Surprise Holiday Especially Sweet

This term’s Surprise Holiday—Monday, October 20—was especially sweet.
 
 
Each term, students receive a much-anticipated day off, when classes are cancelled and special outings offered. Surprise Holiday, a longtime Groton tradition, is announced by someone—usually a senior prefect or the headmaster—showing up at Roll Call in a bright green blazer.
 
The color green has become as traditional as the jacket itself, and has been adapted in recent years to include green streamers, green body suits, and other green signals of the special day. For today’s announcement, Katherine McCreery ’15, one of the four senior prefects, emerged from a hiding place in the Schoolroom in the traditional green jacket. But to add to the fun, the other prefects rolled in 400 cupcakes—all decorated in green.
 
These were not just any cupcakes. The prefects had contacted Candace Nelson ’91, the owner of Sprinkles Cupcakes. “We wanted to do something creative, so we thought that Candace Nelson, as a Groton alumna and cupcake connoisseur, would share that enthusiasm for creativity,” said Senior Prefect Robert Gooch.
 
Indeed she did. “I was delighted to hear from this year’s senior prefects with a brilliant plan to announce Surprise Holiday,” Candace said. “Surprise Holiday was one of my favorite Groton traditions, and I’m thrilled that Sprinkles helped to play a part in this morning’s joyful surprise.”
 
Each cupcake was topped with a green decoration. “She did a wonderful job decorating and getting them to us late last night, with Mr. McCreery's help,” said Robert. "They were truly scrumptious."

With cupcakes consumed, students piled into buses to Boston, Cambridge, and a nearby mall and movie theater for the day. Guessing the date of Surprise Holiday has become a favorite parlor game for students, who revel in the break in routine every term. 
 
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