Sunday, December 18, 2011

'Twas the Girl's First Writing Contest...

     Tomorrow (or today, depending on where you are in the world) is a big day for little me. Drum roll please.....I am entering in my first, official writing contest! My normal self would NEVER do anything like this. But my new gutsy-self, a slightly kinder version of my off-my-rocker-self (see "My Poor Husband" post) is completely excited. The chance of winning is slight, but just the act of being involved in such an event is absolutely, monumental in my book (pun completely intended).

     The contest, hosted by the author Susanna Leonard  Hill(susannahill.blogspot.com), asks participants to create their own versions of  The Night Before Christmas. This being my first contest is nothing less than lucky because:

a) it has to rhyme (yo soy rhymaholic)
b) I had just finished my story a few weeks before for my daughter (our little Christmas baby) and zipped it if off along with a query letter to an agent. (Did you hear that Universe?)

What timing!

With that being said, eh-hemmmm.....

How many people feel slighted with their birthdays being right before or after Christmas? Well, what if your birthday was ON Christmas?

Happy Christmas Birthday Little LuLu Rose was a story created in attempt to prove that you CAN be born on Christmas and have a happy life. (Yes, it is true people!)

Here is my submission.


                        HAPPY CHRISTMAS BIRTHDAY LITTLE LULU ROSE!

                                             By: Elizabeth Stevens Omlor


‘Twas the night before Christmas, and wouldn’t you know, not a soul was asleep (that’s just how it goes)!

The kids ran around, hyper as can be, excited about Santa and LuLu’s party.

“What party?” you ask, well, I’ll have you know, that Christmas is the birthday of little LuLu Rose.

How lucky was she to be born on Christmas day? Well I’ll have you know, not all felt the same.

“Ah, what a shame”, lamented Mr. McGrew. “She’ll have to share her day and that’s not easy to do.”

“Poor little thing” cried Mrs. McBenz. “What kind of party can she have when she can’t see her friends?”

“Are you kidding? What a jip!” exclaimed cousin Stew. “They’ll give her only one present, instead of two!”

But you see LuLu’s parents were with it, they thought ahead. Each Christmas morning they’d sing her Happy Birthday in bed.

Then they’d come out to see just what Santa had brought, and wow you should have seen the Christmas presents she got!

Tap shoes, a bike, books and tangerines, a doll, a drum set and a model airplane.

The crinkled paper would sit all crumbled in heaps, with Christmas presents all opened, it was time to go eat!

LuLu chose her special birthday breakfast to eat every year, ginger pancakes with powdered sugar stacked up to her ears.

Orange juice and pomegranates, eggs in a nest, man did she think her birthday was the best!

When bellies were full, they went to their rooms, to spiff up for family who’d be arriving real soon.

The doorbell would ring, LuLu’d slide in her socks, to swing open the door and be clobbered by hugs.

“Happy Christmas Birthday!” Grandma and Grandpa would shout, her party had started, the house now cheerful and loud.

“Here open this one, LuLu my dear. Happy Birthday my darling, has it already been a year?”

Then they’d break out the pictures from LuLu’s first days, they’d ohh and they’d ahh, “What a cutie!” they’d say.

For in those first days, they couldn’t believe, how amazing little LuLu could already be
Relatives came from near and from far, they danced and they sang with such joy in their hearts.

Little LuLu Rose was now here to stay, to be celebrated and doted on each year on Christmas day.

‘Twas the day after Christmas, not a soul was awake, except small, little LuLu, who woke eager to play.

The relatives asleep on the living room couch, their feet perched on another, drool spilled from their mouths.

“I love this” she said quietly on her own, “On my birthday I know I’ll never be alone.”

“How lucky am I to be born on Christmas day? I know I would never want it any other way.”

19 comments:

  1. This is Brilliant! Fingers crossed for you.

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  2. Elizabeth - this is beautiful! The end made me tear up! What a lovely, lovely sentiment, and what a perfect gift for your Christmas baby!

    I responded to your question on my blog, but in case you don't see it there, all you have to do is got here
    http://susannahill.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-contest-is-here.html and add your link to this post to the link list!

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  3. P.S. I was so taken with the story I forgot to say congrats on being brave enough to enter and on being in your very first contest! So exciting :)

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  4. I love the idea of Happy Birthday in bed and making her feel special on this already special day. I have a two nieces with December birthdays and that's tricky enough — but Christmas Day! Of course, here in your story, it seems just perfect.

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  5. Congratulations on being brave enough to enter your first writing contest! Sounds as though you're spreading your wings in many ways this year.

    I have a friend who was born on Christmas Day. I should ask her how she felt about it when she was a kid -- we never got to go to birthday parties for her, like we did for our other friends. Hopefully her birthday was made as delightful as little Lulu Rose's seems to be.

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  6. Elizabeth,
    This poem is beautiful!! Tears in my eyes...so heartwarming and special!
    You are amazing!
    Love,
    Shannon

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  7. Very sweet Elizabeth - sounds like Lulu has the right attitude about her super special birthday!

    Congrats on writing your first entry. I think you will find Susanna's blog readers to be an terrifically supportive and enthusiastic group!

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  8. That is so sweet...I love it. Good luck on your submission.

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  9. I like your poem! AND my birthday is Christmas Eve and I kind of like it ;) so I agree with LuLu.I wanted to know if LuLu is your Christmas baby's name or is it just one you made up?

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  10. Awh that's lovely and nice to hear a positive reason for having your birthday on Christmas. Nice!

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  11. Cute topic. I like the way you made it so cheerful. Well done.

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  12. Well done on entering your first writing contest!

    My son was born only a few days before Christmas and it's sad that his friends are unable to come to his birthday party because of how close it is to Christmas, but I strive to make it absolutely awesome for him. And he'll always have family around, which is a bonus.

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  13. Both hilarious and emotionally heartwarming! That's hard to do. Good luck in the contest. Did you find it hard to write so quickly I just tried for the first time at http://mirandapaulbooks.blogspot.com/2011/12/worldly-wednesday-twas-night-before.html

    All the best to you and Merry Christmas!

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  14. What a way to take what most people think of as a challenge (birthday close to the holidays) and turn it into something wonderful.

    I have two January babies myself, and I find people are often burned out after the holidays and not in the mood for more celebration. But celebrate we do!

    Great job!

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  15. Elizabeth, this is so beautiful. Our grandson was born on Christmas Eve, and when he was young his mom always held a birthday in July, with cake and ice cream and lots of playing. He still received his gifts before Christmas. So, I found your take fun!

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  16. I really like your story, Elizabeth! I had a student who was born on Christmas day and he always felt cheated - too bad he couldn't read your story!

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  17. A very clever twist, and a new point of view for the holiday contest! How sweet that your baby girl will have a story all her own as a legacy from her mother!

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  18. This is wonderful! Truly- a great job! Congratulations on your first writing contest. I hope you'll do more. This was so fun to read :)

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  19. I enjoyed reading your poem and seeing how special little Lulu Rose felt on her birthday. I suppose it would be very comforting to know there will always be a lot of celebrating on your birthday! My older daughter and I both have birthdays after new year, my younger daughter has a birthday in the middle of December, and my husband was born in late January. The winter is a very special time in our house, too!

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