out! I’m also really looking forward to decorating cookies with fellow Mohn residents and making some fun holiday decorations for our lounge. - Ann McMullen '27' Mohn Community Council Member

That Hall Party is a wonderful time for residents to connect and develop a sense of community in their Residence Hall. Whether it is enjoying a fun activity or eating some delicious food among friends, the Holiday Party is by far the most memorable experience in the residence hall. I have had the pleasure of experiencing two of these amazing parties in my years at St. Olaf. It was amazing to see the community all come together to celebrate the end of the semester, and giving out the hall gift is one of my favorite memories from my time in the residence halls. - Elijah Sonntag '25' Rand Student Hall Coordinator.

I love the holiday party because it is community-oriented! - Peter Leach, '25

The hall gift helps us show our college and building pride. - Rand Matheson, '25

The holiday party gives us a break from finals...perfect timing! - Alix Bettin, '25

I feel taken care of by our school and residence life team when I receive the hall gift each year. - Adam Vazquez Rosales, '24

Dear Ole Families,

Hello from Kildahl Hall! We are so excited for the upcoming Kildahl holiday party and are currently planning a decorating event in preparation for the big day. On December 6th our residents will be invited to make their own ornaments and snowflakes to decorate our tree and bring holiday cheer to our common spaces. We can’t wait to share how it turns out! 

So far this year Kildahl has put on the iconic Kildahl All Hall Fall Ball as well as Kildahlween. The Fall Ball is an old Kildahl tradition that was put on hold for a few years due to covid, but our residents were very excited to bring it back. It provided a fun way for residents to get to know one another at the beginning of the year through a dance, photo booth, bracelet making, and pumpkin painting. In October we hosted Kildahlween and got together for a hot chocolate bar and cookie decorating. It has been so fun to get to know our Community Council members and Kildahl residents through all of our events this year. The positive energy they have all brought to the hall this year has been wonderful to see. Thank you so much for helping us continue to make memories together!

- Anna Larson ‘24, Kildahl Hall Junior Counselor

Photography from the Kildahl All Hall Fall Ball by Isaac Kitange ‘27

The Holiday Party I attended last year was a wonderful opportunity to meet with the other residents who lived in my residence hall, and to celebrate the end of the fall semester. I helped distribute our Hall Gift, and it was such a fun experience to see how excited people were when they got theirs! However, the best part was seeing people wearing their crewnecks around campus after the party; it was a fun way to identify who lived in my hall, and made me feel more connected to many people I hadn’t known previously! As this is my final year at St. Olaf, I am really looking forward to helping continue this tradition and to have another keepsake to remember my time here. - Helena Towne, Senior Hall Coordinator, '24

I can't wait to have fun during the holidays with my friends in Ellingson! - Fae Buczek, '27

Residence hall Holiday Parties are a great way to build community, and the one I attended and organized last year is one of my favorite memories. It is a great chance for people to gather and have fun even in the midst of a stressful period of the semester. It is also so wonderful to be able to finish off the Holiday Party with the Hall Gift! Everyone in attendance was very excited to get a crewneck specifically for their dorm, and I felt a little bit like Santa Claus bringing the gifts to people’s doors if they hadn’t attended the party. This way too, even those who may not have wanted to go to the party still get to experience part of the fun of it. Holiday parties and holiday gifts within residence halls are a wonderful tradition at St. Olaf, and a great way to sprinkle the holiday spirit into our stressful semesters! - Mary Staplin, '26

I'm excited to spend time with my dorm mates! - Laine Lammers, '27

I am excited to listen to Christmas/holiday music and do fun activities with people in my hall! I would be excited to help decorate and make the residence hall feel festive. - Ryan Brentner, '27

Dear Ole families, 

We'd like to share a few examples of ways that our hall staff are continuing to foster community in their halls, in addition to the upcoming all-hall winter parties.

Hoyme Hall has been up to some great programming this semester! With a council of around 20 residents, we started the year out with a nostalgic event called RECESS! We brought ourselves back to elementary school times, where we hosted an outdoor event consisting of what our childhood looked like! From four-square to Capri Suns and snacks, to even a giant rainbow parachute, we had (quite literally) a successful recess! 

Our next event consists of a fall-themed movie night! We will be making apple-crisp and apple cider and will enjoy these treats while watching a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. We will also be creating a make-your-own trail mix station, filled with pretzels, candy corn, caramel corn, pumpkin seeds, etc. We are anticipating a relaxing, festive Sunday as a way for residents to take care of themselves as we enter the stresses of finals that are incoming. 

- Connor Bitterman, JC of Hoyme Hall, '24

In Mellby Hall, this Halloween, we put on a costume contest. I entered as the Erlking, a sinister figure in German folklore, and won first prize. The prize for best (and only) group costume went to three girls dressed as the Heathers. The other costumes were also creative! There was a tarot card reader in the lounge, and I had my fortune read for me. I just felt so wonderful to be part of a community of people who put so much work into the things they care about, whether academic or otherwise! 

- Charles Cole, Mellby Community Council Member, ‘24