Enter Patch's “Deck the House” Contest for a Chance to Win $100,000

Did you decorate your house for the holidays this year? Enter our "Deck the House" contest and you could win $100,000 for your local school district and $500 to pay your electric bills!

We’re launching our annual Deck the House Contest to find the most over-the-top holiday decorations in America — the best “decked” house in the country —the one home so spectacularly decorated that everyone in town jokes your holiday decorations could rival Rockefeller Center’s. If this sounds like your house, upload a photo or video of your home to our contest page from Nov. 26 to Dec. 16 (check the site Monday for a direct link to our contest page so you can enter). Only residents of Patch towns are eligible to enter. We’ll select 24 regional finalists, and from them, pick one grand prize winner. Patch will pay up to $500 of the utility bill for each finalist, while our national winner will have $100,000 donated to his or her local …

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Shaun Courtney

3:45 pm on Monday, December 17, 2012

Good point, Eugenia. I was lucky to buy my fresh green swag over Thanksgiving and to get my tree the first week of December. Otherwise even those very simple decorations might have never happened! -Shaun   more ›

Weekend Planner

Carriage Rides, Light Displays, and Ebenezer Scrooge

Weekend Events from Friday, Dec. 23 through Sunday, Dec. 25

A selection of events to enjoy with family and friends this holiday weekend. George Mason University Men’s Basketball Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides The Ice Palace Festival of Lights Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol 13th Annual Gingerbread Village Outdoor Hanukkah Festival Dec. 22, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Lake Anne Plaza, Reston. Gather with the community at Lake Anne and take part in the lighting of a giant ice menorah by Reston founder Robert E. Simon. The celebration will continue at Reston Community Center-Lake Anne  for family entertainment, prize drawings, Hanukkah donuts, latkes, chocolate gelt, a family Hanikkah film and fun. Free admission. Family Chanukah Music Service Dec. 23, 6:45 pm.  Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation, 1441 Wiehle …

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Holiday Lighting Safety Tips

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department offers tips for holiday light safety.

The holiday season is a festive and joyous occasion. However, it's also a dangerous part of the year, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. The U.S. Fire Administration reports more than 400 people lose their lives, more than 1,600 are injured, and more than $990 million in property is damaged during the holidays each year. Taking simple, common-sense, life-saving steps can help ensure a safe and happy holiday, according to fire department officials. Lighting Safety Tips As a final precaution, make sure you have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home, and ensure you have an escape plan, and practice it. 

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