DECATUR, Ill. -- It was cookie time again at Millikin University on Tuesday, December 6 as the 90th edition of Millikin's Cookie Party celebrated the kickoff to the holiday season.
Students began lining up outside the University Common's Bob and Debi Johnston Banquet Rooms nearly an hour before the event's 2 p.m. start time. Students were eager to get inside for some cookies, (more than 14,000 cookies were prepared to be distributed at the event), beverages and more.
The history of the Cookie Party dates back to December 1934, when the first Christmas Tea was held in the browsing room of Gorin Library, now Gorin Hall. Hosted by the Millikin Dames, an organization for women on Millikin's staff and wives of faculty members and trustees, the expenditure for this first tea was $2.
The Christmas Tea, an annual holiday event in honor of Millikin students, was held in the Gorin Library until 1960. The original teas were rather formal events with the use of silver tea services and members of the Millikin Dames as servers.
In 1960, the location of the tea was moved to the University Center and in 1964, the Christmas Tea was renamed the Cookie Party. The Cookie Party was held in the Richards Treat University Center since its opening and is now held in the University Commons.
Check out some photos from this year's event:
