On a cold, moonlit December night, the North Catasauqua Betterment Committee set out to judge the 10th annual North Catasauqua Small Town USA Holiday Home Decorating Contest. The committee toured around the borough viewing homes of this year’s contestants, which totaled 30 homes this year.

“North Catasauqua is no doubt a small borough, but we have many residents who really like to decorate and show off their holiday spirit,” committee Chairman Joseph T. Keglovits told The Press. “Each of these entries and displays simply add to the beauty of the holiday season in North Catasauqua, and definitely make Small Town USA a special place each Christmas.”

This year’s entries varied from simple to “going all out” as they helped to make the small borough sparkle and shine bright this year for the holiday season and made picking winners much more difficult.

Among the highlights of the entries included Santa and Mrs. Claus sitting on a porch swing, neon Mickey and Minnie Mouse silhouettes, a Christmas Ferris wheel and merry-go-round at another, beautiful manger scenes at a few homes, lots of polar bears and snowmen and a huge Abominable Snowman at one home. Snoopy and Mickey Mouse were popular at many homes, and the new and popular green and red LED laser “star shower” lights were shown on many homes.

There were many different uses of Christmas lights, especially LED, which seem to be the most popular lights now, but there were still many homes displaying the “old school” C9 bulbs.

Overall, the displays were neatly done with a creative use of lights, lawn ornaments and color schemes, ranging from very simple to over-the-top. Some just screamed “Christmas!”

The winners of the 2016 Christmas in Small Town USA Holiday Home Decorating Contest are as follows:

• First place large residence: Brian Pluchinsky, 726 Hunter St. This holiday display has a lot to look at and definitely makes you think of Christmas and has that “wow!” effect. There is a variety of animals who have the Christmas spirit throughout the display. Be sure to look for Santa.

• First place small residence: Donald and Karen Kulp, 1081 Sixth St. This display could be called the North Pole. Be sure to look for the huge Abominable Snowman and the penguin beach. The home is outlined in white and blue LED icicle lights.

• Second place: Matt and Barbara Barber, 1325 Fourth St. This holiday display was fun, colorful and bright. The display is covered by multi-colored LED Christmas lights everywhere. You can’t miss it. Be sure to look for Mickey Mouse along with Minnie and Pluto, and Santa on a fire truck.

• Third place: Dennis and Carolyn O’Donnell, 404 Wyandotte St. The display at this home is simple and neatly done. There is a color theme of green, red and white lights.

• Judge’s honorable mention: Eric and Karen DeLabar, 1115 Third St. The judges liked this home with its extensive use of colorful LED lights, some with a falling snow effect. Be sure to look for the Christmas dinosaurs.

All of this year’s contest winners will receive gift cards. The first-place winners will receive a framed photo of their display.

Keglovits said it was very difficult deciding the winners this year, as all of the contestants had wonderful displays and were very creative.

“The homeowners get more and more creative and elaborate with their displays every year,” he said. “Picking only four winners makes it a difficult task for the judges. Everyone who entered is definitely a winner in my mind. The judges took quite a while trying to decide the winners this year.”

Many of the homes again this year were nominated by email to the committee or on the North Catasauqua Facebook page by neighbors and friends.

Along with the many beautifully decorated homes that are in the town this Christmas season, more than 100 snowflakes shine throughout the borough on street poles, courtesy of snowflake sponsors and the betterment committee. Twelve new snowflakes were added this year, along with the electric “drop” hookups by PPL Utilities, paid by the committee.

The homes of the winners and all of the contestants may be viewed as part of the 2016 North Catasauqua Small Town USA holiday lights self tour, which runs through the end of the holiday season. A copy of the tour is published in the Catasauqua Press or the public is invited to stop by North Catasauqua Borough Hall and pick up a self-tour guide that allows them to travel around the borough in their own car at their own pace. The free guides are available on the front porch of the borough hall, 1066 Fourth St., or at NorthCatasauquaBettermentCommittee.webs.com.