Christmas Joy Farm Beauty Contest

(Screenshot of Snow Christmas Tree from last year, sadly not a Theme item)

This Farm Beauty Contest, not surprisingly has a Christmas Theme entitled Christmas Joy.  It  now is active.  If you wish to participate, first you need to Join the Contest from the Menu of the Farm Beauty Contest, then submit a photograph of your farm.  In terms of actual beauty, fully grown Crops look prettier than a field planted with immature crops, but it makes no difference as far as Character Votes are concerned.  What does make a difference is a 'wide variety of Crops'.   As Darryl give 16 of his Votes for Crops, a maximum of 16 different Crops would give you as many Votes on that aspect as you could obtain.

Each day, you will be able to collect Votes from the four different Characters by accessing the little gold trophy at the top right of your screen.  You can Vote for a farm or farms three times by accessing the right section of the Farm Beauty Contest screen.  This will give you a Gold Treasure Chest to open for Farm Aids.

Theme is one aspect of the Farm that elicits Votes from three of the Characters in the form of Felicia, Dad and Darryl.  Where Vote values are given, they will be given by each of these three Characters but only until you reach the ceiling allowed for Theme for each Character.    I have explained all aspects of the Contest as well as providing some basic strategies later in this post.

Many of the Theme items will be offered gradually in special sales throughout the month.  As of 10 December, the first items have appeared in sales packages.  If the pattern is the same as that of November, more items will be added gradually to the list of items you can purchase.  Note that real money is involved in these purchases.

A list of all theme items is found by tapping on the little red book on the right of the screen.  A recent update will give a green mark on any item that you actually own and that you have registered in the Gallery.

Theme-related Items are:

Trees:
xxxxx

Mistletoe Tree  +1 Vote
  Purchase for 5 RC in the Market or find randomly in the Green Mystron Shop

Animals:
xxxxxxx

Reindeer +1 Vote
  Purchase for 6 RC in the Market or find randomly in the Green Mystron Shop

Decorations:
xxxxxxxxxx

Christmas Crystal Ball: +2 Votes
  Available from Christmas Discount Package or have from last year; available in sale from 10 December, +3 Charm

Santa's Legs Decoration +1
  Available randomly in Yellow Mystron Shop

Christmas Sled +2 Votes
  From last year

Xmas Snowman +2 Votes
  Xmas Tree Decoration, find in Festival Mystron Shop

Christmas Cake +1 Vote
  Available in Market for 12000 Coins, has 4 Charm Points

Gingerbread Man +1 Vote
  Available randomly in Yellow Mystron Shop, Xmas Tree Decoration

Christmas Tree +1 Vote
  Available from Market for 10000 Coins, has 1 Charm Point

Snow Tree Arch:  +2 Votes
  Winter Discount Sale, now available

Snow Magician:  +2 Votes
  Winter Discount Sale available from 10 December

XMas Tree +2 Votes
  Purchase in Festival Mystron Shop for 50 Festival Mystrons

Christmas Candle +1 Vote
  Available in Market for 5 RC, has 6 Charm Point value

Singing Elves +1 Vote
  Available randomly in Yellow Mystron Shop

Bunny Snow Girl +2 Votes
  Winter Discount, available now

Gingerbread House +1 Vote
  Old Decoration, Appears randomly in the Blue Mystron Shop for 300 Blue Mystrons, has 9 Charm

Snow Base +3 Votes

Xmas Gingermen +1 Vote
  Purchase in Festival Mystron Mystery Shop for 300 Festival Mystrons

Tree Reindeer +2 Votes
  Christmas Discount or have from past; available in sale from 10 December
  +2 Charm Points

Xmas Shooting Star +1 Vote
  Purchase in Festival Mystron Shop, Xmas Tree Decoration

Xmas Candy +1 Vote
  Purchase in Festival Mystron Shop

Wreath Fence +1 Vote
  Reward Decoration for obtaining Votes in current Contest, cannot be placed on Snow Base at this point in time

Little Christmas Tree +1 Vote
  Available in Market for 3 RC, has 3 Charm Point value

Christmas Train +2 Votes
  Christmas Discount or have from past

It appears that there will be a Christmas Discount sale that offers Decorations that were available in the past form other sales and a Winter Discount Sale that offers entirely new Decorations.

Note that Decorations that were Final Rewards in past time-restricted Missions often can found randomly in the Blue Mystron Shop.  Formerly, Blue Mystrons were earned only when you had completed the entire Reward path for the Daily Order Board and earned all the special Sheep.  Now, however,  , you will earn 1 Blue Mystron each time you complete any Order.  The price of any Decoration in the Blue Mystron Shop is 300 Blue Mystrons.  You can see, therefore, it is a slow process to earn any Decoration that is available there.

