Deck Your Halls Winners Announced

By LILY TINOCO | Reporter

As the holiday season comes to a close and Palisadians start packing their decorations away, the Palisadian-Post has the winners of the 2020 Deck Your Halls home decorating contest.

James and Denice Economou in the Highlands were voted Best Decked Out Hall. This is the first time the Economou home won a Deck Your Halls prize.

“This was our first time participating, I don’t think I realized that there was this contest each year. I just picked up the Post and discovered it, and we entered,” James said to the Post. “I was ecstatic.”

James said he has been decorating his home with the inflatables for years, adding to the collection each year.

When asked which inflatable might have stuck out to the voters, he said it really depends.

“Some really like Santa Claus popping out of the house, some like Santa Claus sitting on top of the elephant,” James said.

As for James, his favorite inflatable draws nostalgia.

“The very first inflatable we had were the three snowmen … they have some holes in them and we have to prop them up a bit in front of the garage now,” James said. “I’m very nostalgic about the three snowmen.”

Jack and Sharon Sutton and their Alphabet Streets home won this year’s prize for DIY/Originality—the couple previously earned the same award in 2019.

“We were so excited,” Jack said. “Several years ago we decided that we wouldn’t decorate for Christmas and it really turned out to be a real bummer … We decided we’re not-not doing it anymore.”

Sutton said the couple makes small changes and continues to add to their decorations each year.

“When people walk by when we’re out, they always comment on the fact that it makes them feel happy, it makes them feel good,” Jack said. “We try to make it Christmas-y, we have stars and we have decorations that we got five or six years ago that are still surviving.”

The Sutton family has lived in the Palisades for over 40 years, and their home has also won the Fourth of July Decorating Contest several years ago. Jack credited his grandson for that prize.

For winning the Deck Your Halls contest, the Economou and Sutton families received passes to The Elf on the Shelf’s Magical Holiday Journey—an immersive, drive-thru holiday experience, flower arrangements from Ralphs, goodies from The Little Market, bottles from The Smoke Label and hundreds of dollars in gift cards to local businesses.

Winners will dine at Caffe Delfini, CinqueTerre WEST and Kayndaves. They can indulge in treats from McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams and Kay Bakery Palisades, and visit Skin Five, Serena & Lily and more.