You know the feeling. The cheery invitations sent. The giddy anticipation. Then, a moment of uncertainty: “What if nobody comes?”

If you’re a bit on the dramatic side – I’m assuming, not being prone to such indulgence myself – a cold weight might form in your stomach. Your cheeks might grow pale with fearful nausea or perhaps blush pink with the anticipated embarrassment of sitting alone at a generously laid table or standing in an echoing hall. You might wish you had never thought of throwing the stupid party in the first place.

Well, I wasn’t that bad, but I will admit to a few nerves after announcing the first Waxings 500-word challenge. What if no-one played? Or only two or three of my most supportive writing friends entered, the rest of the world making a collective decision to ignore such impudence?

Now that the 4 January deadline has passed, I can report – with no small relief – that, not only did we receive a respectable number of entries for the first round competition, but entries of gratifying quality, diversity and power.

So thank you, thank you, thank you to those Waxers who took part in the ‘holiday’ round and those who have indicated they will play in future rounds. You have shown that there is interest in this type of competition and that it was worth setting up. You have also saved me from the anguish of ‘Bobby Brady’-style embarrassment and refusal of any future party-hosting duties – which would have been difficult to explain to my children.

Our guest judge is now hard at work reading the superb entries and a winner will be announced shortly. In the meantime, please take the time to read the ‘holiday’ entries for yourself and tell us what you think.

The theme of the next challenge is ‘night‘ – a word ripe with possibility. Write up to 500 words around this theme and send your entry to waxings.blog@gmail.com by midnight, 4 February 2011 Australian Western Standard Time (GMT+8). The winner will receive a copy of The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr and E.B. White.

I’m looking forward to seeing you at this party – bring a friend or two!