On December 3rd, 2024, Stewart Hall hosted their annual Winter Party. They had decorated the lobby with a balloon arch, which was in front of an iridescent backdrop for photos, balloon arrangements that were Christmas trees, and then even had wrapped presents under the Christmas tree in the middle of the lobby. The lobby furniture was rearranged to make room for a table with coloring pages and a snack table with hot chocolate, candy canes, crescent rolls, pigs in a blanket, Chex Mix, and holiday red and green cookies, while “Home Alone” played in the background. There was a “pop-up” photo booth where attendees could take a picture or make a video that would then be displayed in a Christmas card-esque digital frame that said “Stewart Hall Winter Party” which they could email or text to their phone as a souvenir.
Stewart also had not one, but two snow machines creating wintry magic as you walked in the front doors. At their front desk, there was a place to stop and guess how many M&M’s were in one jar and how many miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups there were in another one for a prize. There was an outdoor blow up screen that had Christmas karaoke pulled up on it. There was a life size snow globe that party attendees could walk in and take pictures in. However, the thing that drew the most attention and attendance was that Stewart Hall had an actual horse – drawn carriage that attendees could sign up to go on a ride in that took them throughout the SWOSU campus “U” that starts by Stewart Hall and the University Grill and ends in between Neff Hall and the Al Harris Library. The carriage rides were extremely popular this year as last year’s holiday party, Stewart had to cancel the carriage rides due to equipment malfunction the night before.
The Stewart Hall Winter Party is the 3rd and final big event that Reslife has in the Fall Semester, the first two being Neff Hall Olympics in September and Mann Hall Mania in October. The Stewart Hall Winter Party is also the last Reslife event for any building for the Fall Semester, with the party typically falling in the first week of December, which is also when Dead Week is before finals. The Stewart Hall Winter Party is thrown at this time as a “last hurrah” for Reslife and Dorm Events before finals. It is also supposed to be something to look forward to in the midst of dead week, finals, packing up for Winter Break, being with friends, and of course, a “finale” of an on campus event for the occasional December graduate of SWOSU. So, if you missed out this year, no need to fret, December 2025 will be here soon enough, and the annual Stewart Hall Winter Party will be right back along with it. Happy Holidays to the Stewart, Neff, Oklahoma, Mann North, Mann South, and Black Kettle Halls staff, and Happy Holidays to everybody from The Southwestern staff! Have a good break and remember, Reslife Recap will be back with new dorm events very soon!
