Lubbock Christian University’s annual Big Blue Christmas brought the same festive cheer to campus in the form of a Drive-Through, with an unprecedented community response.
Terri Warren, Director of University Events, explained over the course of the last seven years from when Big Blue Christmas started, attendance has grown every year—but with complications from COVID-19 and the need for safe social distancing, plans for the event had to adapt.
“How do you have a Christmas Extravaganza in the midst of a pandemic?” she asked. “You turn it into a drive-through event!”
The route began at the south end of the LCU campus in the Hayes Field parking lot, and then proceeded north through campus down Eileen Boulevard. Attendees enjoyed the usual crafts and treats expected of the Christmas experience, while staying safely socially distanced. Volunteers also wore gloves and masks to ensure the safety of guests.
The themes over the years of hosting Big Blue Christmas have included The Grinch, Frozen, Elf, Charlie Brown and Mickey Mouse. “This year featured a combination of each of the previous themes, giving participants a smorgasbord of favorite Christmas stories,” Terri Warren said.
The response to the event was monumental—despite plans centered around serving as many visitors as possible, the Lubbock community showed up in such force that the line to get into the event soon stretched from 26th Chicago Avenue north to 19th Street, and then west on 19th Street to Loop 289.
“It seems the pent-up demand for an event like this that kicks off the Christmas season was heightened during the pandemic and was much greater than we imagined,” added Warren McNeill, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations. “We were prepared for a greater number of people than ever before, but the response was much greater than we expected – we are tremendously grateful for the support from the community for our Big Blue Christmas event. We are planning to be able to accommodate the growing demand for this popular event, and we hope next year’s Big Blue Christmas will be back in the main area of the university mall, as in previous years.”