Samford Hall - "Holiday Tree" Naming Controversy

"Holiday Tree" Naming Controversy

Since 2000, an evergreen tree in front of Samford Hall has been the site of the school's Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The decision to officially refer to the tree as a "Holiday Tree" (rather than a "Christmas Tree") resulted in controversy in 2005 when commentators on townhall.com and World Net Daily criticized Auburn University's choice of names as an example of political correctness gone amok. As a compromise, the ceremony was in subsequent years renamed the "Holiday Celebration featuring the Lighting of the Christmas Tree."

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