Christmas Magic Displays Competition

Business and charities in Horsham District with a festive window or display which is visible to visiting customers.

Public voting will take place from Friday 4 December to Sunday 13 December.

The public will vote for their favourite displays based on the photo provided by your business / charity, or instore visits, to determine the following awards:

• 3 overall winners: winning window, internal and charity display.
• 9 town and village winners:
  • 6 awards for the winning displays in rural towns and villages in Horsham District (Billingshurst, Henfield, Pulborough, Steyning, Storrington and Southwater).
  • 3 awards for winning displays in Horsham town centre supported by Your Horsham, Horsham’s Business Improvement District.
• 1 off-high-street winner: hotels, vineyards, visitor attractions and other destination venues located outside traditional high street settings.

There will also be a Most Sustainable Display award judged by Horsham District Council's Sustainability Team. This category will celebrate those who have gone the extra mile to design their display with sustainability in mind. You will be asked for a short description on how you have made your display sustainable at the photo submission stage, after you have expressed an interest.

Winners will be announced week commencing 14 December.

• Publicity for all participating businesses and charities during December as part of the public prize competition.
• Publicity for overall winners.
• Framed certificates for all winners to showcase their win.

• Friday 6 November: Expressions of interest close
• Thursday 12 November – Wednesday 2 December: Entrants invited to submit photos
• Friday 4 December - Sunday 13 December: Public voting is open
• Week commencing 14 December: Winners announced

Use this checklist when creating your magical window, internal or market stall displays this Christmas.

1. Know your target audience and design for them.
2. Feature the products that make you unique and you can sell in volume before Christmas.
3. If your products are high value - keep it simple.
4. Create a story or theme – is it Instagrammable?
5. Have a focal point to the display.
6. Effective lighting is essential, highlight ‘hero’ products.
7. Turn ‘window shoppers’ into ‘active shoppers’ - incorporate graphics that allow people to buy from you 24/7.
8. Remember ‘Eye level is buy level’ – use the available height effectively.
9. Frame empty space if you want people to see through to your interior displays.
10. For internal and market stall displays, encourage customers to interact with the products.

Design your festive window and internal displays with sustainability in mind by using the following top tips from Kinder Living:

1. Use what you have and find inspiration. Start by using materials you already own. For ideas, look at online sources such as Kinder Living's Pinterest board for inspiration on Christmas decorations and crafts.
2. Minimise single-use plastic. Try to avoid single use plastic  and buying new plastic if you can. Plastic is a useful material, so if you have a choice between re-using a plastic item that’s been around a while and having to buy something new to avoid plastic, use what you have.
3. Use natural materials. Natural materials make great Christmas displays. What you use will depend on durability and how easy it is for you to swap an item that stops looking its best. Holly and evergreen branches are reasonably long lived. If you collect your own, make sure you have permission. Consider picking branches without berries to leave those for wildlife. You can easily make fake berries using beads, scrunched up paper or re-purposing old decorations.
4. Consider materials like wood and bamboo, especially if you need to add height to your display.
5. Consider how you are securing your display. Avoid single use fastenings like plastic zip ties. Perhaps, twine or ribbon would be attractive and less wasteful? If you need something stronger, Velcro is part plastic but re-useable. Avoid using glue if it means your display can’t be taken apart without breaking it.
6. Get creative with homemade decorations. Homemade decorations are fun - crochet, knitted, paper, felt. (See the Kinder Living Pinterest boards for some ideas). Before you buy materials, check what people have lying around. Any keen crafters will often have some bits they can spare.
7. Think about the colours and materials of your display. What works with your branding and the products or services you sell? For example if you sell tech would a festive display of old tech be more in keeping than gathering greenery?
8. Consider using your display theme to promote sustainable messaging. Can you inspire customers to buy more sustainably through your design message?
9. Plan what will happen to your display after the festive season. If you’ve gone for something really original and eye-catching that you might not want to use again as a whole, can it break down into parts that can be used again, or used for something else?

Here are some tips for preparing your magical display photo, to enter the competition:

• Lighting: When taking the picture of your display make sure the area is well lit. Be aware of shadows, reflections, or glare if you are taking the image at dusk.
• Background: What is in the background of your display? If there are people in the image, make sure you have permission to take their picture. Clear the area around your display so as not to incorporate packing boxes or signage that will detract from your creation.
• Cleaning: It might sound silly, but to get the best photo it is always best to make sure you give the camera or phone camera lens a wipe before you take the image, as well as your window if it is a window display, to make sure there are no smudges or marks.