Items for Base
xxxxxxxxxxxx

The following should be able to go on the Christmas Base:  Tree Reindeer, ALL Snowmen including Snowman, Snow Man, Snow Magician, Bunny Snow Girl, ALL Snow Globes including Snow Globe and Christmas Crystal Ball, , the Snow Tree Arch.  Other arches were not able to be placed initially but now can, including: Tree Arch, Autumn Arch,  Welcome Arch and Welcome Sign.  The Balloon Door cannot be placed on this base. Not that the default position of the Tree Arch does not allow it to be placed on the Base.  You have to turn it before the jigsaw icon will be available for use.  The Christmas Wreath Fence,  the Decoration Reward from the Contest, initially could not be placed on the Base but that has been corrected.  Another item that can be placed now on the Base is the Calendar Reward for December in the form of the Candle Stand.

New Theme Items in Market
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Snow Tree Arch and Bunny Snow Girl now have been added to the special sale items that include the Snow Magician, the Tree Reindeer and the Christmas Crystal Ball.  Their values are:

Snow Tree Arch: 5 Charm

Bunny Snow Girl: 15 Charm

Both the Snow Magician and the Bunny Snow Girl will give a special item from 18 through 25 December.

The Christmas Train has been added as a DIY option.

Festival Mystrons
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A new option in the form of Festival Mystrons has been released with the current Farm Beauty Contest.  Festival Mystrons are given for the following:

Farm Beauty Contest Reward path: you will receive Festival Mystrons now as well as the usual Purple Mystrons
Daily Order Board:  You will receive Festival Mystrons in addition to the usual rewards when you complete the highlighted Order each day
Daily Calendar Reward:  When you collect your daily Calendar Reward by logging into the game each day, you may receive Festival Mystrons.

You now can refresh your Order Board during the course of any day by paying RC.  The number of times that you can refresh differs and may depend either on your level, your Club Level or the number of times in total that you refreshed.  The price to refresh the first time is 1 RC but increases each time.  Note that you can ocmplete the highlighted Order only and then pay to refresh again if you wish to earn more Festival Mystrons.

There are a number of Theme items that are not available in the Market or listed as part of current or upcoming sale offers.

The items offered include the XMas Snowman, XMas Gingermen, XMas Shooting Star, XMas Stocking and XMas Tree.   These can be purchased for Festival Mystrons in the new Festival Mystrons Mystery Shop.   The following are now available:

Xmas Tree
xxxxxxxxx

A new base is being released in the form of the XMas Tree.  This is one of the Theme items for the current Farm Beauty Contest.  You will be able to purchase Decorations for this Tree Base in a new Festival Mystron Mystery Shop.  The Decorations are theme items as well...

The Festival Mystron Shop is the lowest tab in the Mystery Shop.  Prices now are as follows:

XMas Tree: 50 Festival Mystrons

XMas Gingermen: 300 Festival Mystrons

XMas Tree Baubles: 200 Festival Mystrons

XMas Shooting Star: 400 Festival Mystrons

XMas Stocking: 200 Festival Mystrons

XMas Garland: 200 Festival Mystrons

Other items are:

XMas Avatar: 200 Festival Mystrons

Snow Hedge x 5: 50 Festival Mystrons

Snow Hedge x 3: 30 Festival Mystrons

Note that, like any Mystron Mystery Shop, the actual items are random and may change daily.  The Decorations for the Xmas Tree can be placed either on your Farm or on the Xmas Tree.  Register them in the Gallery first.


Basic Rules of Contest
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The basic rules of the Farm Beauty Contest do not vary from contest to contest but the number of Votes that each Character gives has changed with the latest update.  You now can access the Screenshot Menu, tap on any Character and see precisely how many Votes you earned today for each of the four aspects that Character favours.  Duplicate items do not increase Votes at all and once you have received the maximum of 16 to 24 Votes for a category with a Character, placing new items that fall within the category will not change the total either.

What Characters Value
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Characters gave their Votes for the following:

First of all, the idea that every change will be worth 1 Point is misleading.   Originally, the developers wanted to keep it all a mystery.  Now each category is given a total:

Felicia:
Charm Points: 24
Theme Items: 24
Animals: 16
Expansions: 16

Dad:
High Level: 16
Expansions: 16
Machines: 16
Theme Items: 24

Darryl:
Charm Points: 24
Theme Items: 24
Large variety of Crops (used to be Trees): 16
Gallery Registration: 16

Grandma:
High Level: 16
Charm Points: 24
Trees: 16
Gallery Registration: 16

How Character Votes Work
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Now, it is important to remember that 'theme-related Decorations only account for a percentage of the Votes given by Felicia, Darryl and Dad.  I believe that once you achieve the total that is the maximum those Characters can give to you for theme, you will not be able to earn any more Votes from them for THAT, irrespective of the number of Theme Decorations that you purchase and place. Bear this in mind when you are tempted to go mad in the upcoming sales.

