Comps get festive on Facebook

  • Given the time of year it's no surprise that the world of competitions, like the wider world, is particularly Christmassy at present.

    Fans of Christmas - and let's face it, most of us are to one degree or another - may well be able to get a little festive boost from taking part in these seasonal comps.

    And Facebook has to be one of the easiest places to get a comp entry in - usually you can go through the entire entering process right there on the social network. 

    One organisation that's running a Facebook comp at present is Santander. Compers can head over to the brand's Facebook page, and like it, to take part.

    It's giving ten people a specified toy each day between December 1st and December 12th. Then December 13th will see a special draw where one winner will get every one of the toys involved in the comp.

    According to the info about the comp on Facebook, the prizes are a Teksta Puppy (from December 1st), a Lego Chima set (December 2nd), a Doctor's Bag playset (December 3rd), an assortment of Casbah dolls (December 4th), a Furby (December 5th) and a monster mask (December 6th).

    Then there's a Robo Fish (December 7th), Monopoly Empire (December 8th), a V-Tech Innotab (December 9th), a LeapPad Ultra (December 10th), a City Coastguard Lego set (December 11th) and Nerf Rapidstrike (December 12th).

    As usual, the entry form should be a bit of a doddle. One unusual feature is that you can vote for a charity (out of the NSPCC, Together For Short Lives and CLIC Sargent) you want to be donated every one of the twelve prizes. The winning charity will also be donated £1,000.

    The other parts of the form are simply your name, address and other contact details. The form also lets you enter to win a Christmas hamper at the same time, by answering a simple question.

    Meanwhile, Garfunkel's Restaurants is allowing people the chance to grab a meal for four people. Another 'Like' comp, its super-simple entry form requires nothing but an email address.

    This comp is running until December 20th and, interestingly, has a lower age limit of 13, rather than the usual 18. Garfunkel's has various UK branches, most of them in London.

    Of course, even at this time of year, not all Facebook comps are going to have a festive twist - and an example of one current comp that isn't specifically linked to Christmas is one from Mail Travel.

    Another 'Like' comp, this one comes with a prize of three books by the cookery icon Mary Berry - as well as a London-set afternoon tea session. A runner up will receive the books.

    Compers who fancy winning Mary Berry's Christmas Collection, Recipe For Life (her autobiography) and Mary Berry's Complete Cookbook - and that afternoon tea treat - should head to the Mail Travel Facebook page.

    Facebook comp pointers

    Facebook-based comps are great for compers - especially if they're already fans of Facebook!

    They mean you can combine having a browse on a social network you love with entering a fantastic comp.

    You can look for comps in a variety of ways. For example, they might be advertised by a brand in other places, like its main website, or in their branches if they have a high street presence.

    You might also want to 'Like' brands you're particularly interested in, even if they're not running a current 'Like' comp, as this could mean posts about their comps appear in your news feed.  

    Remember that brands also use other social networks to promote comps, too, for example you can find them on Twitter.

    This means that, as a comper, it can really pay to be on top of these new digital spaces. If you don't want to enter Facebook and Twitter comps, you'll still have lots of comping goodness to go at elsewhere, but you will be missing out on some of the comping action.