Iqaluit holiday lights contest ‘labour of love’ for runner-up

Ed Picco, a long-time Christmas decorator, says he decorates his house for his grandchildren

The winners of the Iqaluit Holiday Lights Contest are, from left: first place, 317-2 Ataani Lane; second place, 2428 Paurngaq Cres.; and third place, 5177-B Qajisarvik Rd. (Photos by Arty Sarkisian)

By Arty Sarkisian

Ed Picco has seven grandchildren ranging in age from 18 months to 14 years old. Thanks to them, Picco became an award-winning Christmas decorator.

“We are doing this for them,” he said, talking about three of his grandkids who were playing around the indoor Christmas tree at his house in Iqaluit.

Each holiday season for the past 14 years, Picco has spent three weekends in a row putting up two Christmas trees, several toy Santas and countless lights outside his house.

Ed Picco shows some of the old family Christmas decorations at his house, which won second place in the Iqaluit Holiday Lights Contest. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)

“People will call my wife and say, ‘It doesn’t seem like Christmas ’til there are lights on your house,'” Picco told Nunatsiaq News, after yet again being named one of the winners of the City of Iqaluit’s annual Christmas lights contest.

“We’re quite excited about that,” he said, adding their house has never earned the first-place prize, always coming in second or third.

This year, they won second place.

The Holiday Lights Contest is an annual event in which Iqaluit elders determine the best-decorated home in the city. Prizes are awarded to the top three finishers.

To judge the 2023 lights contest, elders were driven around on a bus with Santa Claus to see the houses in person.

This year, though, the bus was out of service so city staff took photos of each decorated home and met with the elders to help them choose the winners, City of Iqaluit spokesperson Geoffrey Byrne said in an email.

The top three finishers in this year’s contest are: 317-2 Ataani Lane (first); 2428 Paurngaq Cres. (second); and 5177-B Qajisarvik Rd. (third).

The top prize is a round-trip ticket to Ottawa, the second-place finisher wins a $500 Arctic Ventures gift card, and for third place there is a $200 Arctic Ventures gift card. The names of the first-place and third-place finishers were not available.

Picco said he is happy with the outcome, both with the second-place finish and the not-so-in-person judging.

“There are a lot of nice houses decorated this year,” he said. “We were surprised.”

Vivian Rose Akpik-Picco, left, Astrid Akpik-Picco, Quatra Akpik-Picco and Ed Picco gather around their indoor Christmas tree. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)

He said cars still slow down as they pass his house, and decorations provide an opportunity for the whole family to gather together in early December to see the house light up.

Picco said they will keep some of the decorations on until spring, as they can become fragile and break because of the winter cold.

“It’s the labour of love,” he said, adding that next year the decorations will be up as usual but he might try to slightly change things up to keep the tradition going.

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(2) Comments:

  1. Posted by Ed is nice on

    I know Ed! He’s a nice guy 🙂

  2. Posted by S on

    Ed, you look great, your home looks great, your grandchildren look great; as it should be – for a great man.

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