Write about a character who won’t (or can’t) shop for the holidays.

Posted in Christmas on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 25 stories

“Office Blues” by Ben Rounds

Submitted to Contest #122

Jennifer had hung the last streamer. It had taken a long time because the H’s kept flipping assy-verys and hooking the O’s.“If that was a party game I’d have never gotten it to work,” she sighed, her eyes moving over the empty store with a weary sort of peace. It was done, and when her co-workers came in the next day they would appreciate that someone, at least, had made an effort.“It’s beginning to look a lot…” she whispered, nuzzling her itchy nose into the rather horrible sweater she had disinterred for the season. It was s...

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“The Wine Grinch Almost Steals Christmas ” by Ash Greene

Submitted to Contest #122

I won’t do it, not this year. There is absolutely no way in hell that I will do it. F*** those kids. Their snotty little remarks, the punches thrown, the endless – and I mean ENDLESS – calls from the school office. I will not do it. Sure, the kids will be upset. When they bounce down the stairs on Christmas morning, sugarplums from their dreams forgotten in the excitement, they will all stop mid stride and stare at the tree. “Why?” Joey will ask, excitement replaced by nervousness. “Where did you hide them?” Trinity will shriek as she sta...

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“THE CHRISTMAS ENVELOPE” by Margaret Peirson

Submitted to Contest #122

Now that Jenny's retired, and living on a fixed income, she can't shop for the holidays, like she used to. So, after much thought, she came up with a solution. "Why not write a special poem for each grandchild." Although it's been years, since she's written one, there was a time, when Jenny performed her own poems, at local fairs and schools. Not that she was an Emily Dickinson or Maya Angelo, but her poetry was well received, by the audience. And Jenny's husband, always encouraged her to keep writing. He would say, "you're writing i...

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“The Unassuming Gift” by Donna Conley

Submitted to Contest #122

Lying in bed staring into the darkness, every tick from the clock pounds louder and louder in her head. It is that time of year again. The time to frolic and give of good cheer. This time of year, it always robs her of sleep because she has never known a holiday full of merriment, at least not that she can recall. There are people who see her as cold and uncaring, while others as an extreme minimalist for not wanting to give or receive gifts during the holiday season. One thing the world never lacks at any time of the year is opinions. She d...

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“How To Keep Your Heart For Christmas” by Jarrel Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #122

“Grandma, do you know where Mommy and Daddy is?” asked Susie over chocolate-chip pancakes. It was after 8 pm, when usually her younger brother, Noah, and her are watching cartoons together on the living room floor of their home. But this time, Grandma picked up Susie from school instead of their mother. At Grandma’s house, they get to eat pancakes or cereal for dinner, which Noah enjoyed without much else going through his little head. Susie, however, felt uneased the absence of her parents this December evening. “They’re getting their Chr...

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“Winter Ember” by Allicyn Herringdine

Submitted to Contest #122

The holidays... ugh. The whole season came crashing down on me like a mountain of clothes in a packed up inherited storage unit, leaving me helpless and trapped. Struggling under a mass of responsibility and inability. Life had been that way for a while now, I guess that's not a feeling i can blame solely on the holidays. I lay here, helpless, motionless, watching. My daughter was turning two, I was watching her spin circles around me and blossom into a curly headed toddler. There was a missing ring on the curtain rod letting just a ray of ...

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“Unexpected Gifts From Unexpected Places” by Kristen Wraback

Submitted to Contest #122

Sandy pressed her nose against the cold, hard window and gazed in at all the colorful toys and cheerful faces in the shop. Children's eyes lit up like stars as they bounced through the isles, tinkering with toys and buzzing with glee. Sandy didn't want to go inside with empty pockets so she began to do what she did best: imagine. Her imagination was as vivid and real as most anything else you could touch. She imagined her parents happy and laughing with her as they sipped hot cocoa and shared cheerful stories. She imagined giving her mother ...

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“Eddie is Worried” by Maria Dios

Submitted to Contest #122

Eddie is Worried Ben waited until Marie had gone downstairs to start the coffee. He got up and opened her jewelry box and started to look through the necklaces and bracelets “What are you doing Dad?” a loud, groggy voice came from the doorway. It was his son Eddie, on his way to breakfast in his pajamas, his hair sticking up. “Oh nothing, son. Go on downstairs.” “Are you gonna sell Mom’s jewelry like in a prawn shop?” said Eddie. “I saw that in a movie.” “Pawn shop, you mean,” said Ben, “and it’s nothing like that. I...

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“A Christmas Carol, Recycled” by Clair Whitmer

Submitted to Contest #122

(Some strong language) Cornelia’s roommate had just gotten back from Trader Joe’s. Cornelia could hear the wheeze of the refrigerator door opening and closing, punctuated by cheerful slams of cupboard doors in an uneven rhythm, accompanied by the staccato and rustle of emptied paper bags being snapped through the air and then carefully folded and tossed into their place in the stack of paper bags under the sink.Cornelia’s roommate Sally was always careful to insist on paper bags at checkout and insisted again on preserving them for next time...

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“Around the World” by Muddle Puddle

Submitted to Contest #122

Upon crossing the threshold, I let the bag fall off my shoulder as I squirmed out of my worn-out leather boots and green winter jacket. Of course, such torturous, unalluring stripping was only to be finished with a gentle, yet dramatic toss of the coat onto the chair in the corner. There was no need for etiquette, only a repeated internal joke was an acceptable greeting at this point: “Hakuna!” I yelled from the corridor. “Matata!”[1] – followed a response from the illuminated kitchen. With that, the phrase was complete. I stumbled through...

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Write about a character who won’t (or can’t) shop for the holidays.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 25 stories

“Office Blues” by Ben Rounds

“The Wine Grinch Almost Steals Christmas ” by Ash Greene

“THE CHRISTMAS ENVELOPE” by Margaret Peirson

“The Unassuming Gift” by Donna Conley

“How To Keep Your Heart For Christmas” by Jarrel Jefferson

“Winter Ember” by Allicyn Herringdine

“Unexpected Gifts From Unexpected Places” by Kristen Wraback

“Eddie is Worried” by Maria Dios

“A Christmas Carol, Recycled” by Clair Whitmer

“Around the World” by Muddle Puddle

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a character who’s stuck in a shopping mall.

Start your story in the middle of a traffic jam.

Write a story about a limited edition item going on sale.

A package arrives at your character’s house, but they didn’t order anything. Write about what happens next.

Contest #122

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

149

Contest entries

104

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: