For many poets, their Christmas poem is as important to the festival as parcel wrapping and sprout purchase. The annual challenge to find something new to say is a vital part of the ritual. Poet UA Fanthorpe summed it up in the introduction to Christmas Poems BC/AD, a collection of poems originally included in Christmas cards, when she concluded: we’ve been doing this for 28 years, and trying not to repeat oneself becomes progressively more difficult. The cast, after all, is limited.
The Writing Magazine competition for a poem for Christmas gives an opportunity to see whether you can find a new slant on this frequently used theme. While the winning poem will demonstrate crafting skills alongside the inspired idea, the selection of the subject matter must be exciting and fresh even before the poet’s writing skills start to be engaged.