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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#17: All the Fixin's

Next weekend is Thanksgiving in the United States! And while people have their own various traditions when it comes to marking the holiday, one thing remains fairly consistent: you get together with loved ones and you eat.

And in between mouthfuls, you talk! In fact, dinner conversation can be an excellent and overflowing source of writing inspiration — from family dynamics and long-observed dinner-time rituals, to new-comer partners meeting the family for the first time. A family dinner can truly be mapped out using a story structure: with a beginning, followed by rising action, peaking with a climax, and then wrapping up with a denouement.

This week, each of our prompts challenges you to write a short story involving a family dinner.

P.S – Know some kiddos who will be excited to do some reading over the holidays? Check out this list of the 35 best Thanksgiving books to read with kids.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a family dinner from the perspective of an in-law who's married into the family.

Thanksgiving – 33 stories

Write a story about a family dinner that includes someone unexpected showing up.

Thanksgiving – 80 stories

Write a story about a "chosen family" dinner, where no one is related by blood, but they still feel like family.

Holiday – 40 stories

Write a story about a family dinner that takes place in any time period other than the present.

Historical Fiction – 30 stories

Write a story about a family dinner that involves some kind of reconciliation.

Nonfiction – 30 stories

Stories

“Redamancy ” by Amara Morena Bennett

Submitted to Contest #17

Grandmother's house was filled with fresh smells of honey crusted turkey, and fresh baked sugar cookies spaced neatly around caramel dipped apples. The strongest smell was my fathers’ thick homemade apple cider. The vibrant smells drifted from the dining room to the front window. Outside slowly made its way, under the door, to me. Thanksgiving was a time to be grateful for what you have. My nieces and nephews ran through the living room chasing paper planes, while grandma sat in the rocking chair by the rustic wood stove trying to hide...

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“Cacophony” by Jaclyn Canada

Submitted to Contest #17

Heat visibly rises off the Hawaiian Sweet Rolls as I take them out of the oven. I can smell the slight tinge of bitterness that suggests I should have taken them out a minute or so before. While I may be a guy with many talents, I was placed on bread duty because my cooking abilities are right on up there with my ability to be invisible…which is to say, non-existent.My sister, on the other hand, was graced with a skill in the kitchen that I’ll never be able to compete with. Not that I enjoy cooking enough to ever try. I also don’t make a hab...

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“The Unexpected Visitors ” by Kim Nickolopoulos

Submitted to Contest #17

The Unexpected Visitors “Hey can you pour me some more wine please” I asked. My husband grabbed my glass filled and handed it back to me taking the knife from hand. “Why don’t you sit and take a break I’ll finish up” he kissed me and swatted my butt as I passed. It was going to be just the two of us this Thanksgiving no family no friends. This was our first Thanksgiving without my dad, who passed this last January. We didn’t want a traditional turkey dinner we decided on filet mignon and some veggies. We would toast ...

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“A Thanksgiving Turkey or a Fox: A Thanksgiving Dinner To Remember” by Thomasina Rushing

Submitted to Contest #17

Every year at Thanksgiving the family would always try to come together to eat Thanksgiving dinner. Some family members make it while others cannot get out of work time because of work schedules. It is one of my favorite holidays because it is a time to give thanks for everything. Well one year my mother shared a story with us about a Thanksgiving Hoke’s played on her by her father. My grandfather loved to go hunting and that Thanksgiving he was especially exited to feed his family. They thought that he went out and caught a turkey for Thank...

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“Dining in Family - Funny short story” by Jose Adams

Submitted to Contest #17

Josh had just waxed his new Harley; the rays of sunshine highlighted the perfection of his mechanical engineering miracle. He had finally managed to complete the money to buy it and would finally meet his girl's family today. What better way to impress her and her family than to show them his most treasured acquisition.He finished rubbing the imperceptible dust motes delicately. As he caressed the leather seat, he remembered the secret the seller had shared with him: "always save a little Vaseline for the upholstery, that will keep it as new...

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“Runaway Bird” by Olga Carries

Submitted to Contest #17

The scraping of silverware against plates was extremely unpleasing to the ear, but the tension in the air was too thick to try and have a conversation. Unfortunately, he either didn't care or wasn't aware of the uncomfortable atmosphere and broke the silence anyway."I'm sorry, what was your name again?" I cleared my throat and forced out my name. It was painful, my throat sore from the tension that had built up in fear."Helen.""Right, Helen! Did you make these sweet potatoes? They are fantastic." I shook my head and just pointed to my husban...

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“Family Disappointment ” by Paige Kostyniuk

Submitted to Contest #17

They say that family is important to have, that family will never let you down, no matter what you do, no matter how bad things are, that your family will always stand beside you. What if your family just aren't there? I had to work later than usual, but the plans were the same as always, they never have changed, but for some reason, this Thanksgiving was different. It was not the same plans for my family, they didn't even think about telling me and my kids before we hurry to leave the city and hit the long drive to the family's place. My pa...

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“Thank you all” by Gen Reyes

Submitted to Contest #17

Ashton looks around at the table of family. And no she doesn't mean aunts and uncles. No brothers and sisters. Not even fathers and mothers. No she meant family of friends. They've all grown up and matured but they've all kept in touch for so long we became family."Hey, Ashton! " Marley called out. He was like her brother. By her side and always made her laugh til the very end. His golden locks hitting him in the face as he went for a hug to which the ravenette responds by dodging his futial attempt of affection. "Hello to you too, Pouliet" ...

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“The Chosen Family” by Madison Bintz

Submitted to Contest #17

Sitting on the steps of the university center are three college-aged students. They are cold, with their breath visible in the air. Regardless of the cold, the three friends continue to sit on the steps, smiling and joking around. A fourth friend, who is freezing but refuses to wear a winter coat, approaches the group. “Why are you all sitting out here?” She asks the group. “It’s freezing.” “Because we were waiting for you, Bitch-ass!” the male friend of the group responds with a wide grin. The fourth friend smiles and puts up her hands in a...

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“Forever family?” by Emily Bloggs

Submitted to Contest #17

Marian, Dom, Ryder, and I. Marian, Dom, Ryder, and I. Family? I have none. Marain, well her parents abandoned her because they wanted a boy. Ryder, his family disowned him when he became a Christian. Dom, he is an orphan just like me. I guess we are likely friends-then again we aren’t. I am Phoebe. I am 13 years old. Everyone says I am so beautiful. I have tan skin with a dirty blonish with a hint of red hair. I am about average height not too tall, not too short. Marian, she is 15. She is kinda like my big sister. If I am beautiful,the...

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“I Am Not Italian” by Roy Scott

Submitted to Contest #17

Author’s Note I am not Italian "I am not Italian. Sometimes I wish I were,” Feliz said. We were sitting at a poker table in a back area of the Sideline Bar of the Royal Sands Resort in Cancun. It was 5pm and the bar was empty except for a couple of waiters. When we arrived, the poker table was against the window, and Feliz asked me to help him move it. We pulled it out and then began to move chairs from the other bar tables and place them around the poker table. Feliz counted. “…eight, nine," he said. "That's ...

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“Family Comes In All Shapes” by Elizabeth McKenzie Williams

Submitted to Contest #17

As soon as I walk in the door, I'm surrounded by children, all running in circles, giggling, throwing tissue paper at each other in manic delight. "Emily?" I call out, peering around the spacious lounge, which seems utterly devoid of any proper adult supervision.My sister's head pops around the corner of the kitchen, and she smiles at me. "Taylor, hey! I thought you said you weren't going to make it?"I shrug. "I RSVP'd a while ago, and when the interview fell through, I decided to head out here and spend some time with you guys."Emily grins ...

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“A Moment to Cherish” by Sudha Viswanath

Submitted to Contest #17

A moment to cherish Samina JonesA thirty year old single mother; she was devastated when her husband of three years served her a divorce notice. Sami, as her friends called her, learnt to pick up the broken strings of her life and soon found a...

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“Unforgettable life” by Anil Jaswal

Submitted to Contest #17

Once there was a small family of five people living in a small town named Jeorge in the laps of Alps. The head of the family Rex was a small Govt servant and his better half Levy was house wife. His three son's were Ran, Dan and San. The family use to have very hard times because of meagre income but somehow family was pulling on. The Rex was working in a security dept of the state Govt so he was busy 24×7hrs a week means no holidays. So his pretty wife Levy had to carry out most of the family activities with the coordination of her three so...

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“Captive” by Alicia Hemmings

Submitted to Contest #17

Hell. It’s a real place. And its not what you think it may be. When we think of hell we think of fire and brimstone, demons and ghosts. But sometimes hell can be your family. Well that was the case for me anyway.Whenever holidays came around, I got a huge sense of dread, as the impending apocalypse that is Christmas, knocked on our doors. Most families put up trees or send their loved ones a card. Food gets made and presents get wrapped. Extended family come to stay and school ends. Its all an amazing time. Well in theory.My holidays w...

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$50

Prize money

213

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 29, 2019 EST

Won by Ian Gonzales 🏆

Title: No Place Special

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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