Menu

Prompts

Contests

Stories

Blog

Menu

✕

CONNECT

Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites

BLOG

Success Stories

APPS

TOOLS

Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships

ABOUT

About Reedsy Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#281: The Fright Before Christmas

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #ReedsyHoliday to share your stories (and potentially get featured on our social accounts)!

With less than two weeks left until Christmas, I’ve been filling my days with cozy activities that are perfect for the festive season. While baking, caroling, and wrapping gifts are pretty standard for this time of the year, I also enjoy doing something a bit unexpected with my friends: holding creepy holiday movie marathons.

With that in mind, here are five prompts inspired by eerie holiday classics like Krampus and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Snuggle up with your thickest blanket and get started on a tale of regret, longing, love, horror, mystery — whatever you fancy! Good luck, and happy holidays to all those who celebrate!

This week's prompts

Write about a mysterious guest who arrives at a party — but no one knows who they are.

Dramatic – 60 stories

Start or end your story with someone receiving a strange — and possibly sinister — gift.

Dramatic – 54 stories

Write a story from the POV of a non-human character.

Short Story – 103 stories

Set your story during the coldest day of the year.

Short Story – 52 stories

Write a story that includes the line “Be careful what you wish for.”

Dramatic – 40 stories

Stories

“Noble Prickly Love ❤️ 🎄” by Laurie Spellman

Submitted to Contest #281

As a sapling, I was teased relentlessly since my branches were too skinny. Raised at Wintervale Christmas Tree Farm, my two nursery mates, Sappy and Piney, took root alongside me. The grower grumbled as he shoveled the dirt. I was the runt of the grove and probably would not amount to a Noble Fir. He planned to use me for firewood if nobody wanted me. When he examined me, he said: "I'll call this one Prickly."On cutting day for Noble and Fraser Firs, who had turned fifteen that year, the most regal of the season would be crowned. But I didn'...

Read story

“Embers of Discontent ” by Kaitlyn Stadler

Submitted to Contest #281

Joshua was a contradiction; his ailment being the constant failure to unconditionally love his wife during her recovery from pregnancy. The 32 weeks leading up to the preterm birth of his surprisingly healthy baby, Ethan, were a long, faithless journey. Although it had been difficult to watch his wife convert into a stranger, he still hoped that this newfound uneasiness would settle like the wind lost in a valley and that the life of a loving family would truly begin.Bethany, his wife, sat in the passenger seat of the 2002 rusted Jeep Libert...

Read story

“Fright Height on the Mountain” by Stefania Katz

Submitted to Contest #281

She has radiant glow with a quickening heartbeat on His view; He is divine. She is observing the church service with an acute listening and ignoring the distraction of people walking to pay their respects. The sense of destiny to believe in His enormous miracles is a huge gift as she knows His monastery since His friend, a Nun discovered His skeleton relics. He is an ethereal essence glowing; He is protecting from the malicious and He is whispering advice with wisdom to the select-one, His friend. The rumor said that He is a shadowy figure w...

Read story

“Visitations ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #281

There are some families that have a reputation for harboring secrets that, if known, would become scandalous in certain social circles, but there are other families who no longer shelter their secrets and have become quite famous for the skeletons they keep in their