Bermuda author leads fightback against ‘War on Christmas’

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A Bermuda author has used a Christmas colouring contest as a salvo against “socialists” he believes want to kill Christmas.

Geoff Parker Sr asked students to colour pages featuring characters from children’s books he’s written about a Yorkshire terrier called Happy.

“The colouring contest is designed to make children aware of the Happy character and our desire to keep our long Christmas traditions,” he said. “Happy’s story, as you know, is about compassion, hope, goodwill and many other life lessons. Young children love the books.”

He took objection to “governments and city halls” trying to be politically correct with the words “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”.

“Being a very Christian Island we need to take a stand and do what we can to thwart this anti-Christ socialistic mentality that is permeating our society and those of our neighbours and around the world,” he said.

Mr Parker and his family came up with the idea for the contest in 2010 when they were sitting around the Christmas tree talking about the ‘old days’.

“I remembered the Christmas colouring contests that took place then in The Royal Gazette,” he said. “As nothing was being done along those lines and we had the Happy book about Christmas, it was a no-brainer to consider using certain scenes from the book for a colouring contest. My illustrator, Lisa Fox in the United Kingdom, redrew scenes from the book to reduce detail and fit the paper size that we needed.”

The colouring pages were circulated within the primary schools.

This year’s competition was open to children from four to ten years old. There were prizes awarded in several categories and an overall prize for best picture. Prizes for the contest included copies of ‘Happy’s Christmas Gift’ and posters based on the books.

“Happy will continue to be in the forefront of this war against Christmas, to help keep the spirit of Christmas at the levels that we as children ourselves experienced and cherished,” Mr Parker said. “It’s time to get rid of the city hall ‘Happy Holidays’ signs and at least put up ‘Happy Christmas’. ‘Have a very Merry Christmas’ would be best. Maybe this issue can be raised when the next Corporation of Hamilton elections take place.”

First prize winners in the different age categories included Alessio Ferigo, Esi Naylor, Esme Frith, Lindsay Mawer, Oscar Lindrey, Natalie Young, and Christian Cann. Natalie Young also won the Best Picture prize.

* www.happytalespublishing.com

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