The Poetry By Heart Festive Poetry Showcase is one of the highlights of the festive season. Released annually on 1 December, it’s an anthology of 24 brilliant poems that are great to read, share and speak aloud in the run up to Christmas. Each poem is accompanied by notes and more, including audio and video clips of people speaking the poems out loud and by heart. You’ll also find tips to help everyone learn the poems and create memorable performances of their own.

A new invitation for 2024

In a new development for 2024, Poetry By Heart is inviting teachers to choose their favourite festive poem and create their own recording, of their class, their poetry club, or even a solo teacher performance.

“We’ll use the videos to help shape our showcase,” says Mariah Whelan, Poetry By Heart Poetry Editor, “and share them to help spread some festive cheer!” She adds, “We love happy poems and quieter poems, too. We’re interested in poems that think about festive food, presents, the weather, special celebrations but also the season’s deeper meanings.”

There’s a gallery of previous festive performances on the Poetry By Heart website to provide inspiration and encourage everyone to get learning and filming!

As a special ‘thank you’, every school that submits one or more videos will get a bundle of festive Poetry By Heart bookmarks as a reward for all their hard work.

“We can’t wait to discover the nation’s favourite Christmas poems”, says Whelan.

Some of the favourite poems on the Poetry By Heart Festive Showcase are:
Talking Turkeys, Benjamin Zephaniah
Alternative Santa, Roger McGough
On a Pallet of Straw, Langston Hughes
The Christmas Life, Wendy Cope
The Journey of the Magi, TS Eliot

To submit your festive poetry recordings, head over to the Poetry By Heart website here

Read our guest blogs Poetry By Heart by Katie Steiner of St Josephs Primary School and How to learn a poem by heart By Dr Julie Blake, director of Poetry By Heart

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