A tradition in Norridge is recognizing residents who go above and beyond when decorating their homes for the holidays.
Residents have until 5 p.m. Thursday to enter this year’s annual “Holiday House Decorating Contest” – and residents may nominate a neighbor’s house.
Tracey Avis, business license and customer service supervisor for the village of Norridge, told Pioneer Press that contest participants, who must live in the home, need to ensure their lights, animations and decorations are in working order for judging, which is expected to take place between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. from Dec. 16 to Dec. 20.
“No professional decorator or designer should have decorated the house. Businesses, village employees and their immediate family are not allowed to participate, and the winners of the 2023 contest are not eligible,” Avis said.
According to Avis, the 2023 Holiday House Decorating Contest drew 14 entries. The winners were the Santiago family at 7035 W. Agatite Ave. for first place, the Hidalgo family at 4352 N. Osceola Ave. for second place and the Banna family at 7948 W. Executive Court for third place.
She explained that the six volunteer judges for last year’s contest praised entries with simple but tasteful decorating, thoughtful and creatively laid-out displays, and nice decorations even if there were a small number of items featured.
Avis said a certificate of appreciation went to each family in recognition of their winning entry last year. Each winner of this year’s contest will receive a certificate and a gift as well as be honored at the January Village Board meeting.
“They can show off their creativity and what they’re able to showcase and make the village of Norridge look beautiful and festive,” she said about the approximately 15,000 village residents who are eligible to enter the contest.
Avis said that judges, who are typically village employees or elected officials, look at criteria including originality, creativity with theme or storyline, uniqueness of design, use of lights and decorations, and the arrangement of the display.
She said something new for the 2024 contest is an interactive map slated to go live Dec. 16 on the village website and Facebook page.
“In case residents or families want to go take a drive and look at the lights, they will be able to go on a link on this website and see which houses have signed up and take the family out and enjoy a night together in the car,” Avis said.
She said ways to apply for the contest have expanded this year and include completing a paper application at Norridge Village Hall, 4000 N. Olcott Ave., or sending an email with pictures of the decorated house to contest@villageofnorridge.com.
Entries may also be made through an online link.
“We need to simplify it for people who are in a more digital world. It made a little bit more sense to see what we can do to digitalize the process,” Avis said.
According to the digital application, judging is based on curb appeal and only decorations on the street side of the property will be judged although corner lots may be judged from both streets.
All contestants are required to display an official participation sign given by the village in their window during the judging period, the application states. The signs are expected to be hand-delivered Friday.
“I want to make sure I keep the tradition going since it’s something that the residents appear to enjoy taking part in,” Avis said. “It brings families together and the community together to take a look and see how creative the neighborhood is.”
Jessi Virtusio is a freelancer.
