Armed with plywood, hot glue and tinsel, Ōhaeawai residents are transforming their humble mailboxes into miniature artworks for the town’s annual decorating competition.
What started as a friendly challenge between neighbours has grown into one a community tradition.
Each year, residents gather old paint tins,scrap timber, glitter and other crafting supplies to transform their ordinary letterboxes into something to make people smile.
Michael Drayton, from the Ōhaeawai Taumai Residents Association, said the competition brings out more than just creativity, it’s a bright spot on the community calendar.
He said the competition had run for the past four years.
He said while some may not look like much in the daytime, once the lights come on after dark, they transform.
“So you drive through at night and it’s really colourful and festive.”
A plywood Christmas tree adorns a reindeer-decorated mailbox.
Last year’s winning mailbox was a perfect example. It was completely wrapped in artificial Christmas tree branches with all the trimmings: tinsel, baubles, candy canes and glowing presents as decorations. Once the sky darkened it lit up and was instantly a crowd favourite.
Drayton said reminders were sent out for this year’s competition. Residents are encouraged to send through pictures of their mailboxes and a winner will be voted for and announced at the Ōhaeawai Christmas Picnic.
Residents' artistic flair and humour come out in the contest.
“In the past the rural postie would have been the judge, because they drive around, but they prefer not to judge it. So we as the committee will have to decide. We might have a public vote.”
He said the competition really brings out the artistic flair in the community.
One of last year's decorated mailbox entries.
“We get all sorts of Santas doing all sorts of things, from delivering presents to fishing. There have been reindeer, fairies and snowmen.”
He said while people looking at the letterboxes are often just passing by, it would be nice to have the competition as an attraction.
“That would be the idea, to have people just coming to look at the mailboxes. I don’t know that we have quite reached that critical mass yet. But it is a nice idea.”
The Christmas Picnic is on Saturday December 6, from just before 10am at the Rugby Club in Ōhaeawai.
