From Nov. 13 through Dec. 27, the Colgate Inn transforms their library hosting space into a festive spectacle. Prancer’s on Payne Holiday Popup Bar is a unique way to get in the holiday spirit — with spirits.
The name hails from the classic Christmas poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore, more well known as the poem’s first line, “T’was the night before Christmas.” In the poem, Moore names Santa’s reindeer, including Prancer, names now synonymous with Christmas.
Junior Josie Burton commented on the holiday atmosphere the Colgate Inn curated with their specialty bar.
“It was fun to be able to try something new to get in the holiday spirit,” Burton said. “The bar had a lot of festive decorations and cute wintery cups, you could definitely feel the holiday vibe.”
With the stress of the end of the semester on Colgate University’s campus, taking a minute to enjoy the season with friends makes the Colgate Inn a great stop at the end of the week for of-age students. Junior Ondine Corsmire took advantage of the holiday bar to avoid missing out on the holiday cheer.
“I feel like sometimes we miss out on a lot of fun things the holidays bring while on campus because it is such a stressful time of year, but all of the decorations and the vibe put me right in the holiday spirit,” Corsmire said. “It was fun to enjoy it.”
During their visit earlier this month, Corsmire and a few friends wanted to take full advantage of the limited-time drink menu and enjoy all of the varieties offered.
“I went with a couple of friends and we all got a different drink to try, they were all really good and it was exciting to see all of their options side-by-side,” Corsmire said. “I recently turned 21 so it has been nice to be able to take advantage of things like this that I haven’t been able to before.”
Prancer’s on Payne Holiday Popup Bar is worth a visit, whether as an event on its own or after other holiday activities, like watching a Christmas movie at the Hamilton Movie Theater. Junior Hannah Reed did just that.
“We went to the movie theater in town and then decided to stop by the popup bar to check it out after,” Reed said. “It was a nice way to end our afternoon.”
The popup bar is open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 5 to 9 p.m. The drinks feature familiar flavors of the season, including cinnamon, peppermint, cherry and more.
“I really enjoy peppermint flavored things around the holiday and liked that the drink I ordered had a candy cane garnish to top it off. They play into the Christmas spirit really well,” Reed said.
For Corsmire, her visit may not have been a one-time event, as she plans to spread holiday cheer by bringing some more friends along next time.
“I am definitely planning to make it back before the end of the semester and bring a couple more friends with me,” Corsmire said. “My townhouse is doing a secret Santa gift exchange next week and I think going to the popup bar afterwards could be a fun addition for those of us that can go.”
Whether looking for a fun activity to do with friends or to find the Christmas spirit in Hamilton, look no further than the Colgate Inn. Prancer’s on Payne Holiday Popup Bar is the perfect place to get into the holiday spirit with friends and maybe even start a new tradition for celebrating the holiday season on campus.
