Goodbye 2020 Contest Winners Announced

The Goodbye 2020 contest asked you to turn out the lights on an objectively crappy year in an interesting way. Four winners have been announced, and we have to tip the hat to [Becky Stern] for both creativity and execution on the 2020 candle seen above. Three wicks burn the candle down, revealing a metalwork dumpster fire along the way. It’s not just a performance piece but also an interesting look into candle making with 3D printed molds and insight on specifics like pour-temperature for best results. [Becky] entered as a group with a few other YouTube channels that included gags like [TechnoChic’s] knitted 2020 mask that is unraveled to count down the to the end.

[Marius Taciuc] spun up a clock to count down his year. The custom PCB uses a set of 7-segment displays to show the time (and some custom messages), along with a battery-backed RTC for precision. The aesthetic is a PC overclocker’s dream as the timepiece lives inside of a mason jar filled with baby oil.

You certainly can’t go out to a rave during these pandemic times. [Marius Taciuc] brought the party to his face with a set of shades that blast RGB light into your eyeballs. A pair of ultasonic distance sensors shut the party down if anyone breaks social distancing guidelines.

And [Scott Clandinin] picked up an honorable mention with a Christmas-themed countdown. A color LCD takes the place of a from/to card on a gift wrapped package, displaying the number of days using candy cane font.

Congratulations to each of the winners who received a $25 Tindie gift card for showing off their whimsical work.