St. John’s celebrated its 21st annual Christmas Carnival starting from Dec. 2 and continuing until Dec. 7.

The carnival opened with the Resident Student’s Association weekly Coffeehouse in the D’Angelo Center. Cakes and pastries were provided by Sweet Treats bakery and coffee and hot chocolate was provided by Dunkin Donuts.

In addition to the free treats, students were able to sit down and enjoy live entertainment from sophomore Jason Lapin.

Lapin plays guitar and sings for his band Crazy Superhero Sex Villain.

Lapin said he felt honored to help open the Christmas festivities for the University. He also said that the diversity of the student body helped to make the occasion even more special for him.

“It’s beautiful to look out and see all the different cultures and backgrounds that go to our school and how easy it is for us to get along,” he said. “I wish the rest of the world could see how diverse this special place is and take lessons from us.”

Lapin said that he’s been surrounded by diversity his whole life, coming from a household with Jewish and Christian parents. “I myself celebrate both Hannukah and Christmas, coming from a two religion household,” he said although on stage joked that he celebrated “Chrismukkah.”

The festivities continued that night with “The Colors of Praise” in the Little Theatre presented by Sinai’s Radiant Liturgical Praise Dance Ministry and the Voices of Victory. The show’s mission was to “spread the word and joy of Christ through dance and music,” according to the University website.

During the weekend Campus Activities held their weekly Live Love Learn event with Holiday treats and decorating holiday mugs and snow globes. Junior Trisha Tagle said that the event “Was definitely the right way to get people into the spirit of the season.”
She said that the people were having fun and helping each other with decorating. “I actually decorated a couple of people’s which was fun,” she said. “Though the glitter did kind of get everywhere.”

The Great Lawn became Central Park on Dec. 6 with free horse carriages rides.
Director of Student Life Jodi Cox said that the horse carriages rides have become a holiday traidtion at St. John’s. “So many people look forward to it every year,” she said. “Not just students either, the administrators and faculty too.”

Morgan Wright, a chair of Student Affairs, has been working since the summer to put the event together. “It gets kind of stressful,” she said. “Especially the week before because we have to make sure everything is put together.”

The Christmas Carnival culminates in with the New York City Christmas Spectacular show Dec. 7. Representatives from Student Government, Fr. James Maher and University President Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M. will give speeches in front of St. Augustine Hall before lighting the University tree on the Great Lawn. Following the lighting, fireworks will be set off.

Concerns about the fireworks were discussed because of the inclement bad weather. If winds reach up to 20 miles-per-hour the fireworks will have to be cancelled.