We all love Christmas lights – this time of year, a drive through the neighborhood is enough to brighten anyone’s night! So why not turn a Christmas drive into a little Christmas contest – and a very fun family tradition.
Studio 5 Co-Host Brooke Walker explains how to hold your own “Christmas Light Contest.”
My family is all about traditions – our holiday season is full of ‘em! One of my favorite childhood Christmas traditions started as a simple car ride. Most nights during December, my family would hop into the car (pajamas were the dress code!) and take off on a light tour of our small town. We would press our noses to the cold car windows, quietly admiring the many beautiful Christmas light displays. We had our favorite “routes,” but would always react as if we were seeing the homes for the first time.
One year, my mom came up with a fun idea: a Christmas Light Contest. The idea was to thank those people who truly had “brightened up our night.” After careful consideration, we would narrow it down to our favorite five houses (often opting for not the most glamorous displays, but the displays that showed true effort and emitted a genuine holiday spirit). From there, it was put to family vote. We awarded our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places winners with a candy bar and a note, telling them how much we enjoyed their lights. We keep it anonymous, enjoying the thrill of a knock-and-run surprise, and get a kick out watching these people find our little treat.
We’ve refined this system over the years – the judging is now a lot more technical and involved (some nights feeling like the fiercest Olympic sport). Whenever I visit home during the month of December I know – come dark – the judging begins.
My mom is the most creative “judge” on our team. She has come up with cute sayings and tags, making the process feel that much more official.
If you would like to sponsor your own “Christmas Light Contest,” here are a few of the sayings we’ve used in years past. The template is ready to cut and wrap around a king sized candy bar. Happy judging!
Christmas Light Contest – Tag 1 (Click HERE to download)
Christmas Light Contest – Tag 2 (Click HERE to download)
Christmas Light Contest – Tag 3 (Click HERE to download)
PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS:
Open documents using Microsoft Word
Set margins to ‘Normal’ setting (Top: 1″, Bottom: 1″, Right: 1″, Left: 1″)
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