Duplicate items count only towards total Charm Points and will not add to the Votes that you receive from any of the four Characters.

Although there is a 'ceiling' to the number of Votes you can earn from the three Characters for Theme, there is no limit to the possible Charm Point total.  How does this benefit you?  For the Characters who value Charm, once again, you can achieve only a total of 24 Votes each day for that aspect of your Farm from those Characters... once you achieve that, additional Charm points will not be considered by the Characters.  After that total is reached, additional Charm only benefits as far as your global rating is concerned.  It does not affect your Votes from Neighbours.  Each Farmer has 3 Votes per day to give to Neighbours.

The Votes from the four Characters dropped off once the final Reward was received in former Contests but this one is different.  Even after receiving the Avatar Reward, you will continue to obtain Votes from the Characters.

Voting for my Farms
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Of course, I would be thrilled if farmers who used my site would be willing to send their Votes to Harvest Moon or Rosewood Farms.  Winning the Contest may be hopeless but I would love to be able to obtain the special Decoration and the Avatar if possible.   I would like to thank every one who voted for me again.  As I wrote previously, I do not make any money with my site.  I do not have any adverts on it and do not promote anything other than the game itself.  I write the guide because I always find a good guide useful when playing a game and I believe other players feel the same, so if you wish to give me anything, please give your Votes! To do this, tap on the FINAL icon for 'My Neighbours' and then 'Visit' Harvest Moon FDC or Rosewood.  Once at the farm, you can choose to Vote once for it or use all three Votes in quick succession.  That is how the Voting procedure works.  On the left you will see 'My Snapshot' menu where you interact with your own options to post a new secreenshot, collect your Rewards as well as the Votes you are given each day from Characters and Neighbours.  On the right you will see 'Vote for Others'.  Tap on the 'Vote for Others' and you will be given three choices: Random Pick, Great Farmers and My Neighbours.  I personally think 'My Neighbours' is the only really fair option.  You then will be taken to a list of your Neighbours who have entered the Contest.  You have to choose to 'Visit' one in order to be able to vote and you can Vote up to three times either for one farm or for different farms.

How to Vote
xxxxxxxxxxx

For farmers who are participating in the Contest for the first time, a brief set of instructions on voting:

First either tap on the little gold trophy on the top right of your screen or go to your Menu and tap on the Farm Beauty Contest icon there.  You will be taken to the general Farm Beauty Contest Menu.

Your Photograph
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

According to Support, your current Photograph or Screenshot is the basis for the Votes of the four Characters each day.  You cannot participate in the Contest until you submit a Photograph.  You can change your Photograph once each day, but many players do not do so unless they have changed something on their farms to obtain more Votes either from the Characters or to achieve a better global rating by increasing Charm Points.

To take a new Screenshot, access the General Farm Beauty Contest Menu.Tap on 'My Screenshot' and then tap on the small icon of My Screenshot that appears in the top left corner. Now you will see options below to 'Re-Take or to 'Check'.    You will see an option to write a new message to visitors and potential Voters as well.   Tap on Re-Take when your Farm is at its best and a new Screenshot will be submitted.  To write a new message, tap on the script box and you will have the option to change it and then 'Save' it.

When you access the Farm Beauty Contest menu and then tap on My Snapshot, you should see a countdown of how much time remains until the next Character Votes are logged for you to collect.

Boosting Character Votes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Now, how can you boost the Votes of the four Characters even if your Charm totals are low and you cannot afford to buy Theme Decorations with real Cash?

First of all, each of the four Characters bases his/her Votes on different aspects of your Farm as you can see from the list of farming aspects that each favours..  As shown in the list of Theme Decorations, there are three Characters who give Votes for the Theme. Votes are given by different Characters, however, for a wide variety of Crops, for Trees, for Animals and for Machines.  Gallery Registration will give you Votes with two Characters.  Expansions count as well...

So what I suggest to every Farmer is to make certain that you have registered as many items on your Farm as possible before the Contest begins and if you cannot complete this task prior to the start, keep registering your Items until they all have been added to the Gallery.  This cannot give you more than a total of 16 Votes daily but if you do qualify for the maximum number of Votes for Gallery from the two Characters that value this aspect of Farming, you will be in a good position.

Expansions give Votes as well so make certain that you have completed as many Farm expansions as possible on your original Farm.  Actually, you can get the maximum of 16 Votes for Expansions even without the last farm expansion.

It is not mere ownership of items that gives Votes but PLACEMENT of them on your Farm.  When the Contest begins, place a good balance of Animals and Machines on your Farm and plant a variety of Crops as well as making certain that you have as many different types of Trees as possible.  Again, each of these aspects of farming will not give more than a total of 16 to 24 of the Votes of the Character or Characters who value them.  As indicated, each Character has four different categories of farming upon which his or her Votes are based.

