SU decorates Christmas tree with paintings of nature made by students

SU administrators, faculty, staff, and students pose for a group photo during the ceremonial lighting ceremony of the 2022 University Christmas Tree.

Silliman University (SU) decorated its 2022 University Christmas Tree with paintings of nature made by students, as a reminder of the importance of protecting the environment.

The SU Alumni and External Affairs Office, which is in charge of decorating the University Christmas Tree every year, led the ceremonial lighting of the Tree last December 5, 2022 at the East Quadrangle of the SU campus.

SU collaborated with the SU Student Government (SUSG) to gather student volunteers who created the paintings, which show elements of the sky, land, and sea.

Dr. Betty Cernol McCann, SU president, said during the ceremony that the natural environment is a “gift” from the Creator that people can enjoy all year round.

“Here at Silliman University, we take the environment seriously so that we can have all these (natural resources) for the generation to come,” said McCann.

Moira Elizabeth Sy, a representative of the SUSG Student Assembly’s Beautification and Aesthetics Committee, said the SUSG Socio-cultural Committee chose the theme of this year’s Christmas tree inspired by Debra Fraiser’s children’s book, “On the Day You Were Born.”

“The story is about the blessings we receive when we are born. As we come into the world, God blesses us with animals to welcome us, the sea to swim in, the forests to explore, and more. We have been given so much by God and we truly enjoy it, but we have also forgotten to take care of what we have been given…But it is not too late to undo what had been done. We can still take care of the world so that when the day comes that our children are born, they will also get to enjoy what we had. They too will get to swim in the sea, roam the forests, play with the animals and look up to our stars…Together, let us protect, maintain and love our environment,” said Sy.

Sy said creating the paintings for the Tree was a “great opportunity” for students to interact with each other, feel involved in university activities, and celebrate Christmas with the University.

The SU Big Band, formerly known as the SU Jazz Band, performed during the ceremony.

SU is in its fifth year of maintaining its tradition of having an eco-friendly University Christmas Tree made of biodegradable, reused, and reusable materials and having a theme aligned with SU’s environmental advocacy.

In 2021, SU also decorated its Christmas Tree with paintings with a focus on marine life. In 2018 and 2019, the Tree was decorated with upcycled, empty wine bottles, while in 2020 it was decorated with fishing-inspired, eco-friendly decorations as a reminder of the importance of sustainable fishing practices.