Twinkle Tour offers prizes for best Christmas lights
December 1, 2020, 10:34 am
Victor van der Merwe Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
This has been a very strange year and we all had to get used to new rules and protocols in the name of public and personal health and safety. Small, but significant sacrifices had to be made in how we celebrated some of our holidays.
Thanksgiving was only for a few select family members, since the government strongly urged people to keep to small gatherings and Halloween was scaled down almost to nothing as Spookarama was cancelled and for the first time in a long time there was nothing planned for the older kids in our community.
As November turns into December and the cases of COVID-19 keep climbing it seems that Christmas will not be spared from all the limitations and cancelation of events.
However, there does seem to be one thing that is tradition around this time of year that will be able to happen without any problem, Christmas light viewing.
This year, thanks to Twinkle Tour 2020, fabulously lit houses will even be rewarded for their Christmas light displays. Finally something the town can fully enjoy as intended while staying within social distance guidelines.
“I found the idea on Facebook. Something similar was being done in another town. So, I tweaked the idea to what I thought would work here,” said Rolna Pranke who is the sponsor for this festive event.
Not only is this a chance for the whole family to have some holiday fun, but it is also a chance to promote local businesses during the holiday season.
“I definitely wanted to promote local businesses. My first idea was to give some gift cards as prizes, but then I thought I don’t want to choose certain businesses over others, because that was not right. So, I thought about Moosomin Bucks. That way the money stays in town and people can spend the money where they need to,” said Pranke.
Moosomin Bucks can be spent in any local business in the town of Moosomin. It is an innovative way to ensure that money stays in the local economy. Local businesses will take all the Moosomin Bucks they receive and return them to the Moosomin Chamber of Commerce for a reimbursement cheque.
“It is just so we have something fun to do at Christmas. All our usual events like the Carol Festival and others have been cancelled. I think everybody likes Christmas lights, so the idea is you get in your car drive around town, pick your favourite three houses, then let me know what your favourites are, I will add up the votes and the top three will win prizes,” said Pranke.
The prizes are $200 in Moosomin Bucks for the winner, $150 in Moosomin Bucks for the runner up, and third place will get $100 in Moosomin Bucks to spend around town.
It is not just the brightly lit homes that will be awarded prizes.
“The people who enter their votes, have a chance to win a prize as well. So, even if someone is out of town, they can still come to town, send in their votes and have a chance to win a prize too,” said Pranke.
Those who vote for their favourite three houses will be entered into a draw for three prizes of $50 in Moosomin Bucks.
Although it will most likely be houses showing off holiday spirit, business can throw their hats in the ring as well.
“I was thinking mostly homes, but if there are businesses that stand out, people can certainly vote for them too,” said Pranke.
The Twinkle Tour contest will run from Tuesday, December 1 until Thursday, December 10.
“I will add up the votes and announce the winners on December 11,” said Pranke.
This will be the first year that the town of Moosomin will have a Twinkle Tour contest.
“It has been kind of a crazy year for a lot of people. Shopping locally is even more important than ever. I just wanted to promote local businesses and give people something fun to do,” said Pranke.
The idea is simplicity itself. It is an unofficial tradition around the Christmas season to pile the kids in the car, grab a warm beverage and go look at the creative light displays around town. In the car there is always a panel of sorts where everyone gives their opinion on which home’s lights they liked best. Now, this year, people can win prizes doing it.
“We do it every year. Everybody drives around, it just makes you smile,” said Pranke.
The Moosomin Bucks is to make sure that the money stays in the community.
“I thought it was important to give Moosomin Bucks because then the money actually stays local,” said Pranke.
Moosomin, it seems usually doesn’t disappoint when it comes to Christmas decorations, and Pranke wants people to appreciate all of them.
“There is usually lots and I really want people to drive around and enjoy them all,” said Pranke.
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