Tuesday, November 26 marks the third year of the Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) bringing its Christmas Market to the Lansdowne campus. With over 30 student vendors participating, the market gives students the opportunity to sell their creative and culinary works, and it gives students the chance to support each other and connect over a cup of hot chocolate.
Along with the main market at Lansdowne, this year there will also be a mini market happening at Interurban in the annex next to the cafeteria on Tuesday, November 19.
Former CCSS Indigenous director Katie Manomie had the idea to create the market in the first place in 2022.
“She created these activities to bring people together on the campus and also have some Christmas vibes,” says CCSS international director Polly Tran.
In 2023, former pride director Emily Lam carried on with organizing the activity, making some adjustments based on the feedback received in 2022. One difference between last year’s market and this year’s is the name change—last year it was called the Holiday Market. The CCSS changed the name to Christmas Market to make students feel more Christmas spirit—when it was the Holiday Market, Polly felt that students didn’t really know it was a Christmas event. Interurban executive Sean Leyland says he is excited for the event, as it’s his first year on the board and being behind the scenes in the planning process.
“The fact that we got to showcase what students are passionate about just piqued my interest,” says Leyland. “I’m looking forward to seeing everything that students bring, and I’m excited for the community to come and see it and get excited, and support them.”
Leyland says that the market will be a nice change for students who have been ruthlessly studying for exams and trying to keep on top of work and other responsibilities.
“There’s so much that we have going on as students—work, trying to pay our bills—that I think it’s such an amazing opportunity for people’s passions to come out,” says Leyland.
Tran says that as international director, she has met international students who feel like there isn’t much of a Christmas spirit on campus, and she wants them to make good memories on campus and gain new experiences while also feeling at home or being reminded of home. In the midst of exams, the dark and dreary oncoming winter season, and student mental-health issues potentially worsening, this becomes even more important.
“We want to bring Christmas vibes for them, motivate them to finish exams, and have fun,” says Tran.
There will also be a QR code available that links to a form so students visiting the market can give any feedback about what they liked or didn’t like in order to make the market even better next year.
“One of the things I think is really cool about this is we’ve integrated an opportunity to collect non-perishable foods for the Student Society food bank, because as students we all know how hard it is to make ends meet at the moment,” says Leyland. “So this is one of those initiatives to try to help students bridge that affordability gap, while having a fun Christmas holiday opportunity to get together with the community.”
Overall, the Christmas Market will be a chance for students to spread some holiday cheer and fun during the crunch of exam season.
“We’ll have a hot-chocolate station, Santa will be there, we’ll have a photo booth, and hopefully an elf or two kicking around,” says Leyland. “It’s a really nice way to break the exam and assignment monotony.”
CCSS Christmas Market
3 pm to 6 pm Tuesday, November 26
Sherri Bell Hall,
Wilna Thomas Building
11 am to 1:30 pm Tuesday, November 19
Cafeteria Annex,
Helmut Huber Building