Positivity: This Catholic school’s official holiday is Groundhog Day?
Feb 1, 2018 / 05:00 pm
Students at the University of Dallas have an unusual favorite holiday. Groundhog Day.
“The holiday is more than just a large party,” said Larisa Thelan, Alumni Relations Officer. “It’s a celebration of student and alumni camaraderie, [a chance] to take a break and enjoy life.”
“The students make a point to celebrate this Catholic camaraderie, where you are enjoying your life … taking a break from your responsibilities for a day, and relishing that you are all in a Catholic community,” she told CNA.
As the story goes, some students in the 1950s approached the university’s president looking for a fun activity to entertain themselves during the bleak season of winter. The president was busy, and, half-jokingly, suggested Groundhog Day.
The students made Groundhog Day their official school holiday 55 years ago. Today, it is celebrated with a champagne breakfast, a five-kilometer run, and a bonfire barbecue, with hayrides and live music. Thelan said 2,500 people are expected to attend this year’s Groundhog Party on Saturday night.
Students wake up on Groundhog Day with a “feeling like Christmas,” Thelan said, and start the morning with mimosas. Classes are cancelled, and a festival spanning several days begins. …
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