Last ‘Christmas with the Dockerys’ Dec. 9

Christmas with the Dockerys
Haifei Li, left, associate professor of computer science, was one of many faculty and staff members present at a holiday reception Dec. 3 honoring University President David Dockery for his leadership. | Photo by Jacob Moore

Christmas with the Dockerys is a long-standing annual tradition at Union, and for the past 17 years, students have gathered to hear The Christmas Story and sing Christmas carols.

At 8 p.m. Dec. 9 in McAfee Commons, David Dockery, university president, and his wife, Lanese, will gather with students one last time for this annual tradition.

“Christmas with the Dockerys is one of my favorite times of the year,” said Kristen Miller, senior business management major.

Dockery said each year, students and the Dockerys gather near the end of the fall semester, right before students leave campus for Christmas, for a time of fellowship with hot chocolate and cookies.

“We sing Christmas songs together, which are normally led by the first lady, and then we allow students to tell a few of their favorite Christmas stories and memories,” said Dockery. “I then read “The Night Before Christmas” and we usually sing a few more Christmas carols, and then I read the Christmas story from Luke 2.”

Any students who wish to attend are welcome. Dockery said that when he began to serve as president, he wanted to begin traditions that the student body and faculty could look forward to every year.

Several traditions have been added since Dockery became president, such as the ice cream social held at the Dockery home for entering freshmen, the worship service for freshmen and their parents on move-in day, Family Weekend, the “A Union Christmas” event by the Department of Music, Dinner with SGA leaders  and many more.

“One of these new initiatives, which has become one of my favorite traditions, is the Christmas Time with the Dockerys, which we tried in 1997,” said Dockery. “It has become a most enjoyable time for students to take a little break together near the end of the fall term. I am grateful when alums remind me that one of their favorite memories on campus is associated with one of these initiatives, especially this Christmas event.”