By: Sydney Halsey 

At 8:30 p.m., the usual silence of the Gramley Library Reading Room was filled with the sound of celebration as the executive board, section editors, writers, and photographers of “The Salemite” gathered to toast to a semester of success. The dress code was whispered to be “Holiday Elegance,” bringing vibes of cozy, cute, and comfortable — but with a thrilling twist — an ugly sweater contest! 

The winner of the ugly sweater contest was Mikalah Patrick (C’ 28), who won a magical chocolate golden coin, supposedly sourced from Ireland by Editor-in-Chief Clare Buchanan. In second place, Kaden Pegram (C’ 27), scored a bag of popcorn sourced from Elkin up the road. 

Ugly Sweater Contest. Contestants from left to right: M.J. Togni, Taylor Cook, Peyton Harris, and Kaden Pegram. Photo Credit: Vera Kahn

Only at Salem can we mix high-fashion holiday chic with the most hideous knitwear this side of Winston-Salem. Entry was strictly by RSVP only, naturally. If you weren’t on the list, you were missing out on the event of the season. Attendees celebrated with festive food and beverages, and photos were snapped as “The Salemite” celebrated a successful 2025 fall semester of publishing.

Salemite Executive Board members left to right: Samantha Hogsett, Mikalah Patrick, Clare Buchanan, Sophie Kazmierczak, and Vera Kahn. Photo Credit: Sarah McBride