Cracker Mottoes
A prize of £5 was offered for a motto for a Christmas cracker, in not more than six lines of verse. It was to be light, but need not be so silly as most cracker mottoes.
The tradition of the Christmas cracker is that the motto should treat the whole ceremonial as symbolic—the tug-of-war, the gaudy covering, the explosion, the contents—or should be a love token, or the medium for conveyance of good wishes, especially to absent friends—some or all of these. Many people would hold that the motto must be amusing to children, and certainly it should not be beyond. their comprehension.
At one time I used to think that any ready writer of light verse should be able to make his fortune if he applied himself to this task, in view of the depressing silliness of most of the products which find their way inside a cracker. But after reading sixty- seven attempts in this competition I begin to have doubts whether this is probable. Only two of the entries were of clearly first-class rank. There was a numerous second class with little to choose between them. Such intrusions as puns or parodies and moral exhortations (these were hardly in place) were not successful enough to be worth quotation.
I recommend for prizes of £2 each, R Kennard Davis and A. M. Sayers. One pound to W. Edgecombe, the best, on the whole, of the next class. Runners-up are Mrs. V. R. Ormerod, Marjorie Kidd, Iris St. Hill Mousley, G. J. Blundell, Valerie Ranzetta and J. Anderson. , PRIZES
(R. KENNARD DAVIS)
Cupid's Cracker Provoking fingers proffer me Love's mystery.
Between us, as its sheath is split, A flame is lit;
And my reward? A crown, mayhap,
This tiny token Of trifling cost May soon be broken Or easily lost; So will you prize What the gift implies?
( W. EDOECOMBE)
The Christmas Tree, the holly, mistletoe, The crackers and the presents laid below, These signs and tokens of the hallowed Feast Are richly held; but last and far from least
Of precious gifts the Festive Season sends Are Thoughts and Memories ofAbsent Friends.
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