Have you ever wondered what makes campus come alive for the holidays?

The big preparations begin around Nov. 1.

“There are 51 outdoor wreaths of 6-12 feet each. We also hang garlands. We have to check the lights in each wreath and garland before they can be hung up,” said Bob Michaels, campus arborist and greenhouse specialist.

Aside from wreaths and garlands is the large Christmas tree in the Spencer W. Kimball Building. Just how big is it?

“I’m not … sure, but I would say around 15 feet. It takes a crew of at least two to three people to put it together,” Michaels said.

Despite how daunting the assembly of a 15-foot tree may sound, it isn’t the hardest part of campus holiday preparation.

“We have to take the garlands apart to make picks for centerpieces. There is a machine that cuts them in half and points all of the branches in the same direction. That is the most tedious part of the holiday preparation,” Michaels said.

Despite the preparation that grounds crew does, some students aren’t sure if it is enough.

“Decorations on campus … what decorations? I think that they could do something with the Taylor Quad,” Billie Jo Meyers, a freshman from Huntsville, Ark., said.

The John Taylor Building seems to be the building that students would want to change.

“I think the Taylor Building looks really pretty, but it wouldn’t hurt to be a little more festive,” said Alyson Fullmer, a freshman from West Jordan, Utah.

The BYU-Idaho grounds crew works hard to make campus special during the holiday season. “We hope the decorations brighten the season for everyone. We are always open for suggestions.” Michaels said.