Write about a cynical character realizing they do have something to celebrate after all.

Posted in Character on Dec 23, 2022

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✍️ 47 stories

“House of the Dead” by Sav Lightwood

Submitted to Contest #178

"What in my name are these imbecilic decorations?" Cheap trinkets hung from the ceiling. Golden globes with a nuclear amount of glitter, red and white scythes that were far too blunt to qualify as weapons, and cardboard cutouts of reindeers, snowflakes, and what seem to be little garden gnomes. An awful waft filled the air which the Housemaster recognised as some rotten mixture of gingerbread (he hated sweet), peppermint (he hated fresh), and chestnut (this one was fine). Red, red, and red all around. Given, the House was red by default ...

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“An Unexpected Christmas Turn” by Sonia Ferrigno

Submitted to Contest #178

I shot a glance across the open office. Mac and Donna were laughing as our boss made a fool of herself trying to act out some undecipherable charade from an enigmatic film. I was hopeless at remembering film titles. Our office Christmas party was in full swing. Pathetic. Throwing money away on useless gifts no one ever wanted in the first place. Wasting food on already over-nourished individuals, who should be going on a diet instead. Why couldn’t people be generous and cheerful the rest of the year, why did they have to wait fo...

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“The Unwilling Santa” by Hannah Lloyd

Submitted to Contest #178

Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. Old Mr. James shook the snow from his boots and coat with practiced ease. His heavy frown and wrinkled forehead made his actions cartoon-like as he tossed his coat onto the wire coat rack. He hunched his sturdy shoulders as he walked through the department store, glaring at the brightly wrapped presents, decorated trees, and Santa’s elves as they waved from every corner at him. “I don’t know why they have to go to so much trouble. Christmas is just something corporate made up to get their fingers into every American po...

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“74 Sycamore” by Bianca Bacon

Submitted to Contest #178

It was a cold day, the kind of cold that caught in your throat, that stained your face primrose, that left your fingers feeble and blue. The snow fluttered gently onto the lampposts, the sun dimmed a gentle orange over the town, the only sound the distant ringing of church bells. On 74 Sycamore street, there sat a small red house, with a door that creaked when it opened and paint peeling off the sides.The backyard unkept and blanketed in snow, a mailbox perched on the fence, the branches of a willow tree skimming the wind. On the porch sat a...

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“YET ANOTHER CHRISTMAS STORY” by J. Singleton

Submitted to Contest #178

(With apologies to sensitive readers: COVID referred to in a humorous manner. Derisive comment regarding overeating.)In New York, they said that introverts had been practicing all of their lives for the lockdown. How had they guessed? It was as if they knew her personally.In these recent times, for Lynette, even Christmas meant solitude; for two years out of necessity; now, maybe out of habit. So, no cacophony of loud gift bags coughing red tissue paper set clustered on the floor, holding presents for friends. No sparkly holiday cards, past ...

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“Joy” by Charlotte Joyce

Submitted to Contest #178

Word Count: 2,400 “JOY” By: Charlie “Where's your wife?” “She fell into the arms of the Great Grave Master.” “You mean the grave digger down the street?!” “Heavens no! My wife is dead.” Ignorance is a blind cessation, but in Jersey City, the air snapped. Some braved it for the musts, like: cereal, candles, toilet paper and milk. For widower, Christopher Winifred, the next coming hours of his life were to be part of a dreadful plan. Fate mercifully weaved another form. “I sensed somethi...

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“Love Always Wins” by Jean Davis

Submitted to Contest #178

Ricardo had sat in the same prison cell for four years. His life seemed as though it was over before it got started well. His mom died while he was in prison, and they took him to the funeral in handcuffs. His dad died of alcohol poisoning alone, and he had no idea where his two sisters were. He turned twenty-one in a few days and had no future for himself. "This life is only for the ones with family, and it looks like I have none," he told his cellmate. 'At least you know who your parents were." "Hey Ricardo," pack your stuff. You go...

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“Meaning” by Owen Camera

Submitted to Contest #178

Rojan Codac put his hand onto the window and admired the city lights below him. It left a sparkling outline of precipitation on the cool glass. The view was deathly high. The blue moon light reflected his face back to him. He admired it for a second. Wrinkles carved deep into his brow, each one telling a different story of woe and anxiety. His pale, almost sickly skin reflected how he had slaved away, never stopping to admire the sunlight. The gray of his hair showed how he had relentlessly met every deadline, until all the color was drained...

