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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#178: Happy Holidays

It's that time of year again! Whether you're observing a particular holiday, or simply raising a glass to making it through another year in one piece, December is a time for reflection, celebration, and taking stock. This week's prompts are, naturally, a nod to the season — and all the fun it can bring!

As much as we love the holidays, they can also be a difficult time for many; so no matter how you're celebrating this year, we hope that these prompts can provide you with a little festive escapism. Happy holidays, writers!

This week's prompts

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

Christmas – 44 stories

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

Holiday – 5 stories

Set your story at a work holiday party,

Holiday – 35 stories

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

Character – 47 stories

Write a story about an unconventional holiday tradition.

Holiday – 51 stories

Stories

“Girl in Shadow” by Delbert Griffith

Submitted to Contest #178

Anna Bailey looked up at the towering office building briefly before entering. The afternoon sunlight glinted off of windows that didn’t open, warming the indifferent glass-and-steel exterior just enough to make anyone passing by feel uncomfortably warm. Anna wasn’t passing by, but she still felt uncomfortable, and it wasn’t because of the heat. The elevator ride to the seventeenth floor was a trial; it would invariably stop innumerable times to let people on and off. Today, though, the elevator didn’t stop until it got to the floor of her c...

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“Pie and Politics” by Christina Marie

Submitted to Contest #178

Mom tried to lay down ground rules at Christmas this year because respect couldn’t be counted upon to intervene.“Come in, come in.” Dad pecked cheeks and swung kids to the foyer ceiling while Mom and Grandma wrestled with the turkey in the kitchen. “I’ll take your coat. You’re so tall! What grade are you in now?”The kids barreled into the living room to inspect the name tags dangling on carefully wrapped boxes guarded by the twinkling tree. My aunts and uncles piled in after them, leaving Dad staggering under a mountainous armful of winter w...

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“Love at Winter Festival ” by Veronica D

Submitted to Contest #178

“So tonight, I’ll pick you up for our date, right?” Dante repeated and Dominque nodded and blush “I can’t wait for ourrr d..d..d.date Dante she said nervously, her hair puffy like an afro with leggings and a shirt that showed her muscles. What time is our date her lips curve upwards when she asked him? “At six o'clock. Both agreed to meet at six to go to the Winter Festival together. It's been a long time coming for Dante. He had a crush on Dominque for the longest time and finally got his chance to ask her out since both were in Weigh...

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“Cheated for Christmas ” by Ashlynn Altman

Submitted to Contest #178

Ted zipped his red suit up and looked in the mirror. If only the guys from high-school could see him now. Thankfully, though, the only people seeing him wouldn't even recognize him like this... not even Diane, who had no idea Ted was dressing as Santa for her holiday work party. He had just gotten the text the night before from his buddy at the company asking if he'd be willing to volunteer and of course he agreed. Almost immediately he'd made up his mind to keep the secret and surprise Diane with a reveal later on in the night. He couldn't ...

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“Beautiful Ornaments” by Jacob Brown

Submitted to Contest #178

In a town not too close yet not too far—what would best be described as an inconvenient drive away—I experienced the distinct misfortune of meeting a couple by the name of Fella and Darling Collins. They are in their house right now; I am safe in a hotel room. In the interest of maintaining my safety, however, I shall not name the hotel nor its location until my second draft. It is not my intention to disparage them, as it is not my place to speak ill of another’s, let’s say, tradition, but it is my duty to recount the events as they occurre...

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“Who Cooks for You?” by Chelsey B

Submitted to Contest #178

Anja slipped into her snow pants, pulled on her boots, and stuffed her arms into her jacket. She threw a hat over her head, grabbed a pair of mittens, and snuck out the back door, quiet as a mouse. “I’m going for a walk,” she said, as the door clicked shut, though she knew no one would hear her over the festivities inside. With snow crunching beneath her feet, and snow pants swishing with each step, she ran to the woods. Once she was safe under the cover of her pines, Anja stopped to catch her breath and zip her jacket. She glanced bac...

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“Not a Creature was stirring...” by Laura Ethington

Submitted to Contest #178

**Trigger Warning - This story has themes that involve kidnapping, murder, and child death** “I can’t wait to meet her!” Jane said to her son with genuine excitement in her voice. She wasn’t one of those moms who thought no one was good enough for her son. In fact, she had prepared him his whole life to trust his gut in everything he did so that when he brought someone into the family, no questions or fears popped up. “Me too! I think she is too. A little nervous, of course.” Brian looked at his mom as they rolled the homemade past...

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“Eternal Hannukah” by Steven Goetz

Submitted to Contest #178

It was the first night of Hanukkah, and the Goetz family was gathered around their living room, ready to light the menorah and exchange gifts. "I can't believe it's already Hanukkah," said Mrs. Goetz as she placed the candles in the menorah. "It feels like just yesterday we were lighting the first candle.""Yeah, I know what you mean, mom," said Yakov with a sigh. "I feel like I just finished eating all the latkes from last year."The family chuckled at Yakov's joke, and Mrs. Goetz rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Well, at least we have seven ...

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“The Magic of December 23rd” by Lindsay Flo

Submitted to Contest #178

The was once a time that Christmas felt magical. When December was full of early dusk dotted with lights and Silent Night playing softly on the radio. When eagerness built through weekends that were punctuated with snowflakes that never amounted to anything, only there for the ambiance. Christmas Eve was a whole vibe of its own: cookie baking and grown-ups off work early and evening gatherings to get ready for, all in anticipation of the main event, Christmas Day. These days, I walk the aisles of the mall in search of that magical feeling...

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“Self Care for Christmas” by Mindy Hyatt

Submitted to Contest #178

I’ve always loved the snow. There’s something so calming about the silence that descends when the world turns white. Until you drive in it. It’s not even the added challenge of driving in the snow that breaks the cocoon of Zen I find myself in during the winter months. It’s the other drivers. The people in their big trucks who think that because they have bigger tires or sit higher up, they are immune to the risks of black ice. The people who rev their engines at every intersection splattering the odd passersby with slus...

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“A normal Christmas” by Dilbert Jazz

Submitted to Contest #178

It was Christmas Eve, and the snow was falling gently from the sky, covering the streets and houses in a blanket of white. The warmth and cheer of the holiday season could be felt throughout the small town as people bustled about, finishing last-minute errands and preparing for the big day. The Johnson family was no exception. They had been busy all week, decorating the house with twinkling lights and festive garlands, baking cookies, and pies, and wrapping presents for each other. As the evening approached, the family gathered in the living...

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“The Red Christmas” by Emma Ponn

Submitted to Contest #178

Valentina was watching her.Rose could feel Valentina standing over her, boots crunching into the snow as blackness squeezed the air from her lungs and left its cold fingerprints against her neck. Valentina was five feet above Rose as the snow crumbled and she clawed, and then everything stopped. It was the strangest feeling: like the world was fading from her ears and eyes, like she was being pulled from it and dropped in water.Except Rose was dead. That was what happened.Valentina was staring at the spot where she disappeared.Silent. Still....

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“Convenient Store Christmas ” by S N

Submitted to Contest #178

We arrived at the most ill-placed-for-foot-traffic convenience store that you ever did see. I ran through its sluggish doors. Among the six of us, there was twenty dollars. We would each need to miracle ourselves two gifts: one for Secret Santa and the other for the Grab Bag. I knew right away what I would get. When I was four, my mother handed me seven smackeroonies. Eager to shop like a big girl, my older brother and I braved cold concrete Chicago. I found a palm small, heart-shaped box in Humboldt park. Every upward thrust of its blacke...

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“Eyes On The List” by Cathy Nottingham

Submitted to Contest #178

Normal Saturdays are bad enough. But this is the darkest of all Saturdays. The Saturday before Christmas and the inescapable tradition of festive panic buying. Record numbers of frantic, greedy, hunter gatherers in tracksuit bottoms, woolly hats and caffeinated eyes, drag paper chains of children across the car park in various states of tantrum, whinging and sugar infused mania. First, I have to get to the front door. Weaving between queues of rageful drivers as they inch forward to the bumper in front. The tension in the air is as dense a...

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“Christmas Canoe Escape To Amawbia” by P. T. Golden

Submitted to Contest #178

The real-time escape of a would-be scammer began on Christmas Eve. (Names changed to protect the innocent under threat of death.)Two AM, December 29, 2022, in the darkest snake-filled bush in Nigeria, a would-be scammer fled for his life from his worst mistake. Chijoke had lived in the bush alone since he was ten. At fourteen, just weeks ago, he had joined one of the most expansive gangs in the region. Chijoke moved stealthily through the bush till he reached a path and took off at an all-out run. If he could get to the river, he might ...

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$250

Prize money

182

Contest entries

62

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 30, 2022 EST

Won by Molly Kelash 🏆

Title: Marie Antoinette

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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