Holiday celebration scales back production to follow COVID-19 guidelines

“A Taste of Winterfest” was held in lieu of the traditionally grand December event, generating both excitement and concern from different groups of students who were notified of the in-person celebration. Photos by JASMIN SANI, Editor-in-Chief

Last year, soapy suds reminiscent of snowflakes fell from the sky as members from both Chapman University and the local Orange community gathered in the Attallah Piazza. Yet those memories of lights, decorative scaffolding and guest appearances from Mr. and Mrs. Claus are now long in the past, as COVID-19 shifted how the holiday spirit would be commemorated this winter season.

The usual $60,000 budget to fund “Winterfest” was scaled back to $30,000 to put on its sister event, appropriately titled, “A Taste of Winterfest.” Chapman held three separate pop-up tables and photo booths Dec. 8 to Dec. 10 for the estimated 550 attendees, said Sheryl Bourgeois, the executive vice president of University Advancement. Visitors were given the choice to stop by the Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine, the Chapman Grand Apartments in Anaheim or the main Orange campus to pick up a packaged mug filled with holiday goodies and take a decorative photo.

Despite the well-meaning sentiment, one blaring alarm went off in many heads: the health and safety of the event in the midst of a global pandemic. Although foot traffic was directed and Public Safety officers were stationed to check that attendees had completed the return-to-campus process – which includes taking an at-home COVID-19 test, passing a COVID-19 training module and registering for a daily symptom questionnaire – Shelbyann Malcolm, a senior creative producing major, viewed the event as irresponsible.   

“The university is just throwing away everything they said about trying to keep everyone safe,” Malcolm said. “There’s only so much that a screening questionnaire can detect. People might not answer the questionnaire accurately or truthfully just so they can hang out with their friends on campus.”

However, Dean of Students Jerry Price emphasized to The Panther that A Taste of Winterfest is “not an event at all.” Planning meetings for the pop-up were first held Nov. 11, and Price noted that additional elements were intentionally left out of the smaller scaled production to ensure student safety and appropriate public depiction – feeling it “inappropriate” to call it an event. 

“It’s a nod to Winterfest … We wanted it to be something that kind of hinted at something that’s Chapman, but knowing it wasn’t going to be that at all,” Price said. “If we can do something as a pick-me-up or treat to buoy spirits, it’s worth the investment.”

The free packaged mug contained a snowman cookie, Godiva hot chocolate mix and complimentary face mask.

Malcolm acknowledged that the university is doing its best to provide students a meaningful college experience, but she argued that hosting an in-person event is not the proper way to go about doing so. Instead, she said a mailed care package would’ve properly demonstrated the university’s solidarity with students during the upsetting but necessary time of isolation.

But for Alexis Reekie, a freshman philosophy and political science double major, the event offered one of her first tangible moments connecting with Chapman’s traditions. From a Grinch-themed outdoor photo booth to a free mug, snowman cookie, Godiva hot chocolate mix and complimentary face mask, Reekie said the highlight from attending the Dec. 9 pop-up at Chapman Grand was the fake snow that “tied the whole event together.”

“A lot of freshmen were really excited about it … There was social distancing and everything was safe, but it was especially nice to go and see other people that I haven’t had the opportunity to,” Reekie said. “Chapman makes an effort to make sure students who might not feel as involved have the opportunities to get involved.”

Some students who came to the event were turned away because they could not show Public Safety officers their “CLEAR” COVID-19 health screening email. In those cases, Bourgeois said the students were still brought a packaged mug to their cars. Bourgeois was part of the staff managing the event in-person on each of its three days and commended how smoothly A Taste of Winterfest played out.

“We were thrilled to see so many students, some freshmen who have never experienced Winterfest, see a little taste of it,” Bourgeois said. “I just want all of our students to know that we are seriously committed to bringing the Chapman experience to them no matter what position we find ourselves in; they’re a part of our Chapman family.”