The history of the TCU Christmas tree lighting

On Tuesday, many in the TCU community will take a break from their daily routines to join in a century-old university tradition: lighting the Christmas tree.

The earliest record of the campus Christmas tree is 1910, according to TCU special collections. Tonight's ceremony evolved from a celebration started in the 1980s that included a toy drive. It’s since moved from the front of Sadler Hall to the Campus Commons. Thousands are expected to fill the Commons tonight to enjoy a live Christmas performance, drink hot chocolate and watch the 46-foot evergreen be lit up. 

“The Annual Tree Lighting brings together everyone in celebration of the end of the semester,” Kelly Lee, the director of student activities, said. “It is a time to celebrate the community TCU has created for its students and start the end of the semester on a cheerful note.”

Student activities coordinates the event with an assist from the Student Government Association, which pays for the 40- to 50-foot tree. 

This year’s tree arrived Friday, Nov. 15 with little fanfare. It was just another sunny day in the Commons with students going to and from class, heading to dining halls, or relaxing in the deck chairs with friends. Few people stopped to notice when the 46-foot Norway Spruce, tightly wound for its travel from Michigan, rolled into the Commons.

A crane and several workers hoisted the bare evergreen into place. 

A few passersby snapped photos or shot videos with their phones, but most barely noted the tree. 

At around 1:00 p.m., it was up. It was now ready to let its branches fall and settle into the position that it would stand for the next month and a half. The holiday season had arrived on campus. 

Days prior to the tree lighting ceremony, the evergreen was decorated. It was now not only a massive, 46-foot evergreen that stood at the bottom of the commons, but now it was a Christmas tree. And to the entire TCU and Fort Worth community, this meant that one thing was coming: The annual TCU Christmas tree lighting. 

Each year, the TCU Christmas tree lighting is put on by SGA and the Student Activities office helps coordinate the event. The SGA allocates money to the tree every year and looks for one ranging in 40- to 50- feet. The first tree lighting ceremony in the campus commons took place in 2009 when the commons were built, but the tradition has been ongoing for over 40 years.  

This year, the tree lighting and concert will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Campus Commons. The ceremony will include the lighting of the tree, refreshments, a live concert, SuperFrog Santa and fireworks.

The event schedule will be as follows: 

6:00 p.m.: Campus commons opens

6:30 p.m.: Concert performance at Frog Fountain

7:10 p.m.: Tree lighting ceremony and fireworks presentation outside of Brown Lupton University Union

7:25 p.m. to 8:10 p.m.: Concert performance at Frog Fountain

Not only is the annual TCU Christmas tree lighting a cherished tradition for university students and faculty, but it’s also a memorable night for the entire Fort Worth community. The event draws thousands of Horned Frogs and community members from across the region each year. 

In addition to the fireworks, tree lighting, photo-ops and refreshments, it is also tradition for the ceremony to have a live performance of Christmas songs for the crowd. This year, TCU will host Drew and Ellie Holcomb who have performed several times in the past. 

“We love being invited and it is always a great time,” Drew Holcomb said. “It’s the only show we do all year that is split in half by an enormous Christmas tree being lit and then a big fireworks show. There is also a lot of energy from the students and the people from around town who come to the tree lighting.” 

The duo will sing half traditional Christmas songs and half original songs. 

The Holcombs are from Nashville, Tennessee. Shortly after their marriage in 2006, the couple started touring together with “Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors.”

Although Ellie no longer tours with The Neighbors, she has found success with her solo career as a Christain singer/songwriter. She is a three-time Dove Award winner as well as a best selling author. Drew still tours nationally with his band. 

The couple’s performance will take place at Frog Fountain.

“There is a rotation of artists that have been a part of the Tree Lighting and every year they want to come back,” Lee said. “Our artists this year are looking forward to being back at TCU.”

There are a few who are as involved with the tree lighting ceremony as students on campus. Not only will you find faculty and staff members along with their families at lighting, but the alumni association is one organization that is as involved as anyone else. Each year the organization sends out an email promoting the tree lighting, and not shockingly, it remains one of the people’s favorite TCU traditions. 

Brooke Shuman, one of the alumni association directors, first graduated from TCU in 2003. From first being a first year in 1999 to now working for the university, she has seen the tradition expand immensely since. Before the campus commons were built, the tree lighting ceremony took place in front of Sadler Hall with a much smaller tree and certainly no fireworks. While it looks a bit different now (with the tree sizes nearly doubling, concert performances, crowds of thousands and out-of-the-park firework shows) there is one charm that the tradition has not lost: the celebration of the community coming together as one. 

And there’s a reason why the tradition has grown so much and continues to reach new heights each year: that’s because it’s a favorite for the university and Fort Worth community.

Back when the tree sat in front of Sadler Hall up until 2009, it was sponsored by the Order Omega toy drive.

Shuman remembers students reading a line from "The Night Before Christmas" and bringing toys to donate to the foundation. With former chancellor Michael R. Ferrari lighting the tree and facilitating the ceremony, the event still held the same elements of singing and spreading Christmas cheer. 

Now the alumni association is involved as ever as a partner of the event with their promoting and involvement. 

You can find two tents in the commons during the ceremony handing out necklaces with the association’s logo and have the opportunity to write letters to Santa which will be sent directly to the North Pole.

Shuman encourages those who are young and also young at heart to come and write a letter to St. Nick. The association also provides an opportunity for people to send postcards to veterans which will be taken to the VA hospital in Fort Worth.

The tent will be run by alumni volunteers and staff, as well as members of the student foundation.

“I remember doing this as a TCU student and now I get to be a part of continuing the tradition," Shuman said. "It's a great opportunity and it's why I love what I do. Whenever I ask alumni and students what their favorite tradition is, this is brought up all the time. So to continue this tradition is very special. There’s a lot of things that have changed but this has stayed the same. We’re still doing it from almost 100 years ago. Traditions evolve but the core of what we're doing stays the same."

This year's tree lighting comes as students prepare for dead days and to go home for the holidays, but this wasn’t always the case. When TCU was known as AddRan Christian University, parents couldn’t always expect to have their kids come home for the holiday.  

Why have Christmas tree lightings become such a big deal? 

While the TCU Christmas tree lighting ceremony is a highly anticipated night, the tree lighting tradition has been made an annual event that is a global phenomenon.  

These ceremonies are a way of carrying out traditions as a way to unite communities, put a smile on people’s faces and inlight the feeling of Christmas cheer. But it’s also a way for those who don’t feel as welcome in a community to feel a part of something. The holiday season can be hard for those students who are away from home, and this tradition is a way to celebrate.

These events are not just about illuminating towering evergreens, but more so about fostering togetherness, creating cherished memories and kindling the warmth of community spirit. While winter can sometimes be a time of darkness and blues, tree lightings highlight the importance of fellowship, love and generosity of the human spirit. 

Come join the TCU and Fort Worth Community tonight in the campus commons to continue this amazing tradition and celebrate holiday cheer.