Post Submitted by Karreen Busch
Do you love to embellish your house with dozens of strands of Christmas lights and bright decorations for the holidays? If so, it’s too bad you didn’t live in Medford in 1928…
In the year before the Great Depression, the Medford Mail Tribune ran this ad searching for the best decorated and lit yards at Christmas time:
PRIZES LISTED FOR BEST YARD ILLUMINATION
A contest which is expected to prove of interest to all Medford home owners is being sponsored by the publicity department of the Medford Chamber of Commerce and was announced today. Prizes will be awarded to the four best decorated and illuminated front yards during the Christmas holidays, including decorations and colored lights on trees, shrubbery, and buildings.
The contest will be open to any resident not connected with the California Oregon Power Company or with any local electric concern and entries must be filed with the publicity department of the chamber before December 24. The lights used for decorative purposes must be burned every night from December 22 until January 2, at the end of which time prizes donated by the People’s Electric Store, Medford Electric company, Southern Oregon Electric Company, and the California Oregon Power Company will be awarded.
Awards will be made on the general artistic appearance of the house and grounds. The prizes will consist of a $25 percolator, a $15 waffle iron, a $10 automatic toaster, and a $9 iron.
Today, the Mail Tribune’s website features an interactive “Holiday Light Tour” of the best houses, which you can find at mailtribune.com/holidaylights. Sadly, there are no prizes offered to those whose houses make the list. But it’s all in good cheer! There are still a few nights left to enjoy the Christmas lights, wherever you live. Happy holidays!
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