Despite the unseasonably warm weather this semester, students are still finding ways to get into the Christmas spirit. Taking time out from studying and writing papers has led to blinking lights, Santa heads and Christmas trees both inside and outside of houses on campus.

“We decorated because we wanted to be festive,” said Brad Booth, senior in business.

Lights hang across the front porch of their two-story house located at 804 S. First St. At night, the house stands out as the most decorated on the block.

Booth lives with eight other senior members of his fraternity, Alpha Sigma Phi. The men met their freshman year when they rushed for the fraternity and have been friends since.

Ryan Lothian, senior in communications and one of Booth’s roommates, said that before living in the house, he lived in the dorms and his fraternity house.

“Since we have a house, we felt like we had to decorate,” Lothian said, adding that he didn’t decorate either of his previous college residences.

Lothian, Booth and their roommates are throwing a holiday party for the other seniors in their house today. Booth said the theme of the party is old-fashioned Christmas.

“We’re making them wear Christmas sweaters or turtlenecks,” Lothian said, adding that the men are going to bring dates.

Booth said the holiday party was one of their main reasons for decorating.

The men plan to serve spiked eggnog, spiked cider and several other drinks.

“We’re basically serving all the regular Christmas drinks – just with lots of alcohol,” Lothian said.

Along with the lights outside, party guests will get to see the decorated Christmas tree and other decorations the men set up inside.

They are also getting into the holiday spirit by giving each other Secret Santa gifts. They are either distributing the gifts today or next week.

The men said they love having their house and signed it early after a lot of searching. Alpha Sigma Phi didn’t have a senior house last year, but the men were determined to live in a house their senior year. Members of the fraternity signed the house Booth and Lothian live in for next year.

About four blocks away, another house stands out as being extremely festive.

“I wanted to get all my roommates into the spirit of the holidays,” said Meghan Bechtold, junior in applied life studies, who decorated her house with another roommate.

The two women decorated their house the Sunday after Thanksgiving break. The two wanted to surprise the other women when they got back to school. Bechtold broke one of the couches in their living room in two places while hammering in nails for the lights.

Bechtold said she needed to decorate because she knew none of her roommates would do it, but added that they definitely appreciate the festivity.

Christmas is a big deal at Bechtold’s home. Her home has been decorated for the holidays as long as she can remember.

“My mom goes all-out, we even have a room specifically designated for snowmen,” Bechtold said.

She added that her mother let her bring many of the decorations in the girls’ house from home, but that she wouldn’t let her take any of her snowmen.

“I was surprised she let me bring that,” Bechtold said, pointing to a countdown to Christmas calendar. The calendar, which she has had since she was two, uses a small stuffed mouse that sits in little numbered pockets to mark the days.

Bechtold lives with six friends and one woman rents the basement of the two-story house at 1008 S. Oak St. Some of the girls have been friends since high school, and the rest have been friends since freshman year.

Bechtold’s enthusiasm led to streams of lights along the living rooms ceiling, a fully decorated tree, a Christmas sign on the door and red and green decorations on the walls. There is also garland strung around the banisters.

“I think the decorations definitely make me feel more Christmas spirit,” Bechtold said.