Students Dance by Candlelight for Thanksgiving and Advent

Unable to hold their regular Thanksgiving Dance before the November holiday, the students of Thomas Aquinas College, New England, celebrated their gratitude with a Thanksgiving Candlelit Dance last Saturday in Tracy Student Center.

Even though Thanksgiving was the nominal purpose of the event, the night very much had an Advent theme, foretelling the arrival of Christmas later this month. The junior class bedecked Tracy with glimmering, enchanting lights, under which hung festive garlands draped along the walls and tables. Confectioners pampered the groups of revelers with cookies drizzled in sweet caramel, embracing the mirthful spirit of the evening. 

The night quickly took a dark turn, however, when a raucous “South Pole Santa,” played by junior Thomas Aldredge, threated to crush the students’ jolly spirits. Thankfully, St. Nicholas, portrayed by junior Tanner Sheffield, faced the absurd Santa and redeemed the students to reclaim the true reason of the upcoming Christmas Season: the birth of Christ.

After a round of exuberant applause, the crowd rolled into promenading, foxtrotting, and swing dancing for the rest of the night. “Tanner and Thomas’ accents were so exciting and it was so hilarious,” said freshman Agnes Umaña. “We walked into a completely different Tracy.”