LUBBOCK, TX--(Marketwire - September 13, 2010) - More than 100,000 American men and women are serving overseas. Leaving family members behind during a deployment is one of the most difficult challenges a service member can face. There are big things to consider, and then there are "little" things, such as "who will decorate the house for the holidays while I'm gone?"
Christmas Decor, the nation's leading professional holiday & event decorating franchise, makes it their business to answer this question with their Decorated Family Program. The program, now in its eighth season, was created to thank military families of soldiers serving overseas for their dedication and support of the armed forces and all Americans.
Each holiday season, hundreds of Christmas Decor franchisees nationwide donate their products, resources and time to decorate the homes of local military as a part of the Decorated Family Program. The idea for the Decorated Family Program originated with a Christmas Decor franchisee at a gathering in 2003. The festive dinner got him thinking about the many military families that wouldn't be able to share a holiday meal with their soldier that season.
"We knew families would need some cheering up in the coming months and since we are already in the business of lighting peoples' homes, this seemed like a simple way to light up these peoples' lives," said Blake Smith, President of Christmas Decor.
People can nominate deserving military families in their community by filling out the nomination form on the Decorated Family page of the Christmas Decor Website and submitting it to decoratedfamily@thedecorgroup.com. This form allows people to explain why the family should become a "Christmas Decor Decorated Family." Wall Post nominations and videos under two minutes can also be submitted via Christmas Decor's Facebook page. Winners are awarded based on their location (to ensure there is a local franchise to provide the award) and the impact of their story on the judges. The lucky family with the most "liked" nomination on the Facebook page will also receive a special prize.
"In addition to thanking you for the amazing gift of the lights and decorations for Christmas, I also want to thank you for giving my kids something positive to come out of this deployment," wrote Theresa Riggs to Curt Winter, owner of Christmas Decor by Badgerland Irrigation in Middleton, Wisconsin, after Winter announced that Riggs' home would be decorated as a part of the 2009 Decorated Family Program.
"I had been trying to get them [my kids] to make pictures for Scott since he left and they just refused. I think they were angry at him for being gone," continued Riggs. "They spent all afternoon making him pictures and books and signs! I can't even explain to you, it was like a light went off with them and they went from being angry about it to being so proud of what their dad does. That is so huge to me!"
With nearly 300 locations, Christmas Decor, Inc. is now the largest professional holiday & event decorating franchise. The company offers a complete decorating service program including display design, installation, maintenance, and removal of holiday lighting and decorations. Now the franchise is in the enviable position of being able to give back to communities.
"These service members and their families are real life heroes," said Smith. "We want to decorate twice as many homes this year and I know that with America's help we can make this dream into a reality."
The company is seeking to attract hundreds of nominations that result in decorating at least 200 homes for the 2010 holiday season. The deadline for nominations is November 1st, 2010. For more information about the Decorated Family Program please visit the company's website, www.christmasdecor.net.
About Christmas Decor
Since its inception in 1986, Christmas Decor has risen to become the premier holiday lighting and decorating company in North America. The Texas-based company was founded by Blake Smith as an off-season supplement to his landscape business and as a method to provide year-round work for employees. Christmas Decor quickly emerged as a viable business opportunity and today, operates in more than 350 markets in 48 states and Canada. Plans are underway to open locations in more than 100 new markets through franchise expansion in select communities around the country. Christmas Decor is highly revered in its field and has received consistent recognition for its efforts; some highlights include having been named one of a Top Ten Home Improvement Franchises for 2008 by Entrepreneur Magazine and AOL Small Business. Christmas Decor's parent company, The Decor Group, also offers the Nite Time Decor franchise opportunity, a growing 30-unit concept specializing in architectural and landscape lighting services. For more information, visit www.christmasdecor.net.