This Christmas Light and Decoration Awards tradition is almost as old as our family of four is, and it’s one of my very favorites.
It’s super simple (yay!) and something that connects you with your neighbors (though, we have gone beyond our own neighborhood many times!)
This year I knew it was time to update our previous printable award, and as I did so I was struck with the realization that this is a perfect opportunity to use as a gospel presentation. So the printable award this year includes a very simple gospel message. I know not everyone who utilizes this will want that element of it, and that’s totally fine! Simply cut the card across where you want the text to end.
So here is the rundown on how our family makes the Christmas light and decoration awards work:
One evening during the Christmas season we either go out for a walk or a drive through the neighborhood. Generally, through the season we are keeping our eyes open for homes and usually have an idea of which home wins which category to before we set out. But sometimes we don’t know ahead of time, and part of the fun is picking which homes win which Christmas light and decoration awards.
We sign all of the awards ahead of time and also bring along a wrapped gift. It’s always some holiday candy and I would suggest that you do the best you can afford. Especially if you’re leaving the gospel portion in the paper award – don’t be cheap! I sat at our town’s Christmas parade a couple of weeks ago, and you could kinda tell based on the candy being tossed out which ones were meeting a social obligation, and which businesses put a little more thought and care into it. Just be thoughtful. People notice.
Some years we have knocked on doors and spoken to the home owners. Other years we have simply left it in mailboxes or by the door. For us it has depended upon what time of night it is.
We did discover people got really nervous if Paul was at the door, so he hangs out in the car/by the end of the driveway and the boys and I talk to the homeowners when we opt to go up to the door. We saw this over and over again, and we decided it’s just not worth making people even momentarily nervous.
In previous neighborhoods we have seen this be an effective tool for relationship building as the neighbors (and I’m talking, a huge extended neighborhood, not ones we’d see daily) remember us. Some invited us in to see their indoor Christmas displays.
The printable for these Christmas Light and Decoration Awards is a pdf that you can get by clicking any of these images or here.
I printed mine at Staples on 110lb cardstock and paid just under $3 for 4 sheets (giving me 8 awards). I like the sturdiness the cardstock offers, but regular paper would work just fine!
Merry Christmas!
Christmas Party Ideas and Games
[…] While not a competitive game, our family has greatly enjoyed looking at lights and handing out awards each year. For sure not everyone will be happy with the additional Bible text, and that’s ok – simply cut the text off where you want it to end. But it is a delightful activity to walk around the neighborhood and hand out prizes and appreciation for the beautiful lights the neighbors set up. You can get the printable by clicking on the image above or here. […]