Christmas gift from grandma
I peel back the paper
. . . socks again

Brittani Allen

the Grinch
who stole
my heart

Cristi Haddock

last minute gifts
small talk
with checkout line friends

Amanda N. Prahl

wallet ready
stampedes of people
fill the aisles

Andee Cavanaugh

Christmas gift from grandma
I peel back the paper
. . . socks again

last minute gifts
small talk
with checkout line friends

Christmas gift from grandma
I peel back the paper
. . . socks again

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

Christmas morning
mom unwraps
a priceless gift of scribbles

bottom quarter champion

Christmas morning
mom unwraps
a priceless gift of scribbles

the latest dance moves
in front of the Christmas tree
childhood memories

Christmas morning
mom unwraps
a priceless gift of scribbles

three knocks
at the door
Christmas carolers

Mark Sweeney

the latest dance moves
in front of the Christmas tree
childhood memories

Youlanda Johnson

Christmas morning
mom unwraps
a priceless gift of scribbles

Brittani Allen

under the tree
the greatest gift
has already been given

Andee Cavanaugh

TOP half champion

Christmas morning
mom unwraps
a priceless gift of scribbles

CHAMPION

Christmas morning
mom unwraps
a priceless gift of scribbles

waking up before dawn
Santa came
Mom and Dad!

BOTTOM half champion

mistletoe above us
he pecks my cheek
our first christmas

Brittani Allen

Christmas movie
the couple cuddles
in front of the tree

Monica Ashley

Christmas music playing
the night before Christmas
cookies in the oven

Tatum McCutcheon

mothers and sisters
baking day
Christmas goodies

Monica Ashley

mistletoe above us
he pecks my cheek
our first christmas

Christmas music playing
the night before Christmas
cookies in the oven

mistletoe above us
he pecks my cheek
our first christmas

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

waking up before dawn
Santa came
Mom and Dad!

bottom quarter champion

waking up before dawn
Santa came
Mom and Dad!

waking up before dawn
Santa came
Mom and Dad!

anxious boy
wide awake
Santa on roof

too excited to sleep
cookies and milk
left on the table

Jaime Taylor

waking up before dawn
Santa came
Mom and Dad!

Amber Hendricks

anxious boy
wide awake
Santa on roof

Crissey Lennon

rooftop
covered in snow
Santa's reindeer

Katie Luedke

Christmas gift from grandma
I peel back the paper
. . . socks again

Brittani Allen

the Grinch
who stole
my heart

Cristi Haddock

last minute gifts
small talk
with checkout line friends

Amanda N. Prahl

wallet ready
stampedes of people
fill the aisles

Andee Cavanaugh

My biological mother passed away when I was only a few months old. The loss created a close and special bond between me and my grandmother. When I was four, my father remarried, and our family became complete with the addition of my new mom and two sisters. Although my grandma loved all of us, she would sometimes show a "little extra" towards me. I'll never forget the year, I was in my early twenties, when we all gathered to open gifts from Maw Maw. As my sisters and I eagerly opened our gifts, I gasped with excitement when I unwrapped an expensive leather purse. My excitement quickly turned to an awkward silence as each of my sisters glaringly revealed their gift: underwear. As you can imagine, the atmosphere when from fabulous to flat in 2.2 seconds. Nearly twenty years later, my sister's and I don't let a holiday season pass without sharing a little chuckle about, "Christmas -1995: The Year of Blatant Favoritism." Shannon

This haiku brings back a recollection of childhood memories. The author wrote this haiku knowing that the meaning of this haiku affects each of us in the same way. I may be putting something into the haiku that the author did not clearly indicate to the reading audience. However, I am assuming the receiver of the socks is a child. Children do not know the value or have the knowledge of why some
things are gifts to them. All children want toys or something entertaining to them as gifts they receive for Christmas. Children are at an age where they don't understand the value of basic necessities or tangible items they must have in everyday life such as socks. Children take these items for granted. The first line of the haiku "Christmas gift from grandma," tells the reading audience that a Christmas gift is from grandma. The second line "I peel back the paper," tells us of the person receiving the gift of socks opening it on Christmas morning or at least around Christmas day. Even as adults, we all gently peel
back the wrapping paper on gifts, peeking inside the wrap hoping the gift is what we want or something desirable to us. The last line of this haiku ". . . socks again," tells the reading audience that they have
received socks from grandma again or at least have received socks again from someone. The word "again" implies to me that socks are a repetitive gift from grandma or someone else. In summary, a child has peeled back the paper on a gift and discovers they are the receiver of socks again as a
Christmas gift. This is a holiday haiku everyone can relate to in some way or another. Mark

I chose this haiku because it is funny. You can picture being so excited for Christmas and opening up gifts to find socks, you are left to wonder then is this the real gift? Is there something hiding there I'm not seeing or is Grandma maybe losing it? This is something I can sort of relate to with the random gifts. I have a set of cousins that every Christmas gets us the most random stuff and we never really know how to respond because it's not something we ever would have expected, or really wanted. So we have to pretend we like it until they are gone when we can start talking how we really feel about the random gift. Sam

This haiku was actually one of my favorites. I have been in a couple relationships and it always seems to be true! The Grinch is always the one that can steal a person's heart. It doesn't even have to be Christmas related or around that time period. Men are always grouchy but it kind of goes with the saying "can't live with them, can't live without them". I thought it was cute and had a good meaning behind it! One of my favorites! Kristen

