Get Ready to Sleigh: Meet the Teams 12 Photos
These 9 teams are facing off in a series of festive challenges for a chance at a *huge* cash prize. And for the first time this year, each team will include a dedicated cookie maker, someone to impress Santa and the judges.
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See Episode GuideWild Thanksgiving
In the final qualifying round, three new teams face off just in time for Thanksgiving! Host Maneet Chauhan tasks them with showcasing how two animals that don't ordinarily get along can celebrate the holiday together in the animal kingdom. The two teams who dream up the best, wildest Thanksgiving get to move on while judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira send one team packing.
Winter Workout
Three new teams battle it out for the last spot in this year's Holiday Wars. Inspired by the holiday film "Red One," host Jeff Mauro asks each team to create a display depicting Santa's unique workout routine. Plus, each team must have two full characters on their display and incorporate a gravity-defying element. Which two teams will move on, and which team will judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown send home?
Island Holiday Party
Six remaining teams of amazingly talented cake, cookie and sugar artists face off against one another for the first time! To celebrate the release of Disney's "Moana 2," host Jeff Mauro tasks the teams with imagining what a holiday party on the island of Motunui would look like. And for the first time in the competition, teams must have a display that is at least 3 feet tall! Judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown evaluate the designs and ultimately, one team is eliminated.
Island Holiday Party
Six remaining teams of amazingly talented cake, cookie and sugar artists face off against one another for the first time! To celebrate the release of Disney's "Moana 2," host Jeff Mauro tasks the teams with imagining what a holiday party on the island of Motunui would look like. And for the first time in the competition, teams must have a display that is at least 3 feet tall! Judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown evaluate the designs and ultimately, one team is eliminated.
Mrs. Claus' Night Out
Host Jeff Mauro challenges the five remaining teams of cake, cookie and sugar artists to create a scene capturing what it looks like when Mrs. Claus has a night out on the town, and the teams must highlight the cookie artist's skill in their display. In the end, judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown will eliminate one more team.
Mrs. Claus' Night Out
Host Jeff Mauro challenges the five remaining teams of cake, cookie and sugar artists to create a scene capturing what it looks like when Mrs. Claus has a night out on the town, and the teams must highlight the cookie artist's skill in their display. In the end, judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown will eliminate one more team.
Island Holiday Party
Six remaining teams of amazingly talented cake, cookie and sugar artists face off against one another for the first time! To celebrate the release of Disney's "Moana 2," host Jeff Mauro tasks the teams with imagining what a holiday party on the island of Motunui would look like. And for the first time in the competition, teams must have a display that is at least 3 feet tall! Judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown evaluate the designs and ultimately, one team is eliminated.
Ugly Sweater Party
Host Jeff Mauro challenges the five remaining teams of cake and sugar artists to create a woodland creature who is throwing an ugly sweater party for all their forest-dwelling friends! At the end of this festive fiesta, judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira will eliminate one more team.
Time Travelin Santa
Host Jeff Mauro gets a little help from the Holiday Wars time machine to send our remaining four teams back in time! Each team of cake and sugar artists must create a Santa from a specific period in history before judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira decide who will move forward and who will be out of time.
A Very Peanuts Christmas Tree
Good Grief! Host Jeff Mauro invites the three remaining teams to create an unusual Christmas tree featuring Charles Schulz's iconic and beloved Peanuts characters. Judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira determine which two teams head to the finale, where they will battle it out for the title of Holiday Wars champion and an all-expenses paid trip to Iceland.
North Pole Talent Show
It's nearly Christmas, one of the hardest days of the year for Santa and his helpers. To keep their spirits up, Santa is throwing his first annual North Pole talent show, where the final two teams will showcase the secret talents of the town's brave residents. Jeff Mauro, Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira must make their toughest decision yet as they crown the Holiday Wars champion and award them an all-expenses paid trip to Iceland.
Mrs. Claus' Night Out
Host Jeff Mauro challenges the five remaining teams of cake, cookie and sugar artists to create a scene capturing what it looks like when Mrs. Claus has a night out on the town, and the teams must highlight the cookie artist's skill in their display. In the end, judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown will eliminate one more team.
Mrs. Claus' Night Out
Host Jeff Mauro challenges the five remaining teams of cake, cookie and sugar artists to create a scene capturing what it looks like when Mrs. Claus has a night out on the town, and the teams must highlight the cookie artist's skill in their display. In the end, judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown will eliminate one more team.
The Ultimate Snowball Fight
With the qualifying rounds complete, six teams of masterful cake and sugar artists face off against each other for the very first time. Host Maneet Chauhan presents their challenge: Imagine the perfect way to win the ultimate snowball fight. Judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira judge the snowy battle and eliminate one team from the competition.
Island Holiday Party
Six remaining teams of amazingly talented cake, cookie and sugar artists face off against one another for the first time! To celebrate the release of Disney's "Moana 2," host Jeff Mauro tasks the teams with imagining what a holiday party on the island of Motunui would look like. And for the first time in the competition, teams must have a display that is at least 3 feet tall! Judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown evaluate the designs and ultimately, one team is eliminated.
Mrs. Claus' Night Out
Host Jeff Mauro challenges the five remaining teams of cake, cookie and sugar artists to create a scene capturing what it looks like when Mrs. Claus has a night out on the town, and the teams must highlight the cookie artist's skill in their display. In the end, judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown will eliminate one more team.
Manufacturing Mishap
Christmas is just around the corner, so host Jeff Mauro tasks three teams of cake, sugar and cookie artists with designing a display illustrating a terrible mistake happening at Santa's workshop. Judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira choose whose mishap deserves a pass and who won't be getting a holiday bonus.
Holiday Parade
The six remaining teams of amazingly talented cake, cookie and sugar artists face off against one another for the first time! Host Jeff Mauro tasks the teams with creating one of the biggest holiday traditions: a parade float! Then, judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira decide which team has the most festive float and who will keep driving on home.
Christmas Card Craziness
Host Jeff Mauro challenges the teams to create a scene capturing that exact moment when a holiday photo goes wrong, and for the first time this season, they must highlight one team member's skill in their display. First up, cookie! In the end, judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira will cut one team out of the picture.
Christmas Under The Sea
To celebrate Warner Brother's "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," host Jeff Mauro asks the teams to imagine what holidays look like under the sea. Plus, they'll have to highlight their sugar artist's skills by incorporating underwater plant life made entirely of sugar! Judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira determine which three teams keep cruising into the next challenge and which team is all washed up.
Kids Catch Santa
Host Jeff Mauro challenges the three remaining teams to reveal what will happen when the kids finally catch Santa while he's delivering their toys. The cake artist is in the hot seat as each display must incorporate an anti-gravity element made entirely of cake! Judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira determine which two teams are sledding into the finale where they will battle it out for the title of Holiday Wars champion and $25,000!
Holiday Light Show
For their final challenge, the last two teams standing take Christmas light displays to the next level by creating large-scale illuminated structures! Jeff Mauro, Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira make their toughest decision yet as they determine who will be crowned Holiday Wars champion and take home the grand prize of $25,000.
Mrs. Claus' Night Out
Host Jeff Mauro challenges the five remaining teams of cake, cookie and sugar artists to create a scene capturing what it looks like when Mrs. Claus has a night out on the town, and the teams must highlight the cookie artist's skill in their display. In the end, judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown will eliminate one more team.
Santa's Stand-In
Host Jeff Mauro asks the teams to imagine what holiday hijinks unfold when another holiday icon fills in for Santa on Christmas Eve. And this week, the teams must highlight their cake artist's skills by making the main character entirely out of cake and incorporating the tasting element into that character. Judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown will determine which three teams move forward and which team is sent home.
Santa's Stand-In
Host Jeff Mauro asks the teams to imagine what holiday hijinks unfold when another holiday icon fills in for Santa on Christmas Eve. And this week, the teams must highlight their cake artist's skills by making the main character entirely out of cake and incorporating the tasting element into that character. Judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown will determine which three teams move forward and which team is sent home.
Mrs. Claus' Night Out
Host Jeff Mauro challenges the five remaining teams of cake, cookie and sugar artists to create a scene capturing what it looks like when Mrs. Claus has a night out on the town, and the teams must highlight the cookie artist's skill in their display. In the end, judges Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown will eliminate one more team.
