Decorations help campus Christmas spirit

Christmas trees and other decorations have been placed in buildings around BYU-Idaho’s campus. According to Forbes, the average American spends about $93 a year on a Christmas tree and decorations. LINDSAY CYNGOT | Scroll Photography

The BYU-Idaho grounds department has decorated each building on campus with trees and wreaths to prepare campus for the Christmas season.

Mary Martin, a greenhouse specialist and part of the grounds department said much goes into preparing campus for the holiday season.

Martin said she and her crew of seven decorate the interior of all but three main buildings on campus.

The crew started with putting a total of 21 wreaths throughout the buildings, Martin said. They hung garlands in the BYU-Idaho Center, Hyrum Manwaring Student Center, Spencer W. Kimball Student and Administrative Services Building, and the John W. Hart Building.

Martin’s crew has 35 trees that they are continuing to put in the interiors of the buildings.

Martin said she tries to put them where they can be seen the most by everyone.

She said the placement of each tree is approved by the campus safety officer.

Martin said 17 of the trees are decorated with ornaments.

She said seven of the trees are decorated by her crew and 10 are decorated by students in the Activities Department.

The 18 trees in the BYU-I Center are not decorated with ornaments.

Instead, the BYU-I center trees are only decorated with white lights, which one of President Clark’s committees takes care of, to create a more reverent atmosphere.

Martin’s crew delivers centerpieces to the secretary desks in each department. In total, they hand out 100   centerpieces.

“I think it makes campus feel like home,” said Ashley Sayre, a sophomore studying exercise physiology. “All the decorations make me feel important.”

Sayre said she has seen Grounds Department employees around campus setting the garlands and wreaths, getting campus ready for the season and making campus have a sentimental familiarity of home.

“It shows that they really care about making us feel welcome and at home,” said Jacob Gibson, a freshman studying psychology. “I appreciate the effort that they put into it.”

Martin said that her crew has received a lot of compliments on the decorations they did this year and that it is nice to feel appreciated for the work that they do.

Sayre said she has enjoyed seeing the trees and decorations on campus.

“I feel like seeing all the decorations on campus has made the winter a little bit less gloomy,” Sayre said.

Sayre said she loves the atmosphere and the spirit that is present during this holiday season, and the decorations add to it.

“Sometimes it can be hard to get into the Christmas spirit when you’re studying and preparing for finals, which are the week before Christmas,” Sayre said. “The decorations really help lift the spirit of Christmas on campus.”

Gibson said that even though he feels it is too early for Christmas decorations and music, he does appreciate the time Martin and her crew spent to do this for the school.

“I love the spirit that seems to go everywhere around Christmas time,” Gibson said. “It causes people to think more outwardly and to help others in their times of need.”

Martin said she hopes that students will leave the lights of the trees plugged in so that everyone can enjoy the light they give off.