Rodney von Valkenburg

Kids, your artwork could decorate packages under hundreds of Christmas trees next month.

For a shot at this brush with fame, enter the Times Free Press' 2009 Wrapping Paper Art Contest, co-sponsored by the Times Free Press, Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga and Chattanooga Kids on the Block.

If your art wins, your picture and an article about you will appear in the Life section of the paper on Sunday, Dec. 6, and you'll win a prize package. Six finalists will receive Times Free Press T-shirts.

The winner's art will be printed on Dec. 6 as a sheet of real gift wrap on a full-size newspaper page. Kids on the Block representatives will be wrapping gifts at Hamilton Place mall with the winner's wrapping paper Dec. 10-24 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

"Our booths will be upstairs at customer service and downstairs at the JCPenney court," said Wendy Davis, Chattanooga Kids on the Block educator.

"Last year we used almost 2,500 sheets of the winning wrapping paper in our booths," she said.

Lin Parker, Times Free Press design editor, suggests young artists keep these tips to keep in mind while creating their designs:

* Be original.

* Use bright colors.

* Fill the entire page with your design.

* Choose paint, crayon, chalk, markers, pens, construction paper or other creative materials.

"Remember, the design will be repeated to make a real sheet of wrapping paper," Ms. Parker said.

Mail or deliver entries to: Wrapping Paper Art Contest, Times Free Press, 400 E. 11th St., Chattanooga, TN 37403.

Contest Rules

* The contest is open to elementary school students in grades 1-5.

* Entries must be received at the Times Free Press by Friday, Nov. 20. The winner will be contacted by Friday, Nov. 27.

* Entries must be on an unlined piece of paper, 8 1/2 by 11 inches.

* Only one entry per child.

* Each entry must have the child's name, age, address, telephone number and school name printed on the back. (A teacher's name is also helpful.)

* For more information, call 757-6284.