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Text and photos by Connie Leinbach
Every December, the Ocracoke Civic and Business Association hosts a Christmas lights contest called “Island Celebration.”
Teresa O’Neal, owner of the Island Ragpicker, organizes it and then drafts a few unsuspecting off-islanders to be judges while she and her husband, Albert, drive around to all of the displays at night.
She noted that there weren’t as many displays around the island as in the last few years.
She also had difficulty finding vacationers and instead recruited Caroline Temple, and Ocracoke School fifth-grader, and Iris McClain, a sixth grader.
The results on Dec. 13 were arrived at a bit differently from what usually happens.
“The kids were just so great,” O’Neal said. “They didn’t over analyze the way adults do. They just went, ‘That’s so pretty.'”
And so easily made their choices.
Herewith are the winners of this year’s contest for which winners receive the glory of a sign proclaiming their honor.
Below is a sampling of other holiday displays around the island.
