Congratulations to Bethany Courtney (15 and under) and Jim Bennett (over 16) for their prize winning poems.

The judges had a difficult job selecting winners from the many superb entries submitted to Bideford People.  The poems really made us hungry and ready for Christmas.

Bethany wins a season ticket to the Big Sheep in Bideford and Jim has won a hamper of Christmas delicacies selected from stalls at the Big Sheep farmers markets.

Here are the winning poems:

CHRISTMAS DINNER

you cleaned and sliced the veg

made sure everything was ready

folded paper under table legs

to ensure that they stayed steady

you dressed it with the centre piece

Christmas crackers by each plate

hung up the Father Christmas

that your mother used to hate

you start making Christmas dinner

at the first light of the day

with steamers, pans and mixing bowls

all coming into play

a break to open presents

while you still come and go

to check the bubbling pots and pans

and see everything’s just so

then after Christmas dinner

Christmas pud and Christmas Cake

bun loaf and a Yule log

and those mince pies that you bake

you settle down upon the couch

paper hat still on your head

to watch the film while I clean up

but you fall asleep instead

by Jim Bennett (over 16)

CHRISTMAS DINNER

The time has come for christmas dinner,

wait to pile my plate with food,

turkey, potatoes, carrots and peas,

prehaps some gravey if I'm in the mood!

Salted crisps, sprouts with chestnuts,

cabbage and redcurrant jelly,

pigs in blankets, stuffing too,

can't wait to eat and fill my belly!

All tuck in and eat it up,

think its really yummy,

eating, eating filling up,

full to bursting in my tummy!

Just room for christmas pud,

full of berries, currants and stuff,

brought in flaming and on fire,

burns off and blows out  with a puff!

Serve it out onto the plate,

brandy butter and lashings of cream,

tastes delicious with money inside,

this is the dinner of my dreams!

By Bethany Courtney

Age 10