In His ministry, Jesus repeatedly stressed the need for all of us to see the world through children’s eyes. No doubt his own emergence into the world — born outside the city in a rough stable to a young mother, with God as His father and Joseph as His step-father, in the world but not of it — formed the heart of that message.

Its vital importance to Christian life is also why The Catholic Register hosts its annual Christmas drawing contest for school children as much for the sake of faith as from the desire to foster the creative talents of young artists. The drawings are a moment for the children to render their visions of Christ, but also for our readers, subscribers, donors, advertisers and supporters to ponder in their hearts what it is to see Christ as a child with purity of imagination, devotion, unimpeded love. They are time, too, for the judges in each of the three grade categories — Grades 1-3, 4-6, and 7-8 — to rise to the challenge of narrowing down the field when each drawing is a unique example of the artist’s vision of Our Saviour. The creativity and quality of the entries on these pages show what a test that is. 

This year, our youngest winner is Grade 2 student Akshay Shankar at Morton Way Public School, winner in the Grade 1-3 category, while our eldest is Lorissa Antar, who is in Grade 8 at St. Cecilia Catholic School. In the middle of the age categories is Lydia Shen, a Grade 5 student student at St. Emily Catholic School. 

Each of the winners receives $75 in Amazon gift certificates.

We want to thank all who entered the contest, and as well the parents and teachers who did the work at this busiest time year of organizing, scanning, mailing or otherwise getting the entries to us.  

To all of them, to all our artists, to all who strive to live Jesus’ call to see the world through the eyes of a child, we wish a blessed, safe and Merry Christmas.

Grade 7-8

Lorissa Antar, Grade 8 (Winner)

Kseniia Plavskaia, Grade 7 Vi Quynh Nguyen, Grade 8

Adrianna Dorssers, Grade 7

Grade 4-6

Lydia Shen, Grade 5 (Winner)

GiannaValenti, Grade 4

Inba Mangapoosan, Grade 6

Eliana Antar, Grade 5

Isabella Pascuzzo, Grade 4

Charlie Davies, Grade 6

Grade 1-3

Akshay Shankar, Grade 2 (Winner)

Bronwyn Ward-Hoffart, Grade 3

Maria Valenti, Grade 1

Each of the three winners receives $75 in Amazon gift certificates.