2026 #ToAutoMade Holiday Maker Challenge: How to Join, Rules & Prizes
Oct 16, 2026
The holidays are the busiest season for makers. Orders stack up, packaging needs to get done, and the workshop has never been more lived-in. The 2026 #ToAutoMade Holiday Maker Challenge is a chance to share that story and be rewarded for it.
From October 26 to November 20, 2026, makers can create content featuring ToAuto products, post it publicly, and compete for 14 prizes across four categories. Whether you make candles for fun, run a small business from your home, or create content for a growing audience, you are welcome to join.
What Is the Holiday Maker Challenge?
The challenge is about showing how ToAuto tools fit into your creative process and your business workflow. It is not limited to one product. Any ToAuto product can be featured, as long as it appears in your content in a real and relevant way.
There is more than one way to stand out. Your entry might inspire the community with a new technique, document your process from first idea to finished piece, or drive eligible affiliate sales. The challenge is designed so that each kind of maker has a place to compete.
The holiday season is also a practical moment to show your work. Many small makers prepare for a busy season of gift orders, seasonal collections, and custom requests. Sharing that preparation, whether it is a production day, a packing station, or a new seasonal product, gives your audience a reason to follow along and gives you a story to tell.
Key Dates
How to Join
Joining takes four steps:
- Sign up. Tell us a little about yourself, where you create, and what you plan to make. Sign up here.
- Create. Make an original piece of content that features a ToAuto product in your creative process or business workflow.
- Share. Post your content publicly on an eligible platform. Include ToAuto in your title, caption, or narration, and use the official hashtags.
- Submit. Send your public post link through the entry form before the entry deadline on November 16, 2026. If you are entering the Top Affiliates category, include your affiliate link in the form.
Entry requirements
- Your content must be original and show a ToAuto product in a relevant creative, making, or small-business workflow.
- In videos, the ToAuto product must be clearly visible for at least five seconds. A brief flash on screen does not count.
- Your post must be publicly accessible and must stay live for at least 30 days after you submit it.
- Use #ToAutoMade and #toautotool. #toautomelters is optional.
- Eligible platforms include Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and your blog.
- Top Affiliates entries must use the applicable affiliate link and follow all affiliate and advertising disclosure rules.
- Submitting an entry does not automatically give ToAuto permission to use it in advertising. Any use beyond the challenge page requires clearly stated permission and usage terms.
Entry Ideas
Not sure where to start? Here are five directions from the official challenge page, each with a sample title to help you get going:
- Holiday Candle Making: Show how a candle takes shape, from melting and pouring to the finished holiday piece. Sample title: "How I made my holiday candle collection, from melting to pouring."
- From Idea to Small Batch: Take your audience behind the scenes as you prepare a small batch, organize your workspace, or get ready for the season. Sample title: "Behind the scenes: preparing a small batch for the holidays."
- Handmade Holiday Gifts: Create a personalized gift, show the details that make it special, and share the story behind it. Sample title: "Personalized holiday gifts I made this week, and the story behind them."
- Maker's Journey: Share your process from the first idea to the finished piece, and explain what making means to you. Sample title: "From first idea to finished piece: what making means to me."
- Soap or Resin Creations: Explore a new material or finishing technique and show how it fits into your workflow. Sample title: "Trying a new material and how it fits into my maker workflow."
You do not need a polished studio to enter. A clear, honest view of your real workspace often performs better than a heavily produced clip. The judging criteria favor entries that feel genuine and show the product doing real work.
Tips for a Strong Entry
These are general best practices for short-form and long-form content, not official rules:
- Show the product early. Make the ToAuto product visible in the first few seconds, then keep it on screen long enough to meet the five-second requirement.
- Show the process, not just the result. Viewers stay longer when they can see steps, mistakes, and decisions.
- Tell one clear story. A single collection, a single production day, or a single gift is easier to follow than a long list of projects.
- Write a caption that works on its own. Include ToAuto in the title or caption, and add a sentence about what the viewer will learn or see.
- Add a clear next step. Point viewers to a shop, a product page, or your affiliate link, and disclose any partnership or affiliate relationship.
- Keep it live. Your post needs to stay public for at least 30 days after you submit it, so choose a platform and format you are comfortable keeping up.
Prizes
There are 14 prizes across four categories.
Top Affiliates in detail: Affiliate sales are counted through November 20, 2026. Orders placed after that date do not count toward the award. To qualify, you need more than two valid orders, which means at least three.
Community Favorite in detail: This award celebrates the makers and projects the community loves most. The selection method and voting period will be announced before voting opens, so check the challenge page for updates.
Final prize details, eligibility, and judging criteria are published in the Official Rules.
Samples for Creators
We support creators at different audience sizes. Sample offers are tiered by follower count:
Spots are limited, and YouTube creators are prioritized. Discounts depend on the value of the sample. Sample categories include wax melters, soap melters, resin hardener, gold foil melters, and cutting machines.
To request samples, sign up through the challenge page.
How to Register
Sign-up is open now on the official challenge page. It takes a few minutes: tell us who you are, where you create, and what you plan to make.
FAQ
Who can join the Holiday Maker Challenge? Any maker, small business owner, or content creator who can show a ToAuto product in an original piece of content can join.
Do I need a large following to enter? No. Entry depends on original content that features a ToAuto product. Sample support is tiered by follower count, as described above.
Which platforms can I use? Eligible platforms include Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and your blog. The Official Rules have the final list.
Which hashtags should I use? Use #ToAutoMade and #toautotool. #toautomelters is optional.
Do I need an affiliate link? Only if you are entering the Top Affiliates category. See the Affiliate Program page for details.
How do I submit my entry? Sign up on the challenge page first. Then submit your public post link through the entry form by November 16, 2026. You can submit more than one entry, and each post needs its own submission.
Which ToAuto products can I feature? Any ToAuto product. The challenge is not limited to wax melters.
When is the deadline? Entries close on November 16, 2026. The exact time and time zone are in the Official Rules.
Can ToAuto use my content in advertising? Not automatically. Submitting an entry does not grant advertising rights. Any use beyond the challenge page requires clearly stated permission and usage terms.
When will winners be announced? Winners will be announced in November 2026. Check the Official Rules for the confirmed date.
Official Rules and Disclosure
The full rules, eligibility details, and updates are on the official challenge page. Rules may change during the challenge, so check the page before you post.
If your post includes a paid partnership or an affiliate link, disclose it clearly. For example:
#ad: I received ToAuto products for this challenge and earn a commission on sales through my link.
Ready to Make Something?
The holidays are coming, and your work deserves to be seen. Show us what you are making, share your process, and tell your story. Browse the Maker Gallery to see what the community is creating. New to the challenge? Sign up here first, then submit your entry by November 16.
