Christmas in Reading Writing Competitions

This competition celebrates the diverse ways people engage with the winter season and the holidays within the context of Reading. We were looking for poems and short stories that showcased your unique traditions, unexpected moments or quiet reflections that took place in or around Reading during winter.

Poetry

Children

• Winner - Jacob 'The Magic of Christmas in Reading'
• Highly Commended - Shengbai 'We're Going to Find a Santa'

Young Adult 

• Winner - Emilia 'Snapshot of Christmas'
• Highly Commended - Mia 'Christmas in Reading'

Adult 

• Winner - Cora Groveland 'Christmas in Reading'
• Highly Commended - Tessa Sanderson 'A Reading Christmas with Grandma' and Amy Huntington 'Christmas in Reading' 

You can read the winners' poetry submissions here.

Short Stories

Children

• Winner: Christopher Huntington — 'The Lonely Snowman'

Young Adult

• Winner: Alma Venuti Sanderson — 'Christmas Skating on the Thames'

Adult

• Winner: Jillian Bost — 'Beautiful Chaos'

You can read the winners' short story submissions here.

Judging

Entries were judged on the following criteria:

• Relevance to Theme: How successfully the piece incorporates the theme, "Christmas in Reading"
• Sense of Place: How well the piece uses Reading, UK, as a backdrop, making the location integral to the story or poem
• Originality & Creativity
• Use of Language & Technical Skill

Please Note: We cannot provide individual feedback on entries.

Prizes

• Children's winners: £20 Fourbears gift voucher
• Young Adult winners: £40 Waterstones gift voucher
• Adult winners: £100 Reading Arts and Venues gift voucher