Official Rules | Hometown Lights Contest 2026

1. Who can enter

Open to residential properties located in Cullman County.
The Christmas Card Trail is open to residents, businesses, schools, churches, nonprofits, and community groups in the same area.
Entry is free.
Employees of the judging organizations and members of their households are eligible to enter and win. Judges will not score an entry from their own household or a relative's.

Pre-register online by 11:59 PM, Monday, November 23, to let the organizers know you're competing.
Submit your final entry, including at least one nighttime photo of the finished display, by 11:59 PM, Tuesday, December 1. Only pre-registered entrants may submit a final entry.
One entry per address. Each home may enter one of these awards: Clark Griswold or Home for the Holidays. Animated, musical, and synchronized displays enter the Clark Griswold Award.
A home may also be part of a Deck the Halls neighborhood entry. Neighborhood entries are submitted by one captain who lists the participating addresses (minimum 5 homes on the same street, block, or cul-de-sac).
Christmas Card Trail entries register separately and may be submitted by any eligible group or individual.
Every final entry is eligible for the People's Choice Award.

Displays must be fully set up by Tuesday, December 1 and lit nightly from at least 5:30 to 9:30 PM through Christmas Day, Friday, December 25. Entrants are welcome to keep displays lit longer.
Displays must be visible from a public street. Judges drive by and view from the public street only, and will not enter private property.
Displays must stay on the entrant's property, or a property where the entrant has the owner's permission. Nothing may be placed in the public right-of-way, on traffic signs, or on utility poles, lines, or equipment.
Animated displays with sound should use an FM transmitter or keep speaker volume reasonable, and follow City of Cullman noise ordinances.
Entrants are responsible for following any HOA or neighborhood rules.

Use lights, cords, and decorations rated for outdoor use, and follow manufacturer instructions.
Use GFCI-protected outlets and don't overload circuits.
Keep sidewalks and roadways clear. Don't encourage visitors to park in a way that blocks traffic.
Judges may disqualify any display they consider unsafe.

Minimum card size 4 ft x 8 ft (one standard sheet of plywood).
Cards must be securely anchored, weather-resistant, and lit at night.
Cards must be placed on private property with the owner's permission, visible from a public street, and not in the public right-of-way.
Content must be family-friendly. The entrant's name may appear on the card; no other advertising, pricing, or promotional offers. No political content.
Cards must be installed by Tuesday, December 1. When to take them down is up to the entrant.

Judged awards (Clark Griswold, Home for the Holidays, Deck the Halls, and Christmas Card Trail) are decided by representatives of Cullman Power Board and Cullman Electric Cooperative between December 2 and 6. Judges drive by and view every display from the public street only.
Each entry is scored on four criteria for its award, 1 to 10 points each (40 points maximum). Judges' decisions are final.
If a display isn't lit when judges visit, judges may make one more attempt. After that, the entry may not be scored.
The People's Choice Award is decided by public vote in late December. Voting details, dates, and one-vote rules will be posted before voting opens.

Clark Griswold Award: $2,000
Home for the Holidays Award: $1,000
People's Choice Award: $1,000
Deck the Halls Award: a neighborhood party at the Cullman Christkindlmarkt Winterhaus, with food tokens and ride tickets. Party date and details will be shared with the winners.
Christmas Card Trail Award: an invitation to the winning neighborhood's Winterhaus party, with food tokens and ride tickets.
Judged winners will be announced Monday, December 7 and notified by phone or email.
Cash prize winners must complete a W-9 before payment. Prizes are not transferable and have no cash alternative.

By entering, entrants allow the organizers and promotional partners, including Cullman Christkindlmarkt, to photograph the display from public property and use those photos to promote the contest.
The public Hometown Lights Trail map is published Monday, December 7, with the winners. Entrants choose on the final entry form whether their address may appear on it. Addresses are never published without that permission.

The organizers may modify or cancel the contest due to weather, safety, or circumstances outside their control.
Questions: info@cullmanchristkindlmarkt.com