Contests

New Poetry Contest: Gift

’Tis the season for gathering with family and friends for holiday feasting, giving thanks, and counting our blessings. Many holiday traditions include exchanging gifts with our loved ones to bring them joy and show our respect and affection. For this month’s contest, everybuggy would love to read your best poem about a gift.

Maybe you will write about the happiness and surprise of receiving a gift that you have long hoped for but never really expected. Or you might write about a gift that is small but very meaningful, like snow angel mittens; or a gift that doesn’t cost money, like learning your grandfather’s favorite song on the piano, or a gift you make yourself, or welcoming a special visitor at Thanksgiving, or the gift of a new friendship. Perhaps you’ll write a funny poem about wrapping a gift, or keeping a gift a secret, or the dilemma of choosing just the right gift for your best friend, or baby brother, or even your dog.

Whether you write about the gift of a beautiful autumn day, an act of kindness toward someone less fortunate, or the gift of joy and peace you would like to give to the whole world, everybuggy will be waiting patiently to receive the beautiful gift of your best poem—of 24 lines or less, please—about a gift. And remember, as Muffin always reminds Ladybug, ’tis more blessed to give than to receive—and don’t peek!

  • 1. Your contest entry must be your very own original work. Ideas and words should not be copied.

    2. Your entry must be signed by your parent or guardian, stating that it is your own work, that no help was given, and that Cricket has permission to publish it in the magazine and on our website. 

    3. Be sure to include your name, age, and full address on your entry.

    4. Only one entry per person, please.

    5. If you want your work returned, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for each entry.

    6. Your entry must be received by November 25, 2021.

    7. Send entries to Cricket League, P.O. Box 300, Peru, IL 61354. (No faxes or email submissions, please!)

    8. We will publish winning entries in the March 2022 issue and on the Cricket website.