Hanging of the Greens

Hanging of the Greens Program, 1940.

In 1930, President Herman Donovan began the long tradition of the Hanging of the Greens. This ceremony aimed to recreate the English custom of decking the halls with evergreen as a symbol of the Nativity. The ritual included Christmas music, scripture readings delivered by a local religious leader, and a short ceremony. The Hanging of the Greens would begin with trumpet players marching down the hall followed by pairs of women. These women would be dressed in white robes, while carrying green boughs and candles to hang. The ceremony began in Burnam Hall, but was moved to Keen Johnson in 1941 after the number of participants began growing. The last EKU Hanging of the Greens ceremony took place in 1997.