the great hall.

My dad went to this lovely Catholic private school in Central Minnesota. St. John's University (home of the "Johnnies") is renowned not only for it's football program, architecture, and 'Johnnie bread', but also for its deeply rooted traditions, especially at Christmastime.

One of my favorite holiday memories is a midnight walk on Christmas eve with my dad, on and around the frozen lake on campus (the campus is HUGE). Afterward, we caught up with those who had attended midnight mass in the Abbey church. Post-service, they service gingerbread cookies in the Great Hall, and we were just in time to catch the cookies. During the Christmas season, they have a big, beautiful tree that is classically decorated as the center piece of the space. It fits perfectly in the huge dome/archway that characterizes the Great Hall. While the Great Hall is a beautiful space, it is, like many old buildings, made up of narrow doorways and tight spaces. I never gave much thought to the logistics of the Christmas tree until I saw this video...