First place: The Ferreri residence at 53 South Street.

Mayor Pasquale Menna announced the winners of Red Bank’s first (in recent memory, at least) holiday home decoration contest Monday night.

Only nine homeowners nominated themselves or were nominated by others, but Menna said all were “absolutely fabulous.” He added he expects a tenfold increase in nominations next year.

First through third honors came with gift cards from Prown’s Home Improvements and SuperFoodtown; both the first- and second-place winners said they would donate their Foodtown cards to Norma Todd’s Lunch Break.

In addition, Menna — a gastronome who has his own chef’s smock with his first name embroidered on it — said he will prepare a five-course lunch taken from the menu of L’Auberge du Pere Bise in Geneva for the Ferreri family of South Street, whose home took first prize. Councilman Mike DuPont will be a server.

redbankgreen has the house pix; click to enlarge.

Second place: The Garofalo home at 139 Wallace Street.

Third place: The Hernandez residence at 162 Bridge Avenue.

Honorable mention, and “most likely to blow a fuse,” according to Menna: The Sickels homestead, at 88 McLaren Street.

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