Got a Light? Yard Dorms Dress to Impress

The competitive nature which characterizes Harvard students is brightening up the Yard--literally.

Not content to settle for trite ornaments, several Harvard entryways have blessed their classmates with messages in lights across their buildings.

While Hollis Hall sports a red and green "Noel" across its windows, the larger cross-Yard fire involves Grays and Holworthy.

"We have dorm pride and the Christmas spirit," said Holworthy resident Elizabeth B. Chen '97 as she hung out of a fourth-floor window risking the cold and the heights to set up lights late Thursday night.

"Ours are much better than [the lights in] Grays," said Chen, whose dorm recently changed its display from one spelling out "Harvard" to a frame around the entire facade.

Citing the thousands of lights in the Chevy Chase movie, Chen said, "We wanted it to be a 'Clark Griswold' Christmas vacation."

But Grays faithfuls said their decorated exterior, which reads "Grays Rocks," is even more brilliant.

"I thought we should do something out of control," said Grays resident John B. Mitchell '97 who planned the effort. "And I was avoiding my work in a big way."

"After we turned on the lights the first time, all of Grays Middle ran out and started screaming," said resident Tamara T. Chin '97.

"It was primal, out of control," Mitchell said.

In the Quad, several Cabot House students displayed a slightly different take on the Holiday season, illuminating the word, "sex," across the three windows of B-41.

"We're infected with the holiday spirit," said T. Bay Fang '95.

Fang and her roommates said they had no other alternative but to adopt the word. "With three letters, your selection is kind of limited," said Karen Hartshorn '95.

Hartshorn says that while no one has objected to their provocative lights, she heardthey may have attracted other interest. "We heardsome guys across the Quad might put up 'OK,'" shesaid.

Harvard officials permit students to displayholiday lights, provided students inspect thembeforehand for fire risks. Security guardsinterviewed Thursday night said they were not"overly concerned" about the lights as a firehazard.

Harvard is not free from Grinches, however.Students at Grays Middle said they received awritten threat and were shortly thereaftervictimized by vandals early Wednesday morning.

Around 3:30 a.m., two men entered Grays anddestroyed one of the strands of lights on a windowin the hall, Chin said.

She said she heard noises outside her room anddiscovered two people ripping apart the strand ofone of their letters.

Chin said she chased the unidentified intrudersdown the stairs and out the front door in herpajamas. "They ran into Harvard Hall," she said.

Although Chin reported the incident to a policeofficer, a report has yet to be filed

Harvard officials permit students to displayholiday lights, provided students inspect thembeforehand for fire risks. Security guardsinterviewed Thursday night said they were not"overly concerned" about the lights as a firehazard.

Harvard is not free from Grinches, however.Students at Grays Middle said they received awritten threat and were shortly thereaftervictimized by vandals early Wednesday morning.

Around 3:30 a.m., two men entered Grays anddestroyed one of the strands of lights on a windowin the hall, Chin said.

She said she heard noises outside her room anddiscovered two people ripping apart the strand ofone of their letters.

Chin said she chased the unidentified intrudersdown the stairs and out the front door in herpajamas. "They ran into Harvard Hall," she said.

Although Chin reported the incident to a policeofficer, a report has yet to be filed