As the days got shorter and the nights got darker, only one thing kept me going in week 11: the promise of the Christmas Ball.
I had the dress, the pres, the mask, and high expectations. I was relying on the Christmas Ball to make the 1st of December the perfect start to Christmas festivities, and I am very glad to announce that I was not disappointed! So, here are my 2024 Christmas Ball highlights.
The Theme
Have you ever watched a Cinderella Story? That 2000s Disney remake of the iconic Cinderella, starring Hilary Duff and heartthrob Chad Michael Murray? Well, I have, multiple times, and as a consequence have always dreamt of showing up to a ball in a beautiful long dress, hidden behind a mask. So, imagine my delight when Christmas Ball announced in October that their theme this year would be ‘Masquerade’!
Not only was the theme an opportunity to relive my fantasy, but it was also a great sign of the talent and imagination behind the scenes. I had my reservations about how the ball could make the Masquerade come to life within the realms of Christmas, but I should not have been worried.
Kinkell Byre was dressed up wall to wall in gold, red and green details in true Christmas fashion. Yet, as my friends and I walked around the venue we started spotting masquerade details: the subtle feather centerpiece, a mask here and there and finally, lured in by 1920s Christmas tunes, we found a dimly lit bar with round tables and classy chairs, adding the private masquerade touch to the event.
What made the theme even better was how committed guests were to it. Phantom of the Opera-inspired attire and classy Venetian masks were styled with stunning red, gold and black gowns which brought to life the committee’s (and my teenage self’s) vision.
The Music
One of the main dealbreakers at any event is the music. If the DJ is not getting you in the mood to have fun, no amount of alcohol can make you survive hour after hour in your heels. However, this year’s Music Officer knew exactly what she was doing. Both DJs provided the perfect mix of party haus beats with our favourite pop songs and the occasional Christmas hit in honour of the event. No wonder the bar was not crowded, everytime my friends and I tried to walk away from the dance floor, we were immediately pulled back in by one of us saying, “this song is SO GOOD!”.
The Food Vendors
Normally, the food vendors are my least favourite part of events. There is just something extremely unappealing about queueing up outside in the cold for an overpriced burger. However, when the queue leads to a warm pita bread filled with chicken, french fries and mayo, or freshly made pizza… that’s a different story.
The smell coming from the Wee Green’s food truck was enough to make me forget my foot pain and the soft doughy pita bread hit the spot, especially after all that dancing! Needless, to say I was sent back home, fed, happy and ready for a good, deep sleep.
Overall, the 2024 Christmas Ball has definitely done justice for its committee. In fact, it has made it to my top 5 events at uni, which is a bold statement for a third year student. The theme, the music, the food and the company made the night of the 1st of Decemeber truly unforgettable. Now, I can only hope that the rest of my December is just as wonderful.