Christmas Home Decorating Contest Winners have been announced by contest organizer, Lois Barber. Please join the Newtown Holiday Decorating Contest Facebook Group for a free map to winning homes here.
Christmas House Winners 2017
I wish I could award a star to all of you because you all truly deserved one. However, our resources are limited and 40 houses or more entered the contest. There are certain homes that will probably win year-after-year because they are so over the top - Founders Lane, Vining Road, Berkshire Rd (Route 34), and Oak Trail come to mind, but the judges tried to incorporate many different types of decorating in as many neck of the woods of Newtown as possible. It doesn’t really matter if you “won”. I hope you all understand if you do not get a lawn star, you recognize the purpose of this contest, in which we all had a hand. We are all helping bring back some of the magic of December that our town has lost. As George Linebarger so aptly phrased it, “The joy it has brought back to a once shattered community is priceless”, when writing about the Holiday Decorating Contest.
Well, here are the winning addresses of those who won the 2017 Newtown Holiday Decorating Contest – in order of the Christmas Critics driving route. Winners- please be sure to read the note at the end!
39 Platts Hill A delightful multi-color display that will bring out the child in all of us. Even the chicken coop is decorated! “Merry and Bright” best describes Platts Hill.
174 Taunton Hill – this win the “Best Retro” category with Airstream campers. Santa peeks out from one of them. While you are in this neighborhood, please check out the spectacular lights on the horse farm (not entered) at 38 Taunton Hill Rd
15 Sturgess - Once again, this house is a “Frozen Fantasy”. But unlike last year, we are hoping their big dog doesn’t chase us off the property when we bang in their star!
2 Glenmore – “Simply Elegant” This home is so inviting and gorgeous, I want the owners to adopt me. Our driver George, wants the horse farm to adopt him. We can be neighbors.
11 Middleton – Wins for capturing the “Magic of the Season”. This is the home whose photo grace's as the Group's FB banner photo.
10 Hall – “Nature’s Best” for use of fresh greenery beautifully displayed
2 Valley Field South – Winner of the "North Pole Award" (even though penguins are from the South Pole)
53 Riverside –From the tip of the driveway, all the way up to the tippy-
top, this entire house is bathed in light, including a projected image. I do miss the arch at the bottom of the driveway from last year, and I hope it is back for next year’s contest, but they still win “Best Driveway”. Hint, hint….
13 Misty Vale- the “White Christmas Award”- It took a lot of work to totally outline this modern house with white lights. While they were decorating their roof outline, they placed Wil Ferrell as the Elf for good measure.
14 Stonegate - another house where I want to be adopted to live in. This spectacular home wins “Best House on a Great Street!”
7 Bennetts Bridge – Be sure to look at the “Peanuts House” 1 Bennetts Bridge because they also decorated# 7 Bennetts. What a wonderful use of a barn! They win “Best Nativity” and the real reason for the season. The barn will receive a special Gold Star that I hope will travel from year-to-year to different nativities across Newtown. If you have a home or know one that places a nativity, please enter it next year.
18 Bennetts Bridge – This home did not use any strings of lights, but the entire home is tastefully decorated by spotlights, using a lovely decorated wreath suspended in front of every single window. They win the “Twenty-Four-Seven Award” for being as beautiful during the day as it is at night.
9 Founders Lane –"Best in Show" - Last year, an audible gasp could be heard from the judges and driver, who had never seen the Cullens' house in all its glory. This year, we were prepared because as George was about to turn onto the street, he advised, “Everyone – get your sunglasses ready!”.
If you can still see after viewing Founders Lane, take a right at the bottom of the hill onto Bennetts Bridge to get to the next house, and slow down to see the house on the left as you drive to Santa’s Workshop. They are not in the contest, but displayed a wonderful light sculptures of various birds.
75 Bennetts Bridge – A child’s fantasy of Santa’s Workshop! We were like little kids, peering out through steamy school bus windows, and remembering the magic of our childhoods. This home wins the title of "Santa's Workshop"
17 Canterbury Lane – These homeowners recently moved to Sandy Hook, and pulled out all the stops to win a Star on their lawn. Welcome to Newtown! So glad your neighbors told you about the contest, even though you entered a green tree in the non-green tree indoor tree category. You win the "New Upstart Award"
9 Serenity – This home won Best Window last year with its film loop of Santa shining through the window, but this year it wins the “Nicer in Newtown Award”. Not only was the entire house and property lit up, but the parents and two children had a wonderful pit stop break for the judges with hot chocolate, warm freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, and some logs burning in a fire pit to keep us warm – see photo. The Burdo Family did this a couple of weeks before the judging to viewers right before the 1st snowstorm, and enjoyed it so much, they wanted to do it for the judges also. It was greatly appreciated and gave us a much-needed break on the 4.5-hour bus ride!
