Rules

OFFICIAL RULES: NEWSDAY’S HOLIDAY HOUSE LIGHTS CONTEST

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING.

Newsday’s Holiday House Lights Contest (the “Contest”) is sponsored by Newsday LLC (“Newsday”). By entering the Contest, you agree to comply with and be bound by these Official Rules (the “Official Rules”). Please review the Official Rules carefully. If you do not agree to the terms and conditions of the Official Rules in their entirety, you are not permitted to enter the Contest.

1. ELIGIBILITY: The Contest is open only to individuals that are legal residents of, and living in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties only, who are 18 years of age or older and can enter into legally binding contracts under applicable law. Employees of Newsday, its advertising, fulfillment or promotion agencies, service providers, agents, officers, parents, subsidiaries or affiliates, Viral Sweep LLC, or any other persons or entities directly associated with the Contest (collectively, the “Contest Entities”) and members of the immediate families of and/or persons living in the same household as such persons, are ineligible to enter the Contest or claim the Prize (as defined below).

2. CONTEST ENTRY PERIOD: The “Contest Entry Period” begins at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, December 1, 2024, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. Other restrictions may apply. Entries must be received during the Contest Entry Period to be eligible to win the Prize.

3. HOW TO ENTER: To enter, go to newsday.com/lightscontest during the Contest Entry Period and follow the links and instructions to completely fill out and submit the online entry form in accordance with the on-screen instructions. Upon Newsday’s receipt of an entrant’s successful submission (Entry), that entrant shall receive one (1) entry in the Contest.

BY INCLUDING THEIR ADDRESS IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THEIR ENTRY, ENTRANTS ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT THIS INFORMATION WILL BE PUBLICLY VISIBLE TO OTHERS. THE CONTEST ENTITIES ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENCES ARISING FROM THE DISCLOSURE OF THIS INFORMATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY INTERACTIONS OR VISITS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO VIEW THE ENTRY. ENTRANTS ARE ADVISED TO CAREFULLY CONSIDER THEIR COMFORT LEVEL WITH SHARING THEIR ADDRESS BEFORE INCLUDING IT IN THEIR SUBMISSION. PROVIDING AN ADDRESS IS ENTIRELY OPTIONAL AND NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST.

Each entrant is required to submit an original photo or video (“Submission”) created in 2024. The Submission must: (a) feature an indoor or outdoor holiday display not included in any entry submitted by a previous participant; (b) be in good taste; (c) be an original work not professionally produced by a videographer or photographer; (d) appear in its original form without digital enhancements; (e) not have been previously published or received awards; (f) adhere to the standard terms and conditions for User Content and Submissions (Section 4) located at Newsday.com/terms; and (g) not infringe upon or violate the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy or publicity, or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity. Modifying, enhancing, or altering a photo or video does not qualify as an entrant’s original work. Artificial Intelligence technology (AI) is strictly prohibited. By entering the Contest and submitting a photo or video, each entrant represents that the entrant: (i) is the copyright owner of the Submission or has written permission from the copyright owner to enter the Submission in this Contest and to grant all rights necessary to use the Submission in the Contest; and (ii) has obtained all required permissions from any individuals identified or depicted in the Submission (or the parent or guardian of any child identified or depicted) to grant the rights outlined herein.

By submitting the Entry, the entrant agrees that the Entry conforms to these Official Rules and that Newsday, in its sole discretion, may disqualify the Entry for any reason, including if it determines, that the Entry fails to conform to these Official Rules in any way or otherwise contains unacceptable content.

Each entrant may submit only one (1) Entry during the Contest Entry Period. Any Entries submitted in excess of this limitation will be discarded. All Entries must be submitted online. Mailed or hard copy entries will not be accepted. All Entries must be received by the end of the Contest Entry Period. Failure to submit all required information and submissions in the manner required in these Official Rules may result in disqualification. All Entries become Newsday’s property and will not be acknowledged or returned. Each entrant understands that Newsday has the option and not the obligation to display or otherwise include the Entry in/on any Newsday publication or website. The Contest Entities are not responsible for lost, incomplete, damaged, illegible, late, or misdirected Entries, or for errors in mechanical transmission, technical difficulties, or inability to transmit Entries. Any attempt by any participant to obtain more than the permitted number of Entries by using multiple/different identities or registrations, or to defraud or in any way tamper with any Contest, will void all of that participants Entries, and that participant will be disqualified from participating in the Contest. Newsday reserves the right to reject any Entry that it believes, in its sole discretion, to be fraudulent, incomplete, or otherwise invalid or non-compliant with this Official Rules. Newsday reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel or modify any Contest and its Official Rules at any time, including and not limited to cancelling the Contest not capable of completion as planned for any reason beyond Newsday’s reasonable control, such as infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, force majeure, or technical failures of any sort.

4. PRIZE: One (1) winner will receive a grand prize of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) (the “Prize”). Nine (9) runner-up winners will receive Two Hundred Dollars ($200). The approximate retail value (“ARV”) of the Contest is Two Thousand, Eight Hundred Dollars ($2,800). The Prize will not be replaced if lost or stolen. The Prize is non-refundable and may not be resold under any circumstances. Newsday may, in its sole discretion, substitute a prize of equal or greater value. Prize claim instructions will be provided at time of winner verification. The Prize is awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied. All Prize details are at Newsday’s sole discretion.

5. WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: Eligible Entries accepted by Newsday in accordance with these Official Rules will be posted on newsday.com/lightscontest. During the voting period, which runs from 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 (“Voting Period”), each individual is allowed to vote for as many Entries as they'd like each day through the designated Contest website at newsday.com/lightscontest. The ten (10) Contest winners of the Contest will be determined by popular vote. Each individual must comply with the voting instructions and any applicable Official Rules. The ten Entries receiving the highest number of valid votes by the end of the Voting Period will be declared the winners, subject to verification of compliance with all Contest Official Rules. In the event of a tie, the Entry submitted earliest will be deemed the winner. Newsday reserves the right to disqualify votes that appear to be the result of automated processes, fraudulent activity, or manipulation.

The potential Prize winner will be notified via telephone or email at Newsday’s sole discretion, within five (5) business days after the conclusion of the Contest. Within forty-eight (48) hours following attempted notification, the potential Prize winner will be required to: (a) execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability/Publicity Release (“Affidavit”); and (b) complete, execute, and return a Form W-9. If the potential winner fails to respond to Newsday within twenty-four (24) hours confirming acceptance of the Prize, or if Newsday does not receive a properly executed Affidavit and Form W-9 from them within forty-eight (48) hours following attempted notification, or if they are found to be ineligible, or if they cannot or does not otherwise comply with these Official Rules, or if they refuse the Prize, then the Prize will be forfeited by the potential winner, and Newsday will select an alternate winner from the remaining eligible top voted Entries. In no case shall the Contest Entities or their respective members, officers, directors, employees or agents be liable in any manner where a potential Prize winner has not received notification or where the Contest Entities fail to receive a response from the potential Prize winner within the required response period. The determination of the popular vote tally, the selection of a winner, and all other matters relating to this Contest (including but not limited to eligibility of Entries and votes) are within Newsday’s sole discretion and are final and binding.

6. COPYRIGHT/LIKENESS: The copyright of the Submission in each Entry shall remain the property of the entrant, but entry in the Contest constitutes the entrant’s irrevocable, perpetual permission and consent to Newsday and others authorized by Newsday, without compensation or attribution, to (a) use, reproduce, print, publish, transmit, communicate to the public, distribute, sell, and/or publicly display the Submission and Entry, in whole or in part, in any and all media now in existence or hereinafter created, throughout the world; (b) edit, adapt, enhance, modify, and/or create derivative works from the Submission; (c) use the Submission, in whole or in part, for editorial, promotional, advertising, and publicity purposes, including in connection with the Contest; and/or (d) use the entrant’s name, provided address (city and state), and/or likeness, as well as the name, address (city and state), and/or likeness of anyone appearing in the Submission, for editorial, promotional, advertising, and/or publicity purposes, in any and all media now in existence or hereinafter created, throughout the world, without further compensation, unless and to the extent prohibited by law.

The entrant waives any claims to compensation, attribution, or further approvals for such use, except where required by law. Additionally, the entrant agrees that Newsday may take actions or omit actions that might otherwise infringe upon moral rights or similar rights related to the Submission.

7. CHOICE OF LAW/LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: EACH ENTRANT AGREES THAT: (A) THE CONTEST SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, (B) ANY AND ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THE CONTEST OR ANY PRIZE AWARDED SHALL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION, AND EXCLUSIVELY IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, SUFFOLK COUNTY, (C) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS, AND AWARDS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED, BUT IN NO EVENT ATTORNEYS' FEES, (D) NO PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER DAMAGES MAY BE AWARDED, AND (E) ENTRANT HEREBY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO CLAIM SPECIAL DAMAGES AND ALL RIGHTS TO HAVE SUCH DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR INCREASED.

8. PRIVACY STATEMENT: Entrants’ information may be used and disclosed by Newsday as provided for in these Official Rules, and as permitted by Newsday's privacy policy posted at http://www.Newsday.com/privacy and by Newsday’s recurring automated text messages terms and conditions posted at https://newsday.com/smsterms.

9. RULES/WINNERS’ LIST: For an additional copy of these Official Rules or a Prize winner listing, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Newsday’s Holiday Lights Contest, 6 Corporate Center Drive, Melville NY 11747. All requests for rules and winners’ lists must be received within six (6) months of the conclusion of the Sweepstakes Entry Period.

10. RELEASE/INDEMNIFICATION: By entering the Contest or participating in the voting process, each entrant and voting participant agrees: (a) to release and hold harmless the Contest Entities and their respective members, officers, directors, employees, affiliates, and agents from and against any and all liability in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, legal claims, costs, losses, damages, demands, or actions of any kind; and (b) to indemnify and hold the Contest Entities and their respective members, officers, directors, employees, affiliates, and agents harmless from and against any and all claims, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and settlement costs), damages, suits, costs, demands, and/or judgments whatsoever, made by any third party due to or arising out of: (i) such indemnified individuals’ or entities’ use or publication of the entrant’s Entry or Submission; and/or (ii) the entrant’s or voting participant’s breach of these Official Rules or any representation made by the entrant or voting participant herein. The provisions of this paragraph are for the benefit of the Contest Entities and their respective members, officers, directors, employees, affiliates, and agents. Each of these individuals and entities shall have the right to assert and enforce these provisions directly against each entrant on its/her/his own behalf.

11. TAX INFORMATION: Federal, state, and local taxes, and all similar fees and assessments, are the responsibility of the Prize winner. Newsday reserves the right to file a form 1099-MISC for the Prize winner.

12. MISCELLANEOUS: Restrictions, conditions, and limitations apply. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. In the event that any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these Official Rules shall otherwise remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein. Newsday’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In the event of any conflict or other inconsistency between the Official Rules and any advertisements, promotional or marketing materials, e-mails, or announcements relevant to the Contest, these Official Rules will govern.