SIDNEY — Winners of Sidney’s annual Christmas Door Decorating Contest from the numerous participating city departments were announced by judge Mayor Mike Barhorst on Monday.
For many years, city employees have gotten into the Christmas spirit by decorating the doors of their various departments. Doors are judged on originality, theme, creativity, use of materials, quality of construction, visual appeal and special effects. The mayor declares the winner at 5 p.m. on the day prior to Sidney City Council’s December meeting. The winning departments receive a pizza party.
“It was a close contest this year,” Barhorst said before announcing the winners.
“The theme this year was ‘Comfort and Joy.’ For the second year in a row, the door to the revenue collection office won first prize,” Barhorst said.
The door decorations included a wreath, a fireplace with two stockings labeled “comfort” and “joy,” and a painting atop the mantle of four snowmen with their stick arms spelling out O-H-I-O. The stocking labeled “comfort” was filled with paid city income tax receipts and the stocking labeled “joy” was filled with income tax refund forms stamped refund.
Finishing close behind was the door to the finance office. Their door featured colored ribbons indicating various types of cancer, with the heading “Finding a Cure — True Comfort and Joy.”
“It is unfortunate that I had but two prizes to award,” Barhorst said. “Tied for third place were the doors at the offices of the deputy fire chief, information technology, city manager and the receptionist. Finishing just one point behind was the door at the office of the fire training officer.”
“If we could have a prize for the department decorating the most doors, the fire department would have carried the day. They decorated the doors to the chief’s office, the deputy chief’s office, fire prevention, the clerk’s office and even the women’s restroom!” said Barhorst.
“The department that decorated their door with the most rapidity was information technology,” Barhorst continued. “When I stopped by at 4:30 p.m., the door was without any decoration at all. Ten minutes later, it was finished! They told me that they work best under pressure!”
“We receive a number of very positive comments from citizens who visit the building,” Human Relations Manager Vicki Allen said, “and the employees enjoy participating. It is a morale booster.”
The project was originally the suggestion of the Employee Activity Committee many years ago. Although the committee is no longer active, the door decorating contest has continued.
The prize money is contributed each year by the city manager, the assistant city manager, law director and the human resources manager.
