Deck the halls: Winners of the 2021 Holiday decorating challenge

To the Editor:
As part of Altamont’s Festival of Lights events again this year, an anonymous group of elves, all from the village, secretly wandered down every street in Altamont this past week to carefully consider who shall be the worthy winners of the revived holiday decorating contest.

Things haven’t changed. As usual, the selection proved most difficult, with many diverse and beautiful, deserving choices in both categories. The judges again had difficulty coming to consensus.

However, through the use of a complicated, double super-secret weighted scoring matrix, the following winners were selected:

— In the residential category, first place is awarded to Gary and Crystal Goss at 13 Indian Maiden Pass. Second place goes to the William and Lori Kerr home at 6 Indian Maiden Pass. The Owens home at 108 Grand Street the James and Sandra Serafino home at 170 Maple Avenue Extension are tied for third; and

— In the commercial category, the task was again no easier. A prize will be awarded to the winning business; this year’s winner of a gift card to Phillip’s Hardware goes to the American Legion Post.

We congratulate the winners and thank all the folks who brightened up the village this season.

We also want to recognize both John Sands and all who helped him in hanging the festive holiday sprays of pine boughs and red ribbon throughout the village again this year, as he does every year.

We also thank Jon Phillips of Phillips Hardware, Curry Patta, Farmhouse Tap & Tavern, and Gade Farms for donating prizes for the decorating challenge.

On another housekeeping note, the Community Tree in Orsini Park will be undecorated and taken down on Saturday, Jan. 2. If you want your ornament back, please remove it by then if reachable

The residual ornaments will be carefully removed and placed in a box in the gazebo if you wish to pick up your ornament later or couldn’t reach it on the tree. The box will be in the gazebo until Jan. 8.

Dean Whalen

Chairman

Altamont

Community Tradition

Holiday

Decorating Committee