The one aspect of Character votes that is difficult to obtain is the maximum given for 'high Levels'.  It appears that one would have to be at Level 160 in order to obtain the maximum number of Character Votes for high level.  At Level 90, you obtain only 9 Votes!

As previously discussed, Charm is valued by some of the Characters but piling Decorations on your Farm is pointless as there is a ceiling to the number of Votes given by the Characters for your Charm. I therefore would recommend that farmers who cannot place in the top 50 globally focus more on creating a balanced Farm with a good mixture of Crops, Trees, Animals and Machines than attempting to load your Farm with duplicate Decorations or indeed Decorations that are not cleanable once you have exhausted your normal stock of Theme Decorations and a certain number of Charm points.  The members of my Group on Facebook, Family Farm Seaside Freyashawk and I experimented with this during the last Contest to see how Votes would be affected.  It really did not require too many Decorations to achieve the maximum number of Votes from a Character who valued either Charm or Theme... beyond that, one was using space on the farm that would be better allocated to ANOTHER aspect of farming that would garner Votes from a Character.

Theme-related Decorations only add to 'Theme' Votes from a Character ONCE.  In the Halloween Contest,  I  confirmed this myself.  Harvest Moon had the Witch Legs and Running Mummy from last year.  In the current sale, therefore, only the purchase and placement of the Skeletn Rockstar Frontman added to the Characters' Vote total.  I think this is why the placement of an additional Pumpkin Fountain failed to add to the Vote total for Harvest Moon.

Now, this is how low level Farmers can benefit from full participation in the Contest. There is a list of Rewards given for achieving specific Vote totals.  Every couple hundred Votes or so, you will receive a specific Reward.  Most of them consist of Farm Aids, Coins and Purple Mystrons but there is a Decoration Reward and at the very top of the list, two Rewards that consist of RC, the final one being paired with a special Avatar.  In the current Contest, the Decoration is a beautiful Winter Fence that no doubt can be placed on the Christmas Base when the Base is complete.  The Decoration really is more significant than the Avatar Reward for most farmers. 

Your Votes from the four Characters DO make a difference, therefore, even if you cannot achieve huge totals of Votes or place globally.  You can achieve a number of the Rewards on the list if you maintain a balanced Farm.

NONE of this will count, however, if you do not take photos of your Farm.  The Votes of the four Characters are determined by your CURRENT PHOTO in the Contest.  In other words, give your Farm the greatest advantages in terms of Crops, Trees, Animals and Machines as well as Decorations, take your photograph and THEN AND ONLY THEN store items or do whatever is necessary for REAL work on your Farm.  A new time-restricted Mission should be released next Friday if everything goes according to the regular schedule.  You may need to store items in order to produce products and so on... so start your day by registering for the Farm Beauty Contest by taking a photo after you have made your Farm as profitable, vote-wise as possible.  You then will be free to get on with the business of real farming.

I am not certain if there is any need to take a new photograph every day if nothing improves on your farm.  It is only if you purchase or obtain a new item that will count towards a Character's Vote total that you need to take a new photograph... at least that is my instinct.  Make certain, though, that you do not take your photographs unless everything is as balanced as possible.  There is no point in attaining a good score with Dad but lowering your score with a different Character, for example, by having too many Machines and not enough Animals on your Farm.

More Strategies
xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Instead of having duplicate Crops, Animals, Machines and Decorations, try to make certain that you have as many different items as possible on your Farm.  Note that there are two Characters who award Votes for high levels.  If you are at a low level, you obviously cannot garner the same number of Votes as a player who is above Level 100, but do not stress about it.  Two Characters give Votes for Expansions as well but if you do not have all Expansions, try not to panic.  Simply play your game as usual and move forward as quickly as you can.

The Tree Nursery has given players a building in which to store Trees but for the purpose of the Contest, you should have a good variety of Trees ON YOUR FARM and not in storage.  Again, though, duplicates do not add to Grandma's Votes.  As she has a total of 16 Votes to give for Tree variety, that probably is the magic number.  No more than 20 different Trees certainly.

The Farm Beauty Contest is strictly linked to the original Seaside Farm.  The Island is quite irrelevant for this for the most part.  Two Characters do give Votes for a good Gallery.    A good Gallery means that you have registered as many items as possible.  If Island items count at all, it would be only in terms of Gallery Registration.

Whilte a time-restricted Quest is active and you are in involved in it, the state of your Farm may be in flux as you take out Machines or Animals needed for tasks... so always make certain that your Farm is at its best again before you enter a new photograph.

Winning the Contest
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For most of us, including both of my farms, the probability of winning any Farm Beauty Contest is as far as reaching the Moon.  What may be possible is achieving all the Rewards on the Reward Path if we do our best... for me, without the Votes of my Neighbours, I could not achieve even that, so I am very grateful for your support with this.