The Giving Tree is a tradition at Longwood University that started as far back as 1936, according to the yearbooks. Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Shelton said, "It used to be called ‘The Christmas Tree,' and then it was changed to ‘The Holiday Tree' and today we call it ‘The Giving Tree.'"In addition, the tree was originally outside of The Rotunda and was brought inside the building around 1947. A group of students known as the Freshman Commission were in charge of decorating it.
Dr. James Jordan, professor of anthropology, said, "The tradition of bringing evergreen trees inside human shelters has an extremely long history."Jordan stated, "Many cultures celebrate some sort of big ritual at the time of the winter solstice … around Dec. 21 or 22 … Many people in other cultures say we celebrate this important ritual of fertility and goodness right after the shortest day of the year because we note that the next couple of days are getting longer by a few seconds and we are thankful that the earth is not descending into a never ending spiral of snow on snow and ice as hard as iron because now we are guaranteed another year of fruitfulness. So, in order to keep that in mind, they would bring things into the house that reminded them of fruitfulness … like a tree that never dies."
When Jordan got to Longwood in 1978, the tree was still a live tree. Jordan said, "It was a big ‘un! They were cutting them down the first few years in Buckingham County and brought them down in a huge truck. They'd have to tie them up with rope to get it in the front door of The Rotunda, and then they popped the rope off and watch the thing spring out … then someone called the state fire marshal."
Jordan said, "When it became a fake tree, the first year it was a tiny little tree, and it looked laughable in The Rotunda; I even think Joan of Arc was laughing at it." The tree that now stands in The Rotunda was purchased in 2006. About 100 poinsettias surround the outside of the tree and are taken down to the retirement community after final exams.
John Ellison, Longwood's Carpentry and Painting Supervisor, plays a big part in helping put the tree up. Ellison said, "It's a 30 foot emerald green giant that has approximately 15,000 lights on it." The tree originally had six sections to it, but Ellison said, "Dr. Cormier didn't like that you couldn't see the top of it so we took one section off and had to re-weld it. So instead of six sections, we now have five sections, and instead of 30 feet it's 25 feet."
This year the women's softball team and some of the men's baseball team helped fluff the branches of the tree. Ellison said, "We couldn't have done it without their help." Once all the branches were fluffed, the sections were put together. According to Ellison, "It took us one day to put it up and one day to decorate."
When it comes time for the Grand Illumination, which was held on Nov. 17 at 5 p.m., Ellison said, "Our little elf Marty gets up in the middle of the tree and turns the lights on every year … he's our electrician." Every year Joan Finnegan adds a little more to the tree. Ellison said, "This year it was the icicles. It just keeps getting prettier every year."
The Giving Tree is more than just holiday decoration. Last year, Joan Finnegan asked the organizations that sponsor The Giving Tree program to move their program to the tree in The Rotunda. Sigma Sigma Sigma, Theta Chi Fraternity and The National Student Speed Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) usually hold their program in the dining hall where they hand out generic and sponsor cards.
Junior and Treasurer of Sigma Sigma Sigma Lauren D'Agostino, said, "This year we have 200 generic cards and 50 sponsor cards. All the generic cards are donations to the organizations like the SPCA or pregnancy support system and the sponsor cards are specific kids who want like a jacket or some toys." Generic cards are hung on the tree while the sponsor cards are handed out in D-Hall. D'Agostino said, "We ran out of the sponsor cards in three hours."
This program is a great way for Longwood students and faculty to give back to the community. The drop off dates will be Dec. 5 to the 8 in the student union.
