Holiday Decorating Contest Seeks Entries

Residents within the Greater Mulwood Homeowners Assn. area, like others throughout the Valley, are pulling out the tinsel, character cutouts and wreaths to decorate their homes, and to compete in the area’s Holiday Home Decorating Contest.

Association board member Richard Woolard said the tradition began two years ago when residents noticed a wide variety of international customs and traditions reflected in the type of colored lights, ribbons, wreaths and animated characters displayed.

Though it all centered on Christmas, people of diverse backgrounds chose to illustrate it in different ways.

“It was something we had not attempted to do: recognizing the beliefs and cultures in the community,” Woolard said. “We thought a contest might reflect that diversity.” It also brought out more diversity than anticipated when several Jewish families took the lead and decorated their abodes for Hanukkah, he added. Those, too, are eligible to compete.

The first year, only 11 people entered the contest, though judges noted that many more houses in the area of Calabasas near Mulholland Highway and Mulholland Drive were decorated but not entered in the contest. And last year, despite greater advertising and the added enticement of holiday gift baskets from the neighborhood’s new Gelson’s market as prizes, entries increased to only 20 homes.

But in an association of 1,450 houses, the board would like to see many more enter this year. Residents in the association’s area may enter by calling (818) 222-6087. Judging will be done the evening of Dec. 20, and winners will be announced Dec. 21.

Decorations will be graded in four categories: innovation, theme, best use of lights, and materials. Woolard said the categories were designed to give everyone a chance to score well in a very subjective contest. “These entries are each individual’s expression,” he said.