Christmas celebrations at St Columba’s College

Whilst Coronavirus has changed lots of things about this school year, students at St Columba’s College in St Albans have enjoyed plenty of Christmas festivities whilst adhering to social distancing.

One of the highlights included a virtual Carol Service, which Prep and Senior School choirs recorded at the St Albans Abbey. Usually the Columban community would gather in the Abbey for a wonderful festive evening, so we were delighted to still be able to record it in such a beautiful venue. The whole Columban community around the world were also able to tune in and enjoy the Service from their homes this year.

In the Prep School, this year’s Nativity performances looked a little different! The Lower Prep could be seen in their costumes outside the Headmaster’s office recording a virtual Nativity for their families to watch at home. Prep 3 and 4 recorded their Nativity in front of a green screen, and the final video transported families watching to Bethlehem and back. Senior School students were treated to a Christmas activities afternoon, with Prefects and staff running stalls.

On the last day of term, staff and students donned their Christmas jumpers in aid of Home-Start Herts, a local charity which supports families in need. Chartwells Catering also safely put on a wonderful Christmas lunch for everyone in their year group bubbles. The dining room and Coindre Hall were turned into a winter wonderland with Christmas lights and decorations for the students.

A huge thank you to all the staff for making the Christmas period festive and fun for the students in a year where much has been very different for them, and for all their hard work this term.