Christmas Around the World officially began Nov. 7 with the lighting of the ACU Christmas tree and a concert featuring ACU alumnus Aaron Watson.

The festivities began with the Christmas Culture Fair. Various small businesses and student-led organizations populated the lawn of Circle Drive. Local vendors such as Mezamiz Coffee House, Oh So Sunny, and Abi Thrift made an appearance. In terms of student-led organizations, groups such as the African Student Association, Hispanos Unidos, and the International Students Association operated booths that displayed their culture’s take on the Christmas holiday. 

“We really want Christmas Around the World to be focused around the international students,”  Brantley Brumley, SGA marketing director, and concert director, said. “Our next two weeks of events, on the SGA side, are all culture-focused and diversity-focused.”

Multiple groups performed leading up to the concert including S’morship, the OMA worship group, and the Ortiz Elementary School Honors Choir. 

After the opening acts, the Christmas lighting took place and the Aaron Watson concert began shortly after.

In addition to his music, Aaron Watson presented a positive message towards our military and local law enforcement. Both the message and music seemed to have resonated with students there.

“We loved it so much and we love the fact that he supports our veterans,”  Dan Hastings, a freshman business major from Westborough, Massachusetts, said. 

In addition to SGA, a variety of volunteers and organizations were responsible for Sunday night. People such as Omar Ortiz, the president and owner of 83 entertainment, were able to connect ACU with Aaron Watson. Emerald Cassidy, the director of digital content and community relations at ACU, was able to reach out to Ortiz Elementary and have them perform as an opening act. Along with fellow members of SGA and Student Life, Brumley notes that a multitude of people were involved with planning and running the event. 

“Just seeing everybody with all of their talents come together in one culminating event has been so so much fun,” Brumley said. “There is an endless amount of thank yous to go around to the people that helped. All of our volunteers, all the organizations, all the people in SGA, everybody in Student Life, people have been nothing but helpful and over the top helping, and that’s what makes ACU what it is.”