Twinkling homes and glowing yards won’t just build festive spirit in local neighborhoods, but also raise money to support the School Town of Munster. For the sixth annual Holiday Lights Contest, Munster Education Foundation is holding a community-wide competition aimed at raising funds to contribute towards the success of every grade level.

From Dec. 5-19, patrons are encouraged to vote for their favorite homes. Each vote is $1, with proceeds benefiting elementary through high school programs.

“We paid for students in the Project Bio class to get certified in scuba diving,” MEF president Lynn Eplawy said. “During their trip to the Florida Keys, they could study the environmental effects on the coral because they were certified.”

The contest allows Munster residents to showcase their decorations while also bringing awareness to various grant opportunities for students.

“It’s a very engaged school community,” Eplawy said. “It feels as though a fundraiser like this, which is targeted at everybody who lives in the town and not just those actively involved in the schools, will help people understand our organization and hopefully make us a part of their annual donations.”

Junior Carter Forsyth and his family began covering their home and front yard in festive decorations in 2022. Over time, the Forsyth family expanded onto the sidewalk, where they now showcase LED light arches.

“We entered the contest because my dad loved Christmas as a kid,” Forsyth said. “We wanted to make every Christmas as best as possible with decorations.”

Only a few houses down from Forsythes, junior Brennan Rommelfanger and his family look to defend their first place title.

“It’s always fun to have friendly competition because we always compete with our neighbors down the street,” Rommelfanger said.