Pimp My Tree competition organiser Nathan Pattison, of Fluid Recruitment, said the competition to find a ''pimped out'' Christmas tree was open to corporate businesses in Dunedin.
The competition had gone viral, he said.
The first prize was $500 for the business and $750 to gift to the charity of its choice.
The 27 entries were judged by Tamsin Cooper. The fashion designer chose the Regent Theatre tree because it was real and had a presence, Mr Pattison said.
Competition organiser Rebecca Twemlow, of Firebrand, said tinsel was tacky and it was not on the towering tree.
Regent Theatre general manager Sarah Anderson said the three theatre staff who decorated the tree in November were all ''gingers'' and had adorned the tree with poinsettia flowers, baubles and a redhead angel.
The charity portion of the prize would go to the Otago Theatre Trust, she said.
Theatre cleaner Brogan Nuttall said the tree decorating, with help from booking-office staff members Tessa Palmer and Bernie Chatfield, had taken four hours.