Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington Civic Association Alumni
The Holiday House Decorating Contest has been part of the fabric of the Upper Arlington community for almost three-quarters of a century.
Beginning in 1948, at the end of World War II, the contest was conceived as a way to revive community spirit and encourage celebration after a period of loss and widespread material shortages. Ten homes were awarded certificates that year, and the organizing committee vowed to add more houses into the mix for the following contests.
In 1951, more categories were added, including Most Unusual, Most Beautiful and Miscellaneous.
By 1968, the contest had expanded its judging categories to 10 in the senior division and four in the youth division. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Upper Arlington, the contest was themed the Golden Year, and the overall winner received a silver tray in recognition.
In 1974, despite nationwide power shortages, the contest forged ahead to keep the holiday spirit alive. The committee did its judging during the day, using categories such as Best-Decorated Door or Entry and Best Santa, and each house had to be decorated to look beautiful without the aid of lights.
The contest was canceled in 1998 as community focus shifted to the expansive Christmas in the Park event. In 2017, though, the Upper Arlington Civic Association Alumni decided to take on the responsibility of bringing back the cherished event.
Creating New Traditions
The 2022 decorating contest offers a way for community members to come together to celebrate one another, says Georgia Kaltenbach, president of the alumni association.
Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington Civic Association Alumni
“Even on the slightest level of making someone’s day by appreciating what they’ve done to their home for the various holidays that we celebrate, it’s just a small way to bring joy,” Kaltenbach says.
In recent years, the alumni association has worked to expand the contest beyond just Christmas.
“We need to move away from calling it a ‘Christmas contest’ because there are many, many people who celebrate a variety of different holidays during the month of December,” Kaltenbach says. “Really, it needs to be thought of as a holiday decorating contest.”
This year’s categories include Neat as a Pin, Anything Goes and Best Overall.
A former active director and secretary with the Upper Arlington Civic Association, Kaltenbach quickly transitioned to the alumni association after her time at UACA came to an end and soon took on the leadership position.
“I felt the need to continue and serve however I could, so I became involved with the alumni group,” she says.
In addition to organizing the Holiday Decorating contest on its own, the alumni association works in tandem with the UACA for many community events. Kaltenbach works hard to ensure the judging is fair and community involvement is high.
How to Get Involved
Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington Civic Association Alumni
Decorating contest entrants may be nominated by themselves, their neighbors or members of the alumni association. Nominations can be completed on the UACA website, www.uaca.org.
The nomination window is Nov. 28-Dec. 9. The judging takes place from Dec. 12-15, and results are announced Dec. 17 and 18.
Each winner receives a yard sign and a letter of appreciation for their contribution to the community.
Katie Giffin is an editorial asisstant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
