Monday, November 4, 2024

Seventh Annual Holiday Haiku Winners Announced

Holiday Haiku contestFor the seventh consecutive year, WYDaily readers showed an impressive skill for writing Holiday Haiku.

This year’s Holiday Haiku contest proved to be the most popular to date with 150 total entries, and submissions came from both readers who have made the contest an annual tradition and those who discovered it this year.

Reading all the submissions has become a favorite tradition at our offices, so we thank you all for taking the time to participate.

The winners will receive an email today explaining how to retrieve their prizes.

And now onto our 2015 winner ….

Congratulations to Samantha Bishop! Her comparison of friends and fruitcake amused our staff, taking in the most votes from WYDaily and Tide Radio employees. Note to Samantha’s friends: Remember, Samantha likely fits one of the descriptions, as well, so try not to take it too personally. Here’s her winning haiku:

Friends are like fruitcake.
Some are sweet, some are nutty.
Others soaked in booze…

Samantha won a hefty prize bag for her first-place finish:

  • Family pack of four tickets to Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s “Warner Brothers Presents: Bugs Bunny at Chrysler Hall” on Saturday, March 19, 2016
  • Four rounds of golf at the Williamsburg National Golf Club
  • Sticks​ Kebob Shop Pick 6, which serves four to six people for take out
    • Six kebobs of Your Choice
    • Two large sides
    • 12 wedges flatbread
    • Two homemade sauces
    • House salad

Our second-place prize, a holiday gift basket from Yankee Candle Village valued at $100, goes to Lyn Rork. This newbie to Holiday Haiku quickly discovered the contest’s allure – and how it tends to get our creative readers thinking in haiku all winter long. She sent in several submissions, much like many of our contestants, before sending in this confession:

Haiku support group
Meeting tomorrow morning
Everyone welcome.

Our third-place winner, Stephen Shield, has won a lunch for two at Sticks Kebob Shop for his warning about the dangers of the mistletoe:

Mistletoe kisses
Lead to September babies
If you’re not careful.

Before we highlight some of our other favorite entries, we wanted to give special recognition to our youngest participants. Though contest rules prevent their haiku from being considered for a prize, we applaud their creativity and courage to enter.

Snow all around me
Friends and family with you today
No more school for now
–Gabriel Ann Kreydatus, 8

The Christmas spirit
It gives you a warm feeling
Presents and gifts, too
Jared Kensick, 10

Our staff members enjoyed so many of the submissions, which ranged from silly to sweet to serious. Here are some of the haiku that received votes. Enjoy!

Nineteen fruit cakes ‘neath
My tree. Why’d I tell Grandma
To just surprise me?
–Connie Bland

Grandma pinches my
Cheeks and says “What a cute boy!”
Now fifty, I cringe.
Connie Bland

Love is always there.
I see it light your eyes through
Tear-stained photographs.
Connie Bland

Cancer took birthday
Now it’s gone; Christmas is nigh
Festive now begins!
Donna Apperson

Deck the halls with Big
Lots, Ollie’s, K-Marts and such.
Christmas on the cheap!
Sheila Majka

The Vicious Cycle
Black Friday breaks me.
Christmas invigorates me.
New Year’s Eve floors me.
Sheila Majka

Cookies, pies and cakes.
Can dreaded elastic pants
Be that far “behind”?
Sheila Majka

On 34th Street
It’s silly, but I believe.
It’s a miracle.
Kay Van Valkenburg

Winter solstice, watch
The night descend to darkness
Mark the coming light
David Malmquist

Oops, I felt a shock
Now the Christmas lights went dark
Call me Clark Griswald
–Kirsten Fuoti

Soon I’ll be Santa
Merry fat belly wobble
Celery diet.
Merle Marsh

Any way you wish
Celebrate the season now
Smiles create more smiles
Linda Pincus

Three followed the star.
The P.C. police might fret,
That Jesus was born.
–Kenneth Ruszkowski

Treat found near fireplace
Like a good dog I ate it
Was Santa’s cookie
Lyn Rork

The Founding Fathers
Skating on Duke of Gloucester
I’d like to see that!
Stephen Shield

Sugar, Frosting, Yum!
Cookies all shapes and sizes
Santa’s favorite
Kathy Vail

Music fills the air
Visions of my dancing feet
Mentally still young
Priscilla Culkowski

Lights, garland on trees.
See random acts of Christmas.
It all warms my heart.
Maria Cleator

Cherish all we have
Display compassion and love
This season, always
Deb Snyder

Kisses. Sweet. Brisk. Slow.
Satisfying afterglow.
Yuletide mistletoe!
Sue Knepper

If you want magic,
Look through the eyes of a child.
They truly believe!
Karen Marsh-Williams

‘Tis the Season
Hearts are warm with joy
Reverence is in the air
Love is the reason
Annetta Perry

Frenzied sixty-four,
Seventeen a swerving snarl.
Bask at home in peace!
Kathryn Patterson

Capt. John Smith’s Revenge
Ghost ships sail the James.
Muskets blast yon power lines.
No more Christmas lights!
Tina McCloud

Three boulders of snow
Chunks of coal and a carrot
Please go away sun!
Sally Lopez

I love to ice skate
Round and round the skating rink
First time getting checked
Kane Dacier

Procrastination
No gifts, lights, decorations
Bad habit, must change
Nancy Dacier

The best gift this year…
One ninety five world leaders
stand up to save earth.
Sharon Dorsey

Dear Saint Nicolas,
please bring us peace on this earth,
or Uber to Mars.
Sharon Dorsey

Dashing through the snow,
maybe in Colorado.
Swim suit weather here.
Sharon Dorsey

Lots of grandchildren.
Crying. Pooping. And squealing.
Holiday chaos.
Tammy Rojek

Walking down the DOG,
Skaters waltz in the distance…
Childhood Nostalgia!!
John Dobbins

Early Christmas morn
Little feet Pitter patter
Looking for Santa
Mary Whitley

Adele says “Hello”
But no luck for the concert
Tickets are good-bye
Lisa Thomas

If Jesus is King,
Then who, may I ask, is queen?
Oh yeah. Beyonce.
Michael Shield

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