Three Kinds of Holiday Decorating Contest
Holiday decorating contests come in three formats, each with its own organizer and its own judging problem. A judging sheet with the same core criteria, plus one that suits the format, keeps judges from simply rewarding whoever used the most lights or the biggest budget.
| Format | Usually run by | How it is judged |
|---|---|---|
| Home and neighborhood lights | Cities, parks departments, HOAs, neighborhood groups, local media | Judges drive a planned route on set nights and score from the street |
| Office door or cubicle | HR, culture or social committees, school staff | Judges walk the floor once at a set time; colleagues may vote too |
| Storefront window | Downtown associations, chambers of commerce, business districts | Judges walk the district after dark; visitors vote on a published route |
All three work best with registration by a deadline, numbered entries, three or more judges and a People's Choice award alongside the judged ones. For the wider season, our winter event ideas and holiday party ideas for work posts cover formats to pair with a contest.
Christmas Decorating Contest Judging Criteria
Four criteria are shared by all three formats. The fifth changes: use of lights for homes, use of space for offices, and the business tie-in for storefronts. Each column adds up to 100.
| Criterion | What judges look for | Home lights | Office door or cubicle | Storefront window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall impact | The first impression from the street, the aisle or the sidewalk | 30 | 20 | 25 |
| Creativity and originality | A fresh idea or design, not only a store-bought set | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Theme | How well the entry fits the contest theme, or tells a clear story | 10 | 20 | 15 |
| Craftsmanship and detail | Neat, finished work that holds up close; secure and tidy wiring | 15 | 20 | 15 |
| Format criterion | Homes: lights and color. Offices: use of the door or space. Storefronts: ties the display to the business | 20 | 15 | 20 |
| Total | All criteria | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Printable Christmas Decorating Contest Score Sheets
Use the route sheet for home lights contests, so judges score entries in driving order, and the walk-through sheet for office and storefront contests. Fill in the criterion points for your format from the table above.
Home and Neighborhood Lights Contests
Lights contests are mostly logistics: knowing which homes entered, when they will be lit and how judges will see them all in one evening.
- 1
Open Registration With a Deadline
Ask for the address, a contact, the category and a yes to the rules. Close registration a week or more before judging so you can plan routes.
- 2
Set Judging Nights and Lights-On Hours
Name two or three possible judging nights and the hours lights must be on, such as 6 to 9 p.m. A backup night covers bad weather.
- 3
Plan Judging Routes
Group entries by area and order them so a car can see 10 to 20 homes in about two hours. Give each team of judges a route sheet with stops in driving order.
- 4
Judge From the Street
Send judges in pairs: one drives, one scores. They pause or pass slowly, score from the street, and never park across a driveway or step onto the property.
- 5
Publish the Tour Map, With Consent
If entrants agree, publish a map or list of the entries for a self-guided lights tour, and run People's Choice from it. Leave off any home that did not opt in.
Office Door and Cubicle Contests
Office contests are about taking part. Keep the rules short, make the theme open to everyone, and judge on a single walk-through so no team gets extra time.
- Offer a general holiday or winter theme, not one religious holiday, so every team can join comfortably
- Pick judges from outside the teams entering, such as leaders from another site or a building manager
- Add a colleague vote with one ballot per person, and keep it separate from the judged award
- Give awards that every team can enjoy, such as a team lunch, extra break time or a donation to a charity the team picks
- Check with facilities or the landlord on fire and building rules before you announce the contest
Storefront and Window Contests for Downtowns
A storefront window contest brings shoppers downtown after dark. The judged award matters to the shops; the public window walk matters to the district.
- 1
Recruit Shops With a Clear Brief
Invite businesses in the district early, with the theme, the decorate-by date, the lights-on hours and the awards. Many associations keep entry free for members.
- 2
Number Windows and Publish the Route
Number each window and publish a walking route and map with the entry numbers, so visitors and judges can find every window.
- 3
Judge From the Sidewalk
Judges walk the route after dark, score each window from the sidewalk, and do not go inside or talk to staff about the entry.
- 4
Run People's Choice on the Walk
Visitors vote with a ballot at participating shops, a QR code in each window, or a poll during a holiday event. One vote per person.
- 5
Announce at a Holiday Event
Announce winners at a tree lighting, a late shopping night or on the association's channels, with a window sticker or plaque for the winners.
Pair the window walk with a holiday market or late shopping night for more foot traffic. Our holiday market guide covers the market side, and parade float judging covers a holiday parade if you run one the same weekend.
Judge Instructions and Tie-Breakers
- Two people total each sheet and settle any difference before results are posted
- Ties go to the higher impact score for home lights, the higher creativity score for offices and storefronts, then the contest lead
- If an entry was dark on its judging night, judge it on the backup night or note it as not judged
- If a judge steps aside from an entry, average the other judges' scores for it
Categories and Common Mistakes
| Format | Categories |
|---|---|
| Home lights | Best overall, most creative, best traditional, best use of color, best block or street, best apartment or balcony, People's Choice |
| Office | Best door, best cubicle, best team area, most creative on a budget, best theme, colleague's choice |
| Storefront | Best window overall, most creative, best use of products, best new business, People's Choice |
- Judging by family name or shop name instead of entry number, which invites favoritism
- One judging night with no backup, so rain or a power cut ends the contest
- Routes too long to finish, so the last homes are judged rushed or not at all
- Publishing addresses without permission
- An office theme tied to one religious holiday, which leaves colleagues out
- Decorations that block exits or use candles in an office or shop window
When the winners are announced at an event, the award ceremony script has announcement wording, and the gingerbread house contest judging sheet is an easy second contest for the same holiday event.