This year's Christmas Short Story Competition generated significant participation with Nicole Pinder winning the adult category and child writer, Gary Furtado, winning the under 18 category.

For about 40 years The Royal Gazette has proudly sponsored this annual competition for adults and under 18; 212 stories were judged this year with 32 being adult stories and 180 stories from children under age 18. This year exceeded last years numbers of 155, with an increase of 57 stories.

The Royal Gazette judges were: Mairi Mallon, Cathy Stovell, Beverley Causey-Smith and Jarion Richardson.

Ms Pinder's adult story, entitled, `...Not Even a Mouse' was about a mouse who was brought in on a Christmas tree into a couple's house. The mouse bites the husband's finger and ends up a hero with free room and board.

Gary Furtado, winner of the Under 18 category wrote a delightful tale, `Skink to the Rescue!' It is about Samuel S. Skink, a very brave skink, who helps rescue Santa's crashed sleigh in the waters near Castle Island.

`The Cedars of Winterhaven' by adult, Joan K. Aspinall, took the runner's up prize with the compelling and poignant tale of a Bermuda cedar tree named, Cedarliddle. The writer wrote: ``In every essence this is a true story. It is part of Bermuda's history. The events did happen, the place does exist.''

`God's Christmas Angels' by Jordan Robbins, age 11 was the runner-up in the Under 18 category. It is a delicate story about a little girl named Naomi and her great grandmother Rosette who goes back into time when she had her twelfth Christmas. She had a mystical experience of receiving a keg filled with a wonderful Christmas dinner for her very poor family.

Adult writer, Margaret Potts, received Exceptional Promise for her short story, `Let's Talk Turkey'. This is a funny tale about the challenges that a dead, plucked turkey presents.

`The Destroyer of Christmas' by child writer, Neal Morris, age 12, received Exceptional Promise; it was quite imaginative as the Super Rockers charged to a volcano at Fort St. Catherine's beach with acts of heroism to follow.

Six honourable mentions were awarded in the Under 18s and one of the best was a story by Stephanie Chilvers, age 11, `The Pony That Lead Santa's Sleigh'. Misty, a small grey pony, help's Santa in his dilemma and brings joy to a little girl in Bermuda.

Other honourable mentions include: Kate Eastham, age 13, for `Grandma got run over by a reindeer!'

Rajika Goel, age 13, `The Perfect Christmas', Danielle Brining, age 12, `The Gift of Life', Claire Grenfell, age 11, `A New Home for Chip', Jasmine Patterson, age 11,`First Christmas'.

All of these stories should make for interesting reading over the holidays and we commend each writer who entered.

The winners in both categories received money for their stories in the sums of $300 to the winners, $200 to the runners-up, and $100 to the exceptional promises. The honourable mentions received certificates.