EcoSanta Competition Results 2021
The EcoSanta Short Story Competition is judged by an award-winning professional teacher of Creative Writing who wishes to remain anonymous.
General comments:
General comments:
For planet peace, prosperity and perpetuity, what is needed is both global clean-up and global consciousness-change. The winning story this year addresses the first half of that, at the magical level the Christmas spirit offers all writers. 'Every little helps'. Put all the EcoSanta stories together and solutions abound.
It is quite a challenge to write a good EcoSanta story. You serve two masters. These are the demands of the craft of short story writing and the seemingly intractable problem of persuading the most intelligent species on Earth to look after its shared home.
Christmas magic is the power tool offered by EcoSanta to access a vision for humanity they can then forward and live out in the real world. As genius Albert Einstein had it: Imagination is greater than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution. We have no reason to doubt Einstein. Historically, what the imagination dreams up has become reality, again and again. And so it can again.
The EcoSanta stories of 2021 contribute to the uprising of a solution-oriented mindset. Each one of them is to be congratulated for the intentionality driving their creative efforts. In old speak, the pen is mightier than the sword.
With this greater perspective, all the EcoSanta stories are winners, in bringing together the short story format and necessary cultural change. Those two familiar bedfellows – the marriage of trivialising to humour resulting in ridicule, - were, fortunately, wholly absent this year. Entries were received from New Zealand, America and the U.K.
Some wonderful ideas are embedded in these stories. EcoSanta keeping a record of each child's progress, environmentally through the annual 'letter to Santa'. EcoSanta magically touching the hearts of children so they naturally want to look after the environment. A glorious vision of future possible expressed as a prose-poem. Two stories where children, realising the cost to the planet, ask EcoSanta not to give them presents. A modern version of Dickens' 'The Christmas Carol' shows a child the error of his ways. The Toy Factory at the North Pole becoming a Toy Hospital in a style reminiscent of the television series 'The Repair Shop'. Mrs Claus starring as the brains behind EcoSanta. The permutations on what's possible keep expanding each year.
It is quite a challenge to write a good EcoSanta story. You serve two masters. These are the demands of the craft of short story writing and the seemingly intractable problem of persuading the most intelligent species on Earth to look after its shared home.
Christmas magic is the power tool offered by EcoSanta to access a vision for humanity they can then forward and live out in the real world. As genius Albert Einstein had it: Imagination is greater than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution. We have no reason to doubt Einstein. Historically, what the imagination dreams up has become reality, again and again. And so it can again.
The EcoSanta stories of 2021 contribute to the uprising of a solution-oriented mindset. Each one of them is to be congratulated for the intentionality driving their creative efforts. In old speak, the pen is mightier than the sword.
With this greater perspective, all the EcoSanta stories are winners, in bringing together the short story format and necessary cultural change. Those two familiar bedfellows – the marriage of trivialising to humour resulting in ridicule, - were, fortunately, wholly absent this year. Entries were received from New Zealand, America and the U.K.
Some wonderful ideas are embedded in these stories. EcoSanta keeping a record of each child's progress, environmentally through the annual 'letter to Santa'. EcoSanta magically touching the hearts of children so they naturally want to look after the environment. A glorious vision of future possible expressed as a prose-poem. Two stories where children, realising the cost to the planet, ask EcoSanta not to give them presents. A modern version of Dickens' 'The Christmas Carol' shows a child the error of his ways. The Toy Factory at the North Pole becoming a Toy Hospital in a style reminiscent of the television series 'The Repair Shop'. Mrs Claus starring as the brains behind EcoSanta. The permutations on what's possible keep expanding each year.
Runners-up:
Green team, go, go, go by Fay Dickinson
A filmic-style magical miniaturisation allows EcoSanta to introduce two children to a talking Coral Reef and talking Rain Forest. It brings ecological reality close-up and personal, in a clever holographic short form. An original, witty and powerful way to get kids onside.
Love from Leo by Charlie Bown
This story shows the child more savvy about environmental problems than EcoSanta himself, a big leap forward, a nice twist, child empowering. The changing balance of power between EcoSanta and Leo was handled through a series of short letters, allowing the story to organically unfold.
The winner:
A sense of eco-heroism pervades the whole story. Its emotional coherence is based on the deep friendship between EcoSanta and his chief elf, Gizmo, subtextually well handled. To make clearing the oceans of plastic the central issue factors in the reality. In allowing the worker, Gizmo, to shine, while EcoSanta feels he has failed, is a subtle reversal of power-roles. Other nice touches – it is easy to see shades of Dumbledore's room in EcoSanta's office and the wartime spirit in the squirrel's behaviour. This is the second year Andrew has entered the EcoSanta Short Story Competition.
Green team, go, go, go by Fay Dickinson
A filmic-style magical miniaturisation allows EcoSanta to introduce two children to a talking Coral Reef and talking Rain Forest. It brings ecological reality close-up and personal, in a clever holographic short form. An original, witty and powerful way to get kids onside.
Love from Leo by Charlie Bown
This story shows the child more savvy about environmental problems than EcoSanta himself, a big leap forward, a nice twist, child empowering. The changing balance of power between EcoSanta and Leo was handled through a series of short letters, allowing the story to organically unfold.
The winner:
A sense of eco-heroism pervades the whole story. Its emotional coherence is based on the deep friendship between EcoSanta and his chief elf, Gizmo, subtextually well handled. To make clearing the oceans of plastic the central issue factors in the reality. In allowing the worker, Gizmo, to shine, while EcoSanta feels he has failed, is a subtle reversal of power-roles. Other nice touches – it is easy to see shades of Dumbledore's room in EcoSanta's office and the wartime spirit in the squirrel's behaviour. This is the second year Andrew has entered the EcoSanta Short Story Competition.
The winning story: Many Toys Make Light Work by Andrew Krey
‘HE’S BACK!’
Murmurs grew louder among the elves, echoing the announcement and competing with the music playing. The fun started once the last toy was packed into Santa’s sack – their hard work ended when his began – but now the biggest party of the year had been brought to a standstill, literally, as the dancing stopped.
The crowd twirled like spinning tops as they searched for the big guy in anticipation of his post-sleigh ride update. Gizmo’s gaze settled on the same spot as the other elves; in front of the tunnelled staircase that led up to the stables stood Santa – he looked tired.
A team of elves passed him on their way to tend to the reindeer, and he gave each a hearty smile of gratitude. But his cheeks weren’t as rosy as usual.
He gave his speech and the troops roared and jumped for joy. Each detail of success filled the happy elves with Christmas cheer. All except Gizmo; he only saw Santa’s body language.
The elves cheered their champion once he finished his speech. The music went back up to match the volume of their celebratory singing, and drowned out the heavy footfall of Santa’s sullen steps.
Santa made his way across the workshop’s makeshift dance-floor to ascend the tunnel to his office. Gizmo realised that no one else had noticed the change in his friend.
Inside his office Santa stood by an open window. A squirrel hung upside-down from his trouser pocket with a monkey-nut in its mouth, while a pair of longspurs calmly pecked at cookie-crumbs from his open palm. He studied the night’s sky high above the reindeer nuzzling his free hand for attention, and the cold expanse of snow. Mother Nature had hung her Christmas decorations too. The red and green ribbons of the Northern Lights danced with the stars – Nature’s beauty never failed to humble him.
‘You should be downstairs enjoying the party Gizmo?’ said Santa, without looking away from the window. ‘You’ve earned some fun.’
‘I just wanted to check in with you first.’ The animals were oblivious to the silence Santa let hang in the room; he knew there was more. ‘You…didn’t seem yourself,’ added Gizmo.
‘That’s how I knew it was you old friend.’
Santa gave the reindeer one last carrot he’d collected on his travels and then forced himself away from the window. By the time he was sat at his desk, the birds had picked a shoulder each to roost, and the squirrel curled up within the bushy hair on top of Santa’s head.
‘We’re letting them down Gizmo.’
‘Who? The children?’
‘Yes. In part. But I meant the animals and Gaia. They’re suffering now.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘Plastic!’ The squirrel stood to attention, ready to follow his general to war. ‘This modern invention is suffocating the oceans.’ When you’re centuries old, modern is relative. ‘It’s destroying the lifeblood of the planet.’
Gizmo realised that it had been the changing landscape rolling beneath Santa’s sleigh tonight that had disturbed him. Each year the land becomes less green, and the ocean less blue. It had been decades since Santa’s greatest fear was children not believing. Gizmo looked down at his feet, saddened by not having the answers his friend sought.
‘But enough of that,’ boomed Santa, slipping back into a spirit in keeping with the season, ‘go and join the celebrations. That’s an order!’ Gizmo forced a smile to match Santa’s words. ‘And I think I’ll take a well deserved nap.’
‘Yes sir!’ said Gizmo.
With them both settling on a shaky accord of joy for the benefit of the other, Gizmo left. But Gizmo didn’t join the celebrations. Ideas were already formulating in his mind, and he started putting them to paper that very night!
***
One week after Santa confided in Gizmo, he walked into his office carrying a present for EcoSanta. To make space on his desk for the box in Gizmo’s hands, EcoSanta moved his freshly baked cookies aside; their aroma blew away all thoughts from Gizmo’s mind except hunger. Snapping back to reality Gizmo locked eyes with Ellie – EcoSanta’s Finnish Spitz that was lazily watching from her dog-blanket by the fireplace – and they shared a knowing look as both their noses twitched.
EcoSanta eagerly flipped off the lid of the box and lifted out the drone inside; he knew it from the countless others he had gifted on Christmas Eve. He also knew Gizmo. ‘What have you changed?’
‘I’m glad you asked,’ said Gizmo, sucking in a deep breath. ‘I’ve enhanced the sensors and waterproofed the unit. I’ve installed A.I. software I designed myself – it’s advanced. I’ve-‘
‘What’s it for!?’
‘Clean the ocean of plastic,’ stated Gizmo as if it was obvious. He reached inside the box and lifted out a net so thin it was almost invisible. ‘This net has been sewn with threads from your sack so it will expand as required, and the autonomous drones return home once their weight limit is reached. They’ll skim the ocean collecting floating plastic 24/7.’
EcoSanta stared at the toy made a tool in silent awe.
‘There’s this too,’ said Gizmo. He handed EcoSanta the leather-bound folder that he was holding under his arm. Pride consumed Gizmo as he watched EcoSanta thumb through the pages of his beautifully drawn designs and his cheeks flushed brighter than Rudolph’s nose.
‘Thank you,’ said EcoSanta. The solitary tear of joy that ran down his rosy cheek said more than words ever could. Joy from knowing countless lives would be saved in the centuries to come.
‘This burden is too big for one person…even if that person is you.’
EcoSanta nodded his agreement, too engrossed by Gizmo’s ideas to look up. ‘Going green isn’t just for Christmas,’ muttered EcoSanta to himself. Then EcoSanta paused on a single page; he spun the folder and pushed it in front of Gizmo, who looked down at the detailed plans of his favourite idea. ‘Tell me about this modification to my sleigh.’
‘HE’S BACK!’
Murmurs grew louder among the elves, echoing the announcement and competing with the music playing. The fun started once the last toy was packed into Santa’s sack – their hard work ended when his began – but now the biggest party of the year had been brought to a standstill, literally, as the dancing stopped.
The crowd twirled like spinning tops as they searched for the big guy in anticipation of his post-sleigh ride update. Gizmo’s gaze settled on the same spot as the other elves; in front of the tunnelled staircase that led up to the stables stood Santa – he looked tired.
A team of elves passed him on their way to tend to the reindeer, and he gave each a hearty smile of gratitude. But his cheeks weren’t as rosy as usual.
He gave his speech and the troops roared and jumped for joy. Each detail of success filled the happy elves with Christmas cheer. All except Gizmo; he only saw Santa’s body language.
The elves cheered their champion once he finished his speech. The music went back up to match the volume of their celebratory singing, and drowned out the heavy footfall of Santa’s sullen steps.
Santa made his way across the workshop’s makeshift dance-floor to ascend the tunnel to his office. Gizmo realised that no one else had noticed the change in his friend.
Inside his office Santa stood by an open window. A squirrel hung upside-down from his trouser pocket with a monkey-nut in its mouth, while a pair of longspurs calmly pecked at cookie-crumbs from his open palm. He studied the night’s sky high above the reindeer nuzzling his free hand for attention, and the cold expanse of snow. Mother Nature had hung her Christmas decorations too. The red and green ribbons of the Northern Lights danced with the stars – Nature’s beauty never failed to humble him.
‘You should be downstairs enjoying the party Gizmo?’ said Santa, without looking away from the window. ‘You’ve earned some fun.’
‘I just wanted to check in with you first.’ The animals were oblivious to the silence Santa let hang in the room; he knew there was more. ‘You…didn’t seem yourself,’ added Gizmo.
‘That’s how I knew it was you old friend.’
Santa gave the reindeer one last carrot he’d collected on his travels and then forced himself away from the window. By the time he was sat at his desk, the birds had picked a shoulder each to roost, and the squirrel curled up within the bushy hair on top of Santa’s head.
‘We’re letting them down Gizmo.’
‘Who? The children?’
‘Yes. In part. But I meant the animals and Gaia. They’re suffering now.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘Plastic!’ The squirrel stood to attention, ready to follow his general to war. ‘This modern invention is suffocating the oceans.’ When you’re centuries old, modern is relative. ‘It’s destroying the lifeblood of the planet.’
Gizmo realised that it had been the changing landscape rolling beneath Santa’s sleigh tonight that had disturbed him. Each year the land becomes less green, and the ocean less blue. It had been decades since Santa’s greatest fear was children not believing. Gizmo looked down at his feet, saddened by not having the answers his friend sought.
‘But enough of that,’ boomed Santa, slipping back into a spirit in keeping with the season, ‘go and join the celebrations. That’s an order!’ Gizmo forced a smile to match Santa’s words. ‘And I think I’ll take a well deserved nap.’
‘Yes sir!’ said Gizmo.
With them both settling on a shaky accord of joy for the benefit of the other, Gizmo left. But Gizmo didn’t join the celebrations. Ideas were already formulating in his mind, and he started putting them to paper that very night!
***
One week after Santa confided in Gizmo, he walked into his office carrying a present for EcoSanta. To make space on his desk for the box in Gizmo’s hands, EcoSanta moved his freshly baked cookies aside; their aroma blew away all thoughts from Gizmo’s mind except hunger. Snapping back to reality Gizmo locked eyes with Ellie – EcoSanta’s Finnish Spitz that was lazily watching from her dog-blanket by the fireplace – and they shared a knowing look as both their noses twitched.
EcoSanta eagerly flipped off the lid of the box and lifted out the drone inside; he knew it from the countless others he had gifted on Christmas Eve. He also knew Gizmo. ‘What have you changed?’
‘I’m glad you asked,’ said Gizmo, sucking in a deep breath. ‘I’ve enhanced the sensors and waterproofed the unit. I’ve installed A.I. software I designed myself – it’s advanced. I’ve-‘
‘What’s it for!?’
‘Clean the ocean of plastic,’ stated Gizmo as if it was obvious. He reached inside the box and lifted out a net so thin it was almost invisible. ‘This net has been sewn with threads from your sack so it will expand as required, and the autonomous drones return home once their weight limit is reached. They’ll skim the ocean collecting floating plastic 24/7.’
EcoSanta stared at the toy made a tool in silent awe.
‘There’s this too,’ said Gizmo. He handed EcoSanta the leather-bound folder that he was holding under his arm. Pride consumed Gizmo as he watched EcoSanta thumb through the pages of his beautifully drawn designs and his cheeks flushed brighter than Rudolph’s nose.
‘Thank you,’ said EcoSanta. The solitary tear of joy that ran down his rosy cheek said more than words ever could. Joy from knowing countless lives would be saved in the centuries to come.
‘This burden is too big for one person…even if that person is you.’
EcoSanta nodded his agreement, too engrossed by Gizmo’s ideas to look up. ‘Going green isn’t just for Christmas,’ muttered EcoSanta to himself. Then EcoSanta paused on a single page; he spun the folder and pushed it in front of Gizmo, who looked down at the detailed plans of his favourite idea. ‘Tell me about this modification to my sleigh.’
