Calling all halls residents – it’s time to get festive

We’re inviting you to take part in the Deck the Halls Challenge and transform your shared living spaces with festive and creative decorations. 

Get involved as an individual or gather your flatmates to create a wonderful, holiday atmosphere in your communal areas, such as your kitchen or other shared spaces. Show off your creativity, spread festive cheer, and inspire others to celebrate in a unique way! We will be awarding extra points to entries that successfully incorporate sustainable materials. 

For those living in studios or flats, you are also welcome to participate as individuals by decorating your personal space. 

This is your chance to win food vouchers to enjoy a celebratory Christmas dinner together or to use as you wish! 

How to participate: 

1. Join the challenge as a flat or on your own if you live in a studio or campus flat accommodation. 
2. Capture photos of your decorated communal areas (e.g. kitchen) or individual studio of flat and submit them via the entry from between 15 November and 6 December.
3. Include a brief description (one to two sentences) explaining how your display reflects the chosen theme. Optional: Detail any sustainable elements used for extra credit.

Safety first: Ensure decorations do not cover smoke detectors, alarms, or other safety devices and make sure they are not blocking fire exit routes. 

Ideas for eco-friendly decorations: 

Get inspired by these sustainable decorating tips: 

• Upcycled ornaments: Use old paper, cardboard, or fabric scraps to make festive decorations. 

• Natural elements: Add pinecones, leaves, or dried flowers for a rustic, holiday touch. 

• Cardboard Christmas trees: Craft small Christmas trees from cardboard, decorating them with markers, paint, or other leftover materials. 

• Glass bottle lights: Place battery-operated fairy lights inside empty glass bottles to add a cosy, festive glow to your communal area or flat. 

• Reusable banners and garlands: Make bunting from magazines, cloth, or sustainable paper. 

• Eco-friendly wrapping: Wrap ‘gifts’ with newspaper or cloth for an earth-friendly display. 

• Christmas cards 

Judging criteria: 

A panel of four judges will score each entry on the following: 

• Creativity and originality: Unique and festive decorations (0-5 points). 

• Photo presentation: Quality of photo composition, clarity, and overall appeal (0-5 points). 

• Festive theme: Welcoming holiday atmosphere created in the communal area or individual flat/studio (0-5 points). 

• Environmental impact: Effective use of sustainable materials to reduce waste (extra points 0-5). 

🏆 Prizes: 

Group entry prize: Up to £120 in campus food vouchers, perfect for a Christmas dinner celebration. Individual entry prize: £30 in campus food vouchers, to use or share as you wish! 

📧 Winners will be announced via email the week after the event ends. 

Get your creative spirits flowing and may the best flat win! 🌍🎄