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Being the early bird of holiday decor usually gets you a bevy of dirty looks from the neighborhood. But this holiday season, it could score you a fresh pile of cash … and a pile of cookies.
OREO has created something called the Holiday OREO Allowance, or HOA. It’s a clever play on the HOA most of us are familiar with, aka a homeowner’s association. That’s the term for the community that enforces rules and regulations in residential communities, whether it’s in a planned subdivision or a condominium building. Commonly known for their nitpicking preferences and demand that everyone’s unit looks the same, HOAs often snag a bad name for folks who like to make their homes look a little bit out of the ordinary. So naturally, there’s no better way to lean into that uniqueness than slapping nine reindeer, an oversized menorah, and several giant candy canes in your front yard.
Here’s how you can potentially win a cut of $100,000 from OREO. Get your holiday decorations up as early as November 1, and Follow @OREO on Twitter/X or Instagram. Share a photo of your current holiday decor between November 1 and November 18 using the campaign hashtags #HolidayOREOAllowance and #OREOSweepstakes in the caption of your post. Winners will be chosen at random to receive an HOA, or “Holiday OREO allowance.” The delicious gift includes $1000 (to put toward your real HOA fees, or whatever you’d like) as well as plenty of OREO cookies to share with family and friends. And don’t forget the prize of a stylish yard sign, so you can show the rest of your neighborhood that you’re proud to be putting your holiday vibes on display nice and early.
“The OREO brand is always looking to help our fans and their families create playful connections, and there’s no season that brings people together more than the holidays — so why restrict the merriment by waiting until after Thanksgiving to decorate?” said Vishnu Nair, Senior Brand Manager at the OREO brand. “With the Holiday OREO Allowance, we are calling on our most festive fans to join us in bringing the magic of the season to life extra early this year.”
While early decorators are often the scourge of the neighborhood, there are proven benefits behind their motivations. Back in 2017, psychologist Deborah Serani confirmed to TODAY that grabbing the tinsel and flashing lights early is scientifically proven to lift your spirits.
“It does create that neurological shift that can produce happiness. I think anything that takes us out of our normal habituation, the normal day in, day out … signals our senses, and then our senses measure if it’s pleasing or not,” Serani said, citing the colorful lights and power of nostalgia to make us happy. ”Christmas decorating will spike dopamine, a feel-good hormone.”
And if that boost of holiday dopamine comes with a few cookies, all the better.
