Christmas lights created a smiley face outlining windows, a Nittany Lion on the bushes and a rose next to the Lion outside the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house Thursday night, all aspects which helped them capture first place.
The Off-Campus Student Union along with the Interfraternity Council (IFC) hosted its third annual Holiday Lights tour which featured fraternity houses on and off campus decorated for the holidays. About 35 people rode on the bus tour, which traveled by the 26 houses that registered for judging.
Houses are judged on holiday spirit, creativity, difficulty, and originality with possible bonus points being awarded to those houses that go above and beyond, said Tim Uhrich, Off-Campus Student Union co-chair for Holiday Lights.
"We're trying to foster better relations between the community and greek life," Uhrich (senior-political science and history) said. "They're lightin' up the town and getting in the holiday spirit."
On Burrowes Street, the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house went for a more classical approach to decorating their house. The brick house was decorated with wreaths tied with red ribbon, which were highlighted by spotlights. The bushes donned hundreds of white lights.
Traveling down Beaver Avenue, the tour halted at Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. The roof, doors and windows were outlined with white lights. The brothers of the fraternity invited the tour in to the house to enjoy refreshments and the atmosphere inside, which included a Christmas tree, warmth from a crackling fire and Pierre the moose, who hung on the wall, wore a Santa hat and a red bow tie.
A brother who worked on putting up the decorations, Gary Warren (junior-civil engineering) said it took them around three days to set up everything and cost easily over $500.
"Holiday Lights is one of our favorite events," he said. "We take pride in our house. We want to represent ourselves well, especially because we're right on Beaver Ave."
Their work paid off and won them the second place spot in the competition.
On the tour, the guide, John Sladewski (senior-human development and family studies), told the passengers fun facts about each fraternity house. Sladewski also got the crowd in the holiday spirit by initiating Christmas carols like "Jingle Bells" and "Frosty the Snowman," between houses.
But, passengers on the bus weren't the only ones singing Thursday night. Phi Kappa Theta fraternity, whose house was fully decorated with white lights on the trees, bushes and outlining the greek symbols on top of the house, had brothers singing on the front steps to the visitors. Phi Kappa Theta won third place in the competition.
Some of the participants and judges on the tour were Borough Manager, Tom Fountaine, Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims, and Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Roy Baker. Baker said he enjoyed the surprises on the tour.
"It was really good. The guys singing was definitely a surprise," he said. "And the Rose Bowl stuff at the PIKA house was cute."
