Writers Young and Older Join in RG Christmas Tradition
Winners’ row: first-place winners Vanessa Ingemann, left, Cait Kirwan and Zarah Siddiqi with Dexter Smith, the Editor of The Royal Gazette (Photograph by Akil Simmons)
December 10, 2024 — Cheers and smiles were abuzz at The Royal Gazette last night when the winners of the newspaper’s annual Stanley Ratteray Memorial Christmas Short Story Contest were announced.
The competition was open to all full-time Bermuda residents who submitted fiction or non-fiction stories in the 13 and Under, 18 and Under, and Adult categories.
Cait Kirwan won the 13 and Under category and Zarah Siddiqi prevailed in the 18 and Under category, both claiming prizes worth $500.
Amia McCook and Sophia Clingerman finished second and third respectively in the 13 and Under category.
In the 18 and Under category, Poppy Rose Roberts and Diana Bishop came second and third.
In the Adult category, Vanessa Ingemann walked away with prizes worth $500 and a one-year digital subscription to the Gazette.
Last year’s winner, Gary Brangman, was second this time around, while Helen Zoellner was third.
Cait Kirwan, 8, who attends Somersfield Academy, impressed the judges with her story entitled Bermuda Spirit.
Her school was also awarded a special $500 prize.
Cait’s parents said she had followed in the footsteps of her sister, who entered the competition last year.
They noted that her teachers had been supportive in nurturing her creative skills.
Miss Siddiqi’s The Christmas Wish tells the tale of a girl left feeling that she was missing the spirit of Christmas because her grandmother had passed away.
Miss Siddiqi said she wrote the fictional piece with her own grandmother in mind, and added: “I love my grandmother a lot and life would be super difficult without her.”
She said she included features of the island such as Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, City Hall and Bermudian Christmas traditions.
She said she loved writing short stories and took great joy in her win.
Ms Ingemann’s story featured a fictional experience with her new neighbour, who feared that a depressing Christmas was in store for her.
It took a turn for the better after the two became acquainted and decided to spend the holiday spreading Christmas cheer through charitable errands around the island.
Ms Ingemann added: “Winning was a gift for me, and my story was about giving joy at Christmas.”
She said she had not enjoyed the opportunity to try her hand at short stories in many years — but after spotting the advertisement for the competition, she decided to reignite her creative writing skills.
All the winning stories will be published in a supplement on Friday.
Originally published in The Royal Gazette.
