HANGING OF THE GREENS SET FOR DEC. 5

Nov. 10, 2003

HANGING OF THE GREENS SET FOR DEC. 5

UNM's oldest tradition, the Hanging of the Greens, will be held Friday, Dec. 5.

Free and open to all, the festive event begins at 5 p.m. with a reception at University House hosted by President and Mrs. Louis Caldera.

At 6 p.m., at the UNM Alumni Chapel, faculty, staff, students, their families and the community are invited to join carolers to tour the luminaria lit campus - winding back to University House by 7 p.m. where students will present the Calderas with a wreath near the entryway.

Step inside after the ceremony and warm up with hot cider and holiday refreshments with the Calderas. Lobo Lucy and Santa are also scheduled to make appearances.

Hanging of the Greens began in the 1930s. Students traveled to the Sandia Mountains to gather greens for decorating the student union and sang carols on campus with faculty and staff. Mortar Board began coordinating the event in the 1950s and does so today. Now the campus is lit with more than 10,000 luminarias, some 20-30 student organizations participate and the president hosts an open house.

The following morning, guests are invited to return to campus to take home the luminarias.