Christmas Poetry Contest





Christmas Poetry Contest 1. THERE IS A FIVE-DOLLAR ($5) ENTRANCE FEE FOR EVERY ENTRY. EACH CONTESTANT MAY ENTER MULTIPLE ENTRIES AT $5 EACH.


Make check payable to “Rachael Thomas” Attn: Christmas Poetry Contest The poems must be about Christmas, as the winner will be announced on December 31, 2008.


2. What Could I win? The winner will receive a cash prize based solely on the combination of entrance fees. Therefore, the more entries, the bigger the prize. Enter multiple poems and tell your friends!


3. Am I Eligible To Participate? Subject to the additional restrictions below, the Christmas Poetry Contest is open to residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 9 years of age to 21 years of age at the time of entry. There will be a winner in each category: ages 9-15 and ages 16-21.


4. How Do I Enter? Entries will be received at 12 a.m. (C.T.) on August 15, 2008 and end at 11:59 p.m. (C.T.) on September 30, 2008. Judging will start October 1, 2008 and end on December 31, 2008. Contest entries must be no larger than 1,000 words. To enter, send your check and your typed poem with title to Rachael Thomas, 490 Ashwood Lane, Fairview, TX 75069. Include a cover page that states the title, your name, mailing address (including street address, city, state and zip code), phone number, age, and word count. (Email address is optional, but appreciated.) Do not put any of your personal information (except the manuscript’s title) on the actual manuscript. No electronic mail entries will be accepted; manuscripts must be typed and mailed. Entries must be postmarked by September 30, 2008 to qualify. The Christmas Poetry Contest will not be responsible for incomplete, lost, late, misdirected or unreadable entries or for failure to receive entries due to transmission failures or technical failures of any kind, whether originating with sender or Contest. In the event of a dispute, all entries will be deemed to have been submitted by the owner of the mailbox from which they were sent. All entries become property of the Contest and will only be returned if participant includes a self addressed stamped envelope. The Contest reserves the right to disqualify any entries by persons determined to be tampering with or abusing any aspect of the Contest. The Contest reserves the right to disqualify any entry that does not comply with these rules, that is alleged to infringe on any third party’s intellectual property rights, or that the Contest deems obscene, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate for viewing by a general audience. By submitting a manuscript in a Contest, you agree to be bound by all of the terms and conditions of these Official Rules, including the grant of rights set forth in number 7, below; if you do not agree with these terms and conditions, do not submit an entry.


5. How Will Winners Be Selected? The contest will select two (2) grand winners from among all eligible entries in both age groups received up to midnight CT the previous Contest Day. The winners will be selected on the basis of creativity, composition, quality, and adherence to subject matter.


6. When Will Winners Be Notified? The Grand Prize Winners will be notified by phone within seventy-two (72) hours after he or she is selected as a winner. The prizes will be sent to the address on his or her entry’s cover sheet on or about January 2, 2009. The Contest’s inability to reach a winner, the return of any prize notification as undeliverable, a winner’s failure to timely respond to prize notification, and/or a winner’s failure to comply with any term or condition of these Official Rules may result in that winner’s disqualification, the forfeiture of his or her interest in all prizes, and the selection of a substitute winner.


7. What Other Terms Apply? Winners may waive their right to receive a prize. Prizes are non-assignable and nontransferable. No substitutions allowed by winners. Winners are solely responsible for reporting and payment of any taxes on prizes. Except where prohibited, participation in the Contest constitutes each contestant’s consent to the publication of his or her name, likeness, city and state of residence and biographical information in any media, including without limitation the Internet, for any commercial or promotional purpose, without limitation or further compensation. Prizes not won and claimed by an eligible winner in accordance with these Official Rules will not be awarded and will remain the property of Contest. By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Contest judges designated by the Contest. In the event the Contest is compromised by tampering or other causes beyond the reasonable control of the Contest which corrupts or impairs the administration, security, fairness or proper operation of the Contest, it reserves the right in its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the Contest. Should the Contest be terminated prior to the stated expiration date, the Contest reserves the right to award prizes based on the entries received before the termination date. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any such provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, these rules shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained therein.


8. How Can I Request The Winner’s Name Or A Copy Of These Rules? For the names of the winners or a copy of these Official Rules, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Rachael Thomas, First Annual Unbiased Writers Contest, 490 Ashwood Lane, Fairview, TX 75069. Indicate whether you are requesting the winner’s name, a copy of these official rules, or both.