Deck the halls

Holiday highlights across UF and the College of Medicine

By Danielle Ivanov

Dec. 16, 2024 — The holiday spirit is in full swing across the University of Florida campus and the College of Medicine. From dazzling decorations to heartwarming traditions, the Gator Nation community has come together to celebrate the season in style. Whether it’s a winter social, the lighting of the holiday Gator, meaningful reflections on a gratitude tree in the George T. Harrell, M.D., Medical Education Building, or fierce competition for the Golde Cup — the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease’s yearly holiday lab decorating contest — there’s no shortage of joy and creativity.

“We put in the same energy that we have when we’re talking about experimental approaches, so it’s fun to see that energy be applied toward something recreational,” said Stephan Quintin, a Golde Cup contestant and an M.D.-Ph.D. candidate from the lab of neuroscience professor Benoit Giasson, Ph.D. “It’s like the work ethic just comes through. And everybody pitches in, so it’s same spirit of how we do things in lab.”

View our festive gallery below to see how Gators are spreading cheer this year, and watch a highlight reel to see winter ducks in the office of Robert McKenna, Ph.D., where you can hear how one ransomed duck from a structural biology lesson kicked off his impressive collection.

A scene from the How The Grinch Stole Christmas movie created by hand with lab materials.

A small Christmas tree decorated with lab materials.

A small Christmas tree decorated with lab materials and paper snowflakes.

Three UF graduate students smiling next to a small replica train of the Polar Express created by hand with lab materials.

A closeup of a scene from The Nightmare Before Christmas movie that was created by hand with lab materials.

Three UF graduate students smiling next to a scene from The Nightmare Before Christmas movie that they handmade with lab materials.

A UF College of Medicine graduate student smiling and standing next to a small Christmas village designed with lab materials that he helped create.

A small Christmas village designed with lab materials.

A closeup of handmade Christmas tree ornaments, including a five-pointed star with vibrant colors and the letters "CTRND" on it.

A closeup of handmade Christmas tree ornaments, including a red stocking with names written on it.

A small wooden sign with a picture of three snowmen and white writing that says, "chillin with my snowmies."

Holiday decor in front of three large windows, including a menorah and a banner.

A Christmas tree in the McKnight Brain Institute entryway.

A closeup of a gratitude tree where UF students have left notes on orange leaves for things they are grateful for. One leaf says "my cats."

A holiday table setup with two donation bins and a gratitude tree in the center.

A square sticker on a doorframe with a virus particle edited graphically to look like a turkey.

Four people smiling and displaying gingerbread houses.

Two people in Christmas sweaters smiling and holding snacks.

A Gator statue lit up with orange and blue holiday lights. Century Tower is visible in the background, also lit up orange and blue.

A person in an elf hat grabbing cookies off a tray with black tongs.

About the Author

Danielle Ivanov

Communications Specialist, College of Medicine

Danielle Ivanov joined the UF Health Communications staff in January 2022 as communications specialist for the College of Medicine. She manages the college’s social media, among other writing and communications responsibilities for its many publications. She was raised in Chicago and Gainesville before attending the University of Florida and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in environmental science in 2021. Danielle was previously a reporter for The Gainesville Sun and Florida’s USA Today network.

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