This is classic, it is a busy time of year that week before Christmas and you think you have everything ready to go. You go to the store and pickup those last minute gifts and it seems that everyone else is also. You chitchat a bit and small talk with the people around you that might have thought the same thing and feel the way you do. Melissa

three knocks
at the door
Christmas carolers

Mark Sweeney

the latest dance moves
in front of the Christmas tree
childhood memories

Youlanda Johnson

Christmas morning
mom unwraps
a priceless gift of scribbles

Brittani Allen

under the tree
the greatest gift
has already been given

Andee Cavanaugh

I can remember every Christmas Eve my family goes to my parent’s house to spend time with one another. We play cards, catch phrase and dance around to “Just Dance” on the WII. We split up into teams and we dance to the hottest “Just Dance” songs for that year and whoever receives the most point’s wins. We have a blast doing this every Christmas Eve and still continue to do it to this day. Participating this every year brings me peace and joy to my soul. I enjoy spending time with my family because it is rare when we do get to spend time together. I love being able to open up and be silly with my family. This time of year is probably one of my best childhood and current adult memories. Veronica

As this one won the contest, it is obvious that it is a good haiku. To a child these are the only gifts they can truly give on their own and they work so hard at it they are so proud and love to see their parents when they get to give them something. I cannot count the number of drawings and bracelets that I have from my girls,, among many other things that they have given me. It just reminds me how much the amount of money spent doesn't always matter, even to a child.  Us parents make bigger deals out of things then needs to be sometimes. Dana

I absolutely love this haiku. I get so excited every year to see what my son has made me. Now that he is in school they are able to make gifts and scribble pictures, and he is always so excited to give them to me, because it is something special he made for me. To me it is worth more than any bought gift could ever be worth. These are the precious little gifts that my little man has put his whole heart into. Amanda

This haiku means a lot to me. This year will be my first year as a mommy for Christmas. Although this year may not be as much fun as the rest of the years since she is only 8 months, I still know there are lots of fun years to come. I can remember as a child making my mom gifts at school for Christmas. They didn't cost a thing but they meant the world to her. They were something she could keep forever and always have a great memory. I would even color pictures at home for her and wrap them up like a gift. I am so excited for the many memories and joy that my little girl will bring me. Katie

Anything I receive from my son Christmas morning is very special to me. Last year my mom made a hand print ornament. Tatum

This reminds me that no matter what gift is under the Christmas tree, everyone has already been given the most priceless gift of all. Family, friend and foremost our Lord. Who was born, as our gift to life. Crissy

mistletoe above us
he pecks my cheek
our first christmas

Brittani Allen

Christmas movie
the couple cuddles
in front of the tree

Monica Ashley

Christmas music playing
the night before Christmas
cookies in the oven

Tatum McCutcheon

mothers and sisters
baking day
Christmas goodies

Monica Ashley

I liked this haiku because it reminded me of my first Christmas with my wife when we were dating. We joked around a lot about having a mistletoe and talked about how much our first holiday meant to each other. When I read this, it made me imagine a newly christened couple who are spending their first holiday celebrating their togetherness and love. Brian

This makes me think of my husband and I after we get our sons presents all wrapped under the tree. We cuddle on the couch watching a Christmas story, (Christmas is not Christmas without watching the Christmas story). We just sit back and enjoy the quietness and really reflect on this past year the good and the bad. It is always nice to be  able to enjoy the little things without rushing over them. Karianne

I LOVE Christmas lights! I think they are so romantic and there is nothing I like more than cuddling up with all the lights out in front of the Christmas tree. There is something so amazing and loving about this time of the year! Cristi

This is my favorite because it reminds me of our Christmas tradition with our boys. Every year the holidays are crazy busy. With all the family events, but the night before Christmas is our time with just the four of us, hanging out together and baking cookies for Santa. Kristina

This is my favorite haiku because it reminds me of the wonderful feelings I experience in preparation for Christmas. The Christmas holiday creates a lot of anticipation and excitement well before Christmas. I enjoy playing Christmas music or playing Disney movies when I am baking cookies, preparing Christmas dishes, or wrapping gifts the nights leading up to or the night before Christmas! Danette

too excited to sleep
cookies and milk
left on the table

Jaime Taylor

waking up before dawn
Santa came
Mom and Dad!

Amber Hendricks

anxious boy
wide awake
Santa on roof

Crissey Lennon

rooftop
covered in snow
Santa's reindeer

Katie Luedke

This image is of it being early morning and the sun is just coming up. The kids running into their mom and dad's bedroom jumping on the bed yelling he came, he came, and Santa came. Trying to get the kids to go back to sleep a little longer is a waste of time. So everyone in the house gets up and heads down stairs to see what he has brought. This day is a very long day enjoying family and friends an even longer when you been up since the crack of dawn. Jacqueline L. Davis

When my brother and I were young on Christmas, one of us would wake up at three or four in the morning. Once one of us woke up, we would wake the other one up and run to the tree to see if Santa had come during the night. After we saw the presents we would then run and wake up our parents so we could open up our gifts. Knowing now that they probably just went to bed right before we woke them up is pretty funny! Amber

This haiku brings back one, extremely vivid memory to me of a Christmas from when I was younger. One year, I woke up and started to walk towards our family room. On my way, I passed the front door and looked outside and what I saw began to really excite me. I saw corn kernels, celery, and nuts scattered on the sidewalk and the driveway. As I continued to the family room, I saw black boot prints on the carpet that led to our fireplace. Once I reached the fireplace, I saw all the presents "Santa had brought me, and then I saw Santa's hat stuck in the chimney. This was a very memorable and exciting Christmas for me. Andee