63 Great Ring Road -This house was a lot of fun to look at and had the “Best Roof”, so don’t forget to look up. We also dubbed this house “Best Live Show” because a beautiful big, black, fluffy dog with a flashing red collar ran back and forth across the front yard the entire time the bus was stopped.
3 Settlers Lane- wins “Most Pumped Up” for the staggering number of inflatables in the front yard!
20 Vining Rd - One of my favorite Christmas homes which I never would have discovered if it weren’t for this contest. I have been inside and it is as fantastic as the outside. The entire house is a pure delight! Once gain Vining wins “Best Sugarplum Vision”.
37 Berkshire Rd (Route 34) I want to give this Sandy Hook landmark “Special Recognition” for bring such joy to so many people for so many years. One almost hopes to be stuck in traffic to be able to gaze upon the house’s decorations a bit longer.
8 Baldwin RD – So sweetly decked out with lights and seasonal decorations it would being a smile even to Scrooge’s face with its “Holiday Cheer”
33 Elm- We give out 26 stars to honor and 33 Elm keeps the message of “Be Kind” in our minds and hearts. They win a star for being so “Thoughtful of our Community’s Spirit”.
70 S Main St – This wins “Best Gingerbread House” Don’t forget to notice the best chimney in town. Remember to pass them at Halloween too! 39 Pine tree Hill Rd was also a wonderful Gingerbread House and one I would have loved to give a star to, but alas, I ran out of stars!
Best Outdoor Tree is across the street from the Gingerbread House at 75 South Main Street NJK Automotive (Sunoco)
50A Cedar A “Candy Cane Wonderland” for its use of red and white lights and candy cane yardsticks
187 S Main St- The Vintage Squire Antique Store wins “Best Business Window”!
6 Oak Trail – Google must not have bothered mapping all the way at the tip of Sandy Hook where it meets the water, so GPS has many of us driving into the lake. But have no fear- you’ll be able to find this house due to its glow so bright to help guide you. Its peace sign can even be seen while on I84 west as you come from Southbury. The owner says she has a friendly competition with her across-the-street neighbor at 25 Laurel Trail for “Best Lights”.
25 Laurel Trail wins “Second Best House on the Street”. Only kidding. This home wins “Winter Wonderland”
Congratulations to this year's Winning homes!
I am waiting to award “Best Street” but neither year did the judges find a street with every house having something. Boo! I am really looking forward to giving that award!
Honorary Mentions to 39 Pine Tree Hill Road who was runner-up for Best Gingerbread House, and 3 & 5 Miya Lane, last year’s winners for Best Neighbors who are still as lovely this year. Please include these beautiful homes in your tours.
*Once last note- I am really in a time crunch this year. My husband, who is my Thor with a hammer for placing the stars, was not feeling well after the contest, probably due to riding on a school bus for 4.5 hours. Last night we went to a Holiday Cocktail Party, and tonight, I have to work until 8 pm, so I won’t be home to drive around to give them out.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR ANY OF YOU TO COME TO MY HOUSE TO PICK UP YOUR STAR? They will be ready by 6 PM tonight. You may place it anywhere you like on your property, but please do not put it where snow plows can harm it. As the Guardians of the Stars, please take care of them as best you can for us. Please return it with a note saying what house returned it so I can check you off the naughty list. Just return it after your holiday lights come down, WEATHER PERMITTING. If for some reason, you can’t return it by March, just send me a Facebook post on this thread so I know you are not a klepto and I can take you off next year’s naughty list.
THE STARS ARE NUMBERED. THERE IS A SIGNOUT SHEET. PLEASE WRITE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND PHONE NEXT TO THE # YOUR STAR HAS WRITTEN ON THE WOODEN STAKE. Please read the Bah Humbug note below.
*** Note to Founders, Berkshire, Nativity Winner, and Vining- I have special stars for you & I will drop them off.
May you all have a Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year! Thank you all for entering our Contest! Hope to see you entered next year!