Home for the holidays… dorm room style

by Kelsey Christianson

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and April Zobel’s got the spirit.

The senior is ready for the holiday season. Zobel’s apartment shows her enthusiasm – it’s filled with the aroma of evergreen.

“I love the holidays,” Zobel said. “It puts me in the spirit and makes it feel like home.”

After Thanksgiving break, she put up two small Christmas trees, complete with wrapped presents underneath. Candles and holly grace the entertainment center.

Another one of Zobel’s favorite decorations is a singing snowman with a barking dog as his sidekick. The duo performs “Jingle Bells” at the touch of a button.

Zobel is the community advisor for Colonial House. Her building is participating the holiday lighting contest for apartments at Simpson.

The victorious building will receive a party at The Sports Page for the all of its residents on Dec. 10.

The apartments aren’t the only residences getting into the Christmas spirit.

Freshmen roommates Emily Marshall and Hailey Johnson decorated with vigor for Kresge Hall’s door-decoration competition.

“If we win we’ll both get a $25 gift card to Wal-Mart,” Marshall said.

Marshall and Johnson spent many hours cutting out letters, hanging snowflakes from the ceiling and pasting their faces on paper snowmen. They hope the reward for their hard work will pay off their decoration bill.

“We’ve spend about $15,” Johnson said.

To prepare for their extensive decorating, the roommates walked around the halls of Kresge to see what their fellow residents had done to decorate their doors.

“We scoped out the competition and I’m pretty confident,” Johnson said.

Win or lose, the holiday decorations have provided a homey feel and spread holiday cheer.

“It’s been really fun,” Marshall said. “People should get more involved in it. Everyone is in the holiday spirit now.”