Sweet Hopeful Hymns We Sing

Yesterday and the day before, I posted about Susanna Leonard Hill's Annual Holiday Contests.  Today, guess what?  I'm posting about Susanna Leonard Hill's Annual Holiday Contests. 

This entry was from last year's contest--a Twelve Days of Christmas-esque Christmas hymn homage.  Say that 12 times fast.

Again, not a winner.  Again, fun to write.

Sweet Hopeful Hymns We Sing

In the days before Christmas, sweet hopeful hymns we sing
Preparing for the Advent of Our King.

In the days before Christmas, sweet hopeful hymns we sing:
Come, Emmanuel
Preparing for the Advent of Our King.

In the days before Christmas, sweet hopeful hymns we sing:
Savior, Come
Come, Emmanuel
Preparing for the Advent of Our King.

In the days before Christmas, sweet hopeful hymns we sing
Lift Up Your Heads
Savior, Come
Come, Emmanuel
Preparing for the Advent of Our King.

In the days before Christmas, sweet hopeful hymns we sing
Hark the Glad Sound!
Lift Up Your Heads
Savior, Come
Come, Emmanuel
Preparing for the Advent of Our King.

In the days before Christmas, sweet hopeful hymns we sing
Come, Expected Jesus
Hark the Glad Sound!
Lift up Your Heads
Savior, Come
Come, Emmanuel
Preparing for the Advent of Our King.

In the days before Christmas, sweet hopeful hymns we sing
In the Bleak Midwinter
Once in David’s City
Come, Expected Jesus
Hark the Glad Sound!
Lift Up Your Heads
Savior, Come
Come, Emmanuel
Preparing for the Advent of Our King.

In the days before Christmas, sweet hopeful hymns we sing
Away in the Manger
In a Little Stable
In the Bleak Midwinter
Once in David’s City
Come, Expected Jesus
Hark the Glad Sound!
Lift Up Your Heads
Savior, Come
Come, Emmanuel
Preparing for the Advent of Our King.

In the days before Christmas, sweet hopeful hymns we sing
Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Joy to the World
Away in the Manger
In a Little Stable
In the Bleak Midwinter
Once in David’s City
Come Expected Jesus
Hark the Glad Sound!
Lift Up Your Heads
Savior, Come
Come, Emmanuel
Preparing for the Advent of Our King.

©2016 Rebekah Hoeft

Sneaky Snoop: A Cautionary Christmas Tale

Last year, Susanna Leonard Hill, blogger and author of the Punxsutawney Phyllis books (among others) hosted her 6th Annual Holiday Contest.  It was a challenge to write a children's story of 300 words or less using the basic concept of the 12 Days of Christmas.  

Super fun.  And challenging to use that form to tell an actual story.  In 300 words or less.  

Better than 250, which is this year's challenge.  You can find more info about this year's challenge here and my entry here.  Hurry if you want to enter--your story is due by 11:59 p.m. tonight!

This was one of my entries from last year-not a winner, but fun to write anyway.  Possibly hard to sing correctly.  Also, I should point out, 292 words---waaayyy under the word limit!  Though I might have been pushing it using whoopity-whoop as one word instead of two.

Sneaky Snoop: A Cautionary Christmas Tale

Ten days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Found a gift that made me whisper, “Whoop!”

Nine days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Eight days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Seven days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Six days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS??!
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Five days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
New underwear.
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS?!
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Four days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Ugly scratchy sweater.
New underwear.
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS?!
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Three days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Rocks wrapped so nicely.
Ugly scratchy sweater.
New underwear.
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS?!
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Two days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Two lumps of coal.
Rocks wrapped so nicely.
Ugly scratchy sweater.
New underwear.
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS?!
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

The day before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Found a note from Mother,
It said, “You think you’re sneaky,
But you are not really.
Your gifts are all rehidden
Might not find them until
FIVE DAYS FROM NOW!!
It’ll be fun
Since you like
Hunting for your gifts
Merry Christmas, son! I love you, sneaky snoop!”

©2016 Rebekah Hoeft