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“Christmas Candle” by Celeste Marion

Submitted to Contest #178

When finally, the wick has burnt to the end, I cease to serve my purpose – that’s my deepest fear but it is inevitable. I am a Christmas Candle. I exist in a bright red cylindrical glass cup and from the description on the cardboard box I was packaged in, I apparently smell like ‘Holiday Cheer’ and I really hope that is what I spread when the humans light me up. I know it’s a little silly for me to think that my existence even matters because I am a mere candle…but I like to think that I have served my duty on this world when I have reached ...

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“Merry Christmas Indeed” by Nellye Hight

Submitted to Contest #178

TW: this story contains substance abuse, physical violence, and suicide. "Merry Christmas!" they always say with those festive, carefree smiles. It's like they don't realize that sometimes a mommy runs away on Christmas day because Daddy came home drunk on Christmas Eve and beat her so bad she was too scared to stay. And then the next year you hear him crying and saying Mommy's name over and over while he sits in his worn out recliner and stares out the window. And then you wake up Christmas morning to a loud bang, and you run into th...

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“Father Christmas” by Stella M

Submitted to Contest #178

Matthew had never really been too excited for the holidays. From a young age, Matthew had been aware of the gimmicks of the festive season and the predatory nature of the major companies (who were all owned by one major company with one goal, anyway, as his parents had taught him). “Those toys are a total waste of time and money,” his parents had always told him, and growing up in a recession, he had believed that they had been right. He never needed expensive, fancy toys, and he had just as much fun reading, or playing wit...

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“Celebrating Brendan” by Robert Halksworth

Submitted to Contest #178

I’ve always hated it, I always will and there’s nothing anyone’s going to be able to do about that.And by the way, consider that I know how this story ends and that’s still the line I’ve chosen to lead off with. So if you’re looking for redemption or some kind of Scrooge-tastic epiphany, off you pop. I’m going to conclude a few pages hence as unredeemed as ever and unapologetically so.It’s not because I had a terrible childhood, or because a parent left the rest of the family on Christmas Eve, or that a faulty set of Christmas tree lights se...

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“Long time coming” by Jennifer Buiswalelo

Submitted to Contest #178

“One more, I can’t believe this is the last one. I made it!” I hold the dress up and give it a last look over before I put it on. I take a few steps back until my entire dress is visible. I do a little twirl and smile. “What do you think? Now that I’m here and actually have it on it feels like it’s a little too dressed up for Christmas dinner.” He leans forward slightly, squints and tilts his head to the side. “I still love it.” He smiles. “Thank you, let me get out there before they start looking for me.” He blows me one kiss with each ...

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“Thought Sensitive ” by Mike Stanthom

Submitted to Contest #178

CW: ProfanitySam was at the opposite end of having fun. The celebratory laughter and conversations of his co-workers in various areas of the room, combined with the festive holiday music, formed a concoction that only worsened his already foul mood. It had been a long time since he had felt there was anything worth celebrating. Especially Christmas.The Firm’s no-expense spared annual Christmas party was in full swing. The room was adorned with festive white lights and colorfully decorated large Christmas trees in the four corners of the mass...

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“Sweet Tooth” by Phillip Norman

Submitted to Contest #178

Sweet Tooth by Phillip Norman Lights out, with a belt looped around his neck and tied to the closet rod behind his head, Ervin thumbs along his cellphone screen to find the picture of mom sitting in “Willie’s Corner” at Texas Roadhouse. Willie like Nelson. He’d taken the photo at her birthday party last week. The table where they sat was plastered with old album covers and tour photos, tucked way at the back of the dining room. Must be where they always stick the liberals. It’s freezing in his room tonight. Dead of Colorado winter and he...

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Write about a cynical character realizing they do have something to celebrate after all.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 47 stories

“House of the Dead” by Sav Lightwood

“An Unexpected Christmas Turn” by Sonia Ferrigno

“The Unwilling Santa” by Hannah Lloyd

“74 Sycamore” by Bianca Bacon

“YET ANOTHER CHRISTMAS STORY” by J. Singleton

“Joy” by Charlotte Joyce

“Love Always Wins” by Jean Davis

“Meaning” by Owen Camera

“Christmas Candle” by Celeste Marion

“Merry Christmas Indeed” by Nellye Hight

“Father Christmas” by Stella M

“Celebrating Brendan” by Robert Halksworth

“Long time coming” by Jennifer Buiswalelo

“Thought Sensitive ” by Mike Stanthom

“Sweet Tooth” by Phillip Norman

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a family (biological or found) coming together for Christmas.

Write a story that takes place over the eight nights of Hannukah.

Set your story at a work holiday party,

Write a story about an unconventional holiday tradition.

Contest #178

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

183

Contest entries

62

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: