Texas Tech University
They say it’s the most wonderful time of the year and nowhere is that truer than at
Texas Tech during the beloved Carol of Lights ® ceremony. Held annually at the beginning
of December, this cherished tradition transforms the campus into a glowing celebration
of the holiday season, filled with lights, music and a sense of community that’s pure
Red Raider spirit.
The event welcomes students, faculty, staff and the broader Lubbock community to the
campus to gather and celebrate the holiday season, while also extending the magic
to an online audience. As guests find the perfect spot to watch the spirit teams march
in, everyone is invited to enjoy musical performances, sing along to familiar Christmas
carols with the Tech choir and take in heartfelt speeches and dazzling fireworks.
The ceremony builds in excitement as the switch is flipped and several campus buildings
are suddenly bathed in festive light.
Carol of Lights® is more than just an event; it’s a truly unique holiday tradition that should not be missed.
Don Roulain, assistant managing director for Grounds Maintenance says, “when all the buildings light up, that’s the kickoff to Christmas”
To create such a holiday atmosphere for all to experience it takes months of behind the scenes planning and coordination across multiple campus departments to bring this magical evening to life. Several Operations units play a crucial role in preparing for the event, supporting it on the day of and managing the post-event tear-down in January.
Like Santa’s elves working behind the scenes, the Operations team begins their holiday
magic early. Beginning in September, the Electric Shop starts stringing thousands
of LED lights across campus buildings, with the goal of completing the setup by Thanksgiving.
They focus their efforts on the buildings lining the Broadway main entrance, around
the Engineering Key and the Sciences and Administration buildings. Featuring between
50,000 to 55,000 LED lights in a festive pattern of white, orange and red, the lights
are energy-efficient and allow for more buildings to be lit on a single circuit. In
the Engineering Key, Red Raider spirit beams bright as the Electric Shop designs the
Double T and Guns Up symbols on two of the buildings.
This dazzling effort takes about two months to complete and involves six full-time employees working daily, with student assistants now joining in for hands-on experience. To keep the surprise alive, the team tests lights at night and conducts a full system check days before the event, replacing broken or missing bulbs as needed.
“It’s really fulfilling when they flip the switch and everything comes on. It feels really good,” says Keith Mashore, unit manager of the Electric Shop.
To add to the festiveness, the Electric Shop works with Grounds Maintenance to also provide lights for the massive wreath that adorns the center of the Science Building. To prepare this showstopper, the Grounds team begins by harvesting evergreen branches from campus trees to create the wreath. They partner with the Women’s Service Organization (WSO), a student group that traditionally assembles the evergreen on the wreath. Grounds provides tools and materials to assist the helpful hands, while the Electric Shop supplies the bucket truck to lift the wreath, well over 20 feet in diameter, safely into place.
By mid-November, the towering 38-foot-tall artificial Christmas tree begins to rise.
Piece by piece, it’s built
by many hands and once complete the star is lifted high to shine for the season.
To ensure the tree’s safety during the season, Grounds also works with the Texas Tech
Police, Fire Marshal and LP&L to set up a nearby camera.
Meanwhile, Space & Resource Management ensures months in advance that no events are scheduled in buildings that are involved in the ceremony, keeping the stage clear for the magic to unfold.
On the long-awaited day of the Carol of Lights® ceremony, the Operations team joins the event organizers to begin the physical setup of the ceremony through on-the-ground support. The Electric Shop performs a “blackout” of select buildings to reduce light pollution, ensuring the Christmas lights shine bright during the event. They also ensure buildings are cleared of occupants for safety before turning off lights.
Grounds Maintenance fills the luminaries lining the sidewalks with sand to keep them grounded, sets out trash cans for guest’s use and a fire barrel for the Saddle Tramps who march through campus with torches to signal the start of the ceremony. They also coordinate with Texas Tech Police and Transportation & Parking to set up barricades and hospitality tents. After the event, Grounds Maintenance will work throughout the evening to ensure all trash is cleaned up and barricades are removed.
Transportation & Parking begins preparations a week ahead of the event, clearing certain
lots, such as R08 in front of Chemistry, for stage setup. This team oversees managing
all event-related parking for staff, volunteers, vendors and guests. During the ceremony,
they monitor roadblocks to ensure restricted areas
remain secure.
Meanwhile, the Building Access Service Center remains on standby to assist with any key or lock issues, particularly for Texas Tech Police, ensuring quick resolution if a cylinder malfunctions. Space & Resource Management works alongside Texas Tech Police to ensure they are onsite with the necessary sets of keys, allowing officers quick access to key buildings throughout the event.
“It takes a village to make this all happen,” says Don Roulain.
When the final moments of the Carol of Lights ® celebration arrives and the campus
is illuminated, the lights remain on each evening throughout December and into early
January for the campus and Lubbock community to enjoy. To manage the seasonal display,
the Electric Shop programs timers to ensure the lights come on nightly while avoiding
unnecessary overnight illumination. It’s not unusual to see a member of the Operations
team driving through campus to make sure all the lights are still lit, as well as
enjoying the spectacle themselves.
Once campus reopens in January, the work begins to dismantle the holiday displays as Operations prepare for Winter and Spring. The Electric Shop begins by removing all the lights, a process normally taking around a month. While Grounds Maintenance will start dismantling the Christmas tree the first part of January.
Though the holiday season may officially be over, the joy and spirit we felt during Carol of Lights® lingers long after the final bulb is packed away.
As Keith Mashore shared, “it is a blessing to do this project.”
His words reflect the pride and heart behind the scenes, reminding us that the magic of the season is made possible by the dedication of those who work to bring it to life.