Modern Christmas at Samford is a joyous and loudly celebrated holiday. The way Samford celebrates the season has changed greatly over our 184 years of history. 1956 featured the fourth annual Christmas and the Fine Arts Festival that covered 11 whole days of concerts, art exhibits, and recitals. 1965 featured a pageant that took over a huge portion of Seibert Hall.

Image. Christmas and the Fine Arts flyer, 1956

Image. Pageant layout plans for Seibert Hall, 1965

Image. Catalog and Register of Howard College, 1845/46, page

The exuberant celebration of the season across campus has not always been the norm. In the early days of Samford University, when we were men’s only Howard College, students were lucky to get any time off at all. Our first catalog from the 1845-46 year informs us that one week was given for Christmas after a school wide examination.

By our final year in Marion, Alabama (1886-1887) Christmas break shrank to but one day! The catalog says this, “There is no vacation during the session. Classes push rapidly ahead every day; and a student can not [sic] leave at any time without loss. One day is given at Christmas but no student is allowed to go home at this time.”

Image. Catalog and Register of Howard College, 1886/87, 2 pages

What a difference from the several weeks modern students have to spend the bulk of the holiday season with their friends and families both near and far.