Don't groan at the back there when we say we want you to write about Christmas. We know that there is a danger of wallowing in cliches: Christmas trees, crackers and turkey. So, we want you to come up with something more original.

Whilst food is a central aspect to the celebrations, what makes or mars Christmas for most people is not whether the turkey has been overcooked, but whether you like or loathe the people with whom you spend it. So we want you to choose a person, any person, and describe the gift you would give them. Describe an object, whether it's a walking stick, a teapot, or a decanter, and say why it's suitable for your annoying little sister, or your elderly aunt.

But do it in verse. Welcome to the Seasonal Poetry Challenge.

This could be serious; perhaps your aunt would really like that vase, because flowers are the passion of her life. Or you could opt for satire and imagine sending an empty piggy bank to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. (Though we don't want anything abusive or libellous).

Once you have completed your sonnet, haiku, ode, limerick or freeform rap, write it up in an A pages Entry. Then submit it via the 'submit for review' button in the top right corner to the Alternative Writing Workshop. And drop us a link in this thread here too to let us know where to come and admire it.

If you want to see an example of this sort of poem, look at Anniversary Present.