By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
For the ninth year in a row, two winners have been voted on by community members in the Palisadian-Post’s Deck Your Halls holiday home decorating contest.
The 2022 Best Decked Out Hall prize was awarded to the Martin family (Jameson, 8, Annabelle, 5, April Smith Martin and Chris) who reside in The Highlands.
“It feels great to win,” Jameson shared. “We tried so hard and I am so proud. I started pulling out the decorations the day after Thanksgiving, so we had lots of time to get everything just right.”
April said that decorating gets the family into the spirit of good cheer, as well as gets the kids “outside, active and creative.”
Jameson shared that “decorating is festive and a fun way to celebrate.” He also shared that he likes to get into the spirit for other holidays, like New Years, Fourth of July, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter.
Though Annabelle said that she wishes there was a LOL Doll Day, she “also gets into the spirit with setting up a miniature snowy village and decorating the sapling pine tree with candy canes.”
Some of the family’s favorite decorations used were the homemade, hand-painted, eight-foot-tall lit wooden soldier, solar-powered candy canes and icicles, and inflatable lit monster truck. For those considering entering the contest in the future, the family suggested to start early, have a plan (and a backup plan), prepare for the weather, practice with a good angle for a picture, and keep an open mind and be persistent.
“One example of keeping an open mind,” April shared, “one year we took empty tennis ball tubes, removed the labels, hot glued them in the shape of a Christmas tree and put battery-operated lights inside with a bow on top.”
The family has entered the Creep Your Crypt contest several times, as well as the Deck Your Halls contest previously, but this is their first time winning: “We are so thrilled to finally win,” April said.
Taking home the 2022 prize for DIY/Originality were Carl and Danielle Steeves in the Alphabet Streets.
“We’re very surprised, as there were so many wonderfully decorated houses around the Palisades,” Carl said of the win. “It’s warming to think we were able to give out a little holiday cheer to our neighbors.”
Danielle explained that this is the Steeves’ first house and their first time entering the contest, and 2021 marked the first time they put up Christmas lights.
“Many of our neighbors told us they liked the classic feel of the lights, so this year we expanded on that theme,” Danielle shared. “The small-town feel of the Alphabet Streets is really what inspired us.”
She said that Carl, “being a bit of a perfectionist,” was inspired by other homes in the neighborhood, which had “sharp, straight strings of lights.”
Carl added that some of his favorite decorations were the “large, classic-size” light bulbs, which remind him of holidays as a child.
Carl suggested that anyone considering entering the contest in the future not to think of it as a task, but rather to “enjoy the process”—“and privilege of decorating your home for the neighborhood.”
“Fill a sippy cup with ’nog and break it up over several days,” Carl said.
This year’s contest was sponsored by area businesses, including Palisades Canyon, The Little Market, McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, Magic of Lights, Sushi Roku, Palisades Gift Shop and Pearl Dragon.
Both home decorating contests—Creep Your Crypt and Deck Your Halls—will return to celebrate their 10th anniversary in October and December.
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