In December, the city invited entrepreneurs to participate in a contest for the most beautiful Christmas decorations. On Sunday, December 14, during the finale of the Ice Sculpture Festival, awards were presented to the winners.
All entries were reviewed by a jury composed of representatives from the City Hall, the Greater Poland Agency for Enterprise Development and the company Terlan. The judges considered the overall aesthetics of the decorations and the festive atmosphere they created. Creativity, originality, and the effort involved were also important, as well as the impact of the decorations on the urban space and their compliance with the city's landscape resolution.
Winners of the Christmas Decoration Contest Announced
"As a jury, we faced a very difficult choice - the photos submitted impressed us with their high level of aesthetics and warm holiday spirit," said Marta Raszeja, Head of the Promotion Department at the President's Office of Poznań City Hall. "Some enchanted us with simplicity, while others with the richness and variety of ornaments. We are delighted that so many places beautify the city during this special season, and we are already looking forward to the next edition."
Celebrating Christmas Creativity
The winners were selected in several categories. The first category was for the "most beautiful Christmas shop window or display" - that is, decorated windows and other glass elements of a store. The judges awarded SisArt, a shop located at 26 Święty Marcin Street. Run by a family trio, it specializes in handicrafts. There, visitors can find, among other things, unique ceramics, delicate jewelry, scented soy candles, accessories, decorations, as well as sewn and crocheted toys. On the shelves are both original creations by the SisArt team - such as hand-painted notebooks, crocheted sweaters, and the absolute hit, a plush Saint Martin's croissant - as well as works by nearly 200 artisans from across Poland.
"Our Christmas window this year tells a small story about family, tradition, and the joy of creating. As every year, we prepared it ourselves, turning several evenings into moments full of laughter, the scent of pine, and creative chaos," emphasize the authors of the composition. "For us, it's more than decorating a shop - it's an annual ritual that reminds us that the magic of Christmas begins when we do something together. Every element of the window has its own story, and together they create a space where the magic of Christmas intertwines with handicrafts, tradition, and family warmth. We invite you inside - to a world where the holidays last a little longer, and every detail tells its own little story."
Creative Holiday Spirit Recognized in Poznań's Festive Facades
The second category, "most beautiful Christmas facade," focused on larger-scale decorations, such as exterior elements of a store or an entire building, particularly illuminations, garlands, three-dimensional ornaments, and entrance decorations. The jury awarded the building at 27 Libelta Street. The building itself dates back to 1895 and is the oldest structure in the so-called Stübben Ring, which in the 19th century was intended to be the city's main traffic artery. The first owner and builder was the construction entrepreneur Robert Hoffmann. Shortly after the war, the villa was handed over to the Ministry of Health, and a comprehensive renovation was completed in December 2019. Today, it is not only an architectural showcase for the city but also one of the most interesting office-residential buildings in Poznań, offering rental spaces.
"Libelta 27 dresses up for the holidays with grandeur that is hard to miss," note the villa's owners. "Since 2020, the building has been adorned with enormous bows, making it look like a giant Christmas present. Lights twinkle in the windows, and every decoration has been carefully chosen to highlight the magic of the winter season."
A special award for creativity and originality was also presented. The jury recognized the beautiful facade of the Miskuzi restaurant at 34 Ratajczaka Street - decorations created by Magdalena Karwacka, Magdalena Kabzińska, and Adrian Ambrożak. Miskuzi is a restaurant where visitors can enjoy Neapolitan pizza in a space full of retro Italian ambiance.
From Concept to Magic
"Our project is a comprehensive, handcrafted arrangement that transports our guests into a magical, candy-themed world of Christmas," explain the creators. "We focused on a cohesive, intensely sweet motif based on handmade XXL-sized decorations. The execution of this project was extremely demanding and required the full commitment of the entire team, especially during the last three weeks when we began installing the previously prepared decorations. To avoid disrupting the restaurant's operations, most of the decorating work took place at night and often lasted until the early morning hours, reflecting our determination to achieve perfection. We started preparing the first decorations three months ago because we wanted authenticity, not ready-made ornaments."
The winners received awards - statuettes and certificates. The winning decorations will be promoted, among other places, on the City of Poznań's websites and social media. A special poster has also been designed, which will be displayed on citylight billboards in public spaces.
All entrepreneurs and institutions operating in the capital of Greater Poland were eligible to participate in the competition. Entries could be submitted by completing the appropriate form by December 5.
