Door decorating contests are a December tradition in offices, schools and dorms, and searches for ideas are up sharply this month. A good contest door is bold enough to read from down the hall, and simple enough to put up in an afternoon.

Before you start

  • Measure the door. Most interior doors are 30 to 36 inches wide and 80 inches tall.
  • Ask what you can stick to it. Many places don’t allow tape on painted doors. Painter’s tape or washi tape (on Amazon) is usually safe; packing tape often pulls paint off.
  • Ask about fire rules. Some buildings don’t allow paper covering the whole door, or anything near the handle.

The easiest winner: wrap it like a present

Cover the door in wrapping paper or kraft paper (on Amazon), then add a giant ribbon cross and a big bow. A wide wired ribbon (on Amazon) holds its shape. Add a gift tag with the team’s name.

Other ideas that photograph well

A snowman. White paper over the door, three circles in outline, a scarf of real fabric, a carrot nose cut from orange paper, buttons from paper plates.

A gingerbread house. Brown paper with white “icing” trim painted or cut from paper, candy shapes as decorations, a roof triangle at the top.

A fireplace. Red brick-pattern paper on the lower half, a mantel shelf of cardboard, stockings with each person’s name, a paper fire.

A book cover. Make the door look like the cover of a favorite Christmas book. Good for classrooms and libraries.

A night sky. Dark blue paper, paper stars (on Amazon) and a crescent moon, plus a line of a carol in white letters.

Things that make it stand out

  • 3D elements: real ribbon, a fabric scarf, a small wreath, paper that pops out.
  • Battery fairy lights (on Amazon) around the edge, if your building allows them.
  • One clear idea. Judges see a dozen doors. The one they remember is the one they understand in two seconds.

Hanging it all

Use removable hooks (on Amazon) at the top of the door frame for anything heavy, like a wreath. Make big pieces on the floor, then attach them as one sheet. Leave the handle and lock clear, and make sure the door still closes.