YouTube Effect Maker
Winter Holidays Challenge

You know what time it is – time to get started with YouTube Effect Maker WINTER HOLIDAYS Challenge! It’s the final design Challenge with Effect Maker this year, so make sure you register and schedule some quality screen time in between your holidays, preparations and celebrations!
Use all the features Effect Maker offers and show us your own creative take on the upcoming celebrations – from Christmas and Kwanzaa to New Years Eve or Valentine’s Day.
You’ve got until January 5, 2026 to register, publish and submit your effects for a chance to win up to $3,000!
Learn more about the Challenge and register below.
Terms & Conditions
New to Effect Maker and want to learn more? Check out YouTube’s Effect Maker overview below to get started!
With Effect Maker, you can build many different kinds of effects, including AI, Gaming, Interactive, Makeup, Camera lens, and Background effects. Try out one of the templates available on Effect Maker to try out the different capabilities, just make sure you make it your own if you want to win one of the prizes!
Tips & Best Practices
YouTube is looking for fun, creative, and professional level quality effects when choosing the winners. Quality over quantity is key here, so put your 100% into making your BEST winter effect!
Some tips for effects that perform well on Shorts:
15 Second Default
When creators launch the Shorts Creation Tool, they are defaulted to a 15 seconds recording limit. They can change it to 3 minutes, but most don’t. Effects should be completable (e.g. a timed challenge) and fully usable (e.g. a game) in 15 seconds for best results.
Quick & Engaging
Design effects that deliver immediate engagement, for the creator and the viewer. Creators should "get" the effect's payoff within the first few seconds. Viewers should want to watch a video made with the effect: if the first few seconds are boring they will skip the video. Also, insert your sense of humour into your effects – some of the most popular effects on YouTube Shorts are the funniest ones as well!
Camera Optional
Many users block the front facing camera when using an effect or point the back facing camera at a neutral scene. Effects controlled by camera signals might have smaller reach. Interactive effects that don't use camera signals should look visually appealing, even if the content in the camera feed is not particularly interesting.
Usable and Performant
Successful effects run smoothly without lag. A janky or slow effect will frustrate users and lead to abandonment. Test your effect on various devices to ensure good coverage. Remember to include actionable usage instructions. If you can show how to use your effect using gifs and animations, try that instead of text.
Check out the winning effects from previous YouTube Effect Maker Challenges
Some effects we love that are on theme for the challenge!
Theme
The theme for this challenge focuses on the upcoming winter holidays celebrations.
You can focus on the ones you celebrate and include your personal or local traditions within the effect. Take this opportunity to learn more about how other cultures celebrate the holidays, or show us your take on the winter solstice and its meaning.
Be creative with it, but make sure to let us know that winter is coming!
ThemeTheme
ThemeTheme
Prizes
In this Challenge you can win your share of the $10,000 prize pool,
including special Newbie Awards, for up-and-coming Effect Makers!
$3,000
1st place
$2,000
2nd place
$1,000
3rd place
$200
15 x Honorable Mentions

NEWBIE AWARDS
For Creators who published less than 5 effects.
$500
1st place
$300
2nd place
$200
3rd place
Read more about the prize payment process in our Terms & Conditions.
How to join
1. Register for the Challenge using the form below. You will receive an email confirming your registration.
2. Go to Effect Maker and start creating!
3. Once you’re happy with your effect, click “Publish” and make sure to record a YouTube Short showcasing your effect – a video link will be requested during the submission process.
4.Then enter your effect into the challenge using the Challenge Submission Form, which you will be able to access once you register. You will receive an email confirmation once you submit your Effect.
5. Keep in mind – You don’t need to register again to submit more Effects, and you’re more than welcome to create as many as you’d like, but you’ll have to submit each Effect separately.
6. Want to join in on more of the fun? Join the Effect Maker Discord space by joining the official YouTube server at discord.gg/youtube. Follow the onboarding instructions and select “Effect Maker” for the “What kind of creator are you” question when joining. Already a part of the server? Head to the “#🤙pick-your-role” channel and select “Effect Maker”.
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Timeline
Challenge Starts:
24 November, 2025
Submission Deadline:
05 January, 2026
Winners Announcement:
22 January, 2026
Judging Criteria
Idea Quality
How well does your effect reflect the theme and current content trends?
Originality
How unique or original is your effect?
User Experience
Is your effect intuitive and easy to use and utilize in content creation?
Use of Effect Maker
How well were the Effect Maker features implemented in your effect?
FAQ
Who can participate in this Challenge?
  • You must be at least the age of majority in your country, state, province, or jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry.
  • To use Effect Maker and participate in this Challenge, you have to reside in one of the following countries or regions: Algeria, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Georgia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe. Learn more about getting started with Effect Maker
  • Only users who have access to YouTube’s advanced creator features can use the Effect Maker. Learn how to get access to advanced features.
  • If you are based in one of the countries listed above and still can’t access Effect Maker, please reach out to us at [email protected] and share your YouTube channel ID. Learn how you find your YouTube channel ID.
Residents of which countries can NOT take part?

Individuals who are residents of, or entities/organizations domiciled in countries noted in the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions: American Samoa, Anguilla, Dominica, Fiji, Guam, Palau, Panama, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, US Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Seychelles, as well as any country that is under any trade or economic sanction or on any program or country list designated by the United States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or where the laws of the United States or local law prohibits their participation or receipt a prize in any contest and specifically excludes Russia, Belarus, Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Syria. Also, if Effect Maker is not available in your country or region, you can’t participate in this Challenge.

How to take part?
  • Register for the Challenge using the form below. You will receive an email confirming your registration.
  • Go to Effect Maker and start creating!
  • Click “Publish” and make sure to record a YouTube Short showcasing your effect – a video link will be requested during the submission process.
  • Then enter your effect into the challenge using the Challenge Submission Form, which you will be able to access once you register. You will receive an email confirmation once you submit your Effect.
  • Keep in mind – You don’t need to register again to submit more Effects, and you’re more than welcome to create as many as you’d like, but you’ll have to submit each Effect separately.
  • Want to join in on more of the fun? Join the Effect Maker Discord space by joining the official YouTube server at discord.gg/youtube. Follow the onboarding instructions and select “Effect Maker” for the “What kind of creator are you” question when joining. Already a part of the server?
    Head to the “#🤙pick-your-role” channel and select “Effect Maker”.
Which Effects are eligible for this Challenge? Can I submit my older Effects?
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Please DO NOT submit Effects that are not related to the Challenge.
Only newly-made Effects that reflect the Challenge theme are eligible for this Challenge.
Is there any Submission Fee to take part in this Challenge?
There is no submission fee, you can take part free of charge.
Will I receive confirmation that my Effect has been submitted?
Yes, you will receive an email confirmation once you submit your Effect. In case you’d like to make sure your Effect is submitted correctly, or have any other questions concerning this Challenge, please send us an email at: [email protected].
Register here
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