Hope Hall got ready for its annual transformation from ordinary dorm rooms into a collection of themed worlds. From themes of fantasy to joy, Deck the Haven celebrated its 20th anniversary as one of the event’s main organizers, Daniel Joseph, described this year’s tradition as “immersive, Christmas and insane.”
But what exactly is Deck the Haven? DTH is an annual Christmas event where students can come together to celebrate the winter festivities and a chance to take a break from their studies. Every year DTH transforms an entire floor into an immersive, walk-through experience that is completely decorated with Christmas items. Many dorm rooms on this floor also participate by decorating their rooms to fit numerous themes including Jurassic Park, a medieval kingdom, and even a hall of mirrors. Completely student-run by residence halls Haven/Brotherhood, DTH originally started off as “Hall of Lights” during the 1970s-1980s. It eventually became known as Deck the Haven with the earliest recording of the name being in 2005. It took place in Hart Hall until 2023, when new dorm regulations caused it to be relocated to Hope Hall.
Planning for DTH takes months, with the earliest logistics being laid out in the summer.
“Over the summer, we start with small ideas on what we want to execute,” said Joseph, “And formal planning begins in September when we pitch the idea to new people on the floor. We made a plan based on what went well and not so well last year and once everyone agreed, we pitched it to SGA in mid October for budget inquiries.”
Decorating for Deck the Haven began before Thanksgiving break, allowing students to get a head start on their room preparations before going home. Joseph mentioned that the preparations for this year had been rather smooth, as there was a sense of synergy and teamwork between residents.
According to Joseph, the 20th anniversary for DTH carried a heightened anticipation amongst students. He admits that it inspired the team to think bigger and to push for a greater impact than in previous years.
“This is also the 20th year anniversary. We really wanted to go all out and make this incredible experience for all guests,” he said. “We are hoping to reach about 1000 guests this year.”
One of the most exciting rooms was the “Dune Room”, which, according to Joseph, was filled with pounds of sand and an alleged mechanical bull in the lobby.
“Advice I’d give [to future organizers and residents] would definitely be to start earlier,” says Joseph, ”But to also have a lot of fun in the process. We are really hoping other folks get inspired by these events to really give back to the Biola community. Think about how you’re serving others and serving God through this, and just keep praying through it all.”
