Britain’s Best Christmas Lights: Martine McCutcheon Is Hunting for the Nation’s Most Dazzling Display

Britain's Best Christmas Lights - Martine McCutcheon with compare the market

Got a front garden that could guide Santa’s sleigh in from space? This could be your year.

Britain’s Best Christmas Lights competition is back, and the prize is one we can all get behind. Compare the Market is on the hunt for the UK’s most magical festive display. The winning household will bag £3,000 to cover up to a year’s worth of free energy bills.

And here’s the really lovely bit. Up to 50 of the winner’s neighbours can each get £300 to cover their December energy bill too. That’s a whopping £18,000 up for grabs in total. So if your street is full of twinkle, it might be time for a friendly word over the garden fence.

Leading the judging panel is none other than festive icon Martine McCutcheon. Yes, Natalie from Love Actually. We can’t think of anyone better to crown the nation’s most dazzling display. Better still, she’ll visit the winning home to hand over the prize and help flick the switch on the big night.

Joining Martine on the panel is last year’s winner, David Carter from Nottingham. His jaw-dropping display features thousands of lights, layered garlands and detailed front-garden scenes, and he’s been adding to it bit by bit since 2011. Talk about dedication. Compare the Market’s resident energy expert, Emma Spencer, completes the line-up.

What are the judges looking for?

It’s not just about who has the most bulbs. The judges will score entries on creativity and originality, lighting and visual design, and best use of space. So whether you’ve got a sprawling drive or a tiny terrace, everyone’s in with a shot.

They’ll also be keeping an eye out for displays that do a little extra. Think lights that bring neighbours together, support local causes or spread festive cheer right across the community. In other words, it’s the Christmas spirit that really counts.

Why our Christmas lights matter more than ever

Let’s be honest, energy bills are on everyone’s minds this winter. Compare the Market’s new research found that 81% of Brits are worried about their 2026 winter energy bills, and almost two thirds (64%) have fretted about the cost of their Christmas lights and decorations.

As a result, plenty of us have been dimming the sparkle. More than a quarter (27%) have put up fewer decorations in recent years, while one in five (20%) have cut back the hours their lights stay on.

But here’s the heartwarming part. Our lights clearly do us a world of good. Almost four in five Brits (79%) say seeing Christmas lights makes them happier during winter, and the same number say festive displays make their neighbourhood feel more cheerful and welcoming.

Even better, they bring us closer. More than half (55%) say Christmas lights have helped them feel more connected to their community. Meanwhile, 22% say festive lights have prompted them to chat to a neighbour for the very first time. And 69% say decorations have led them to do something with a neighbour, whether that’s striking up a conversation, helping with a display or coordinating their decorations.

No wonder we want more of it. Almost two thirds (65%) would love their street to be more festive, and 56% wish their community came together more at Christmas. More than half (56%) also say they simply enjoy putting up lights for their neighbours and passers-by to enjoy.

So consider this your sign. Get the ladder out, untangle those fairy lights and start plotting with the neighbours. Martine could be knocking on your door.

Planning a showstopping display that’s kinder on your bills? Shop energy-saving LED Christmas lights here:

How to enter Britain’s Best Christmas Lights

To enter, applicants should email photographs of their outdoor Christmas light display and a written submission explaining why their household deserves to win by midnight on Sunday 15^th November. Entries must include the entrant’s full name, email address, contact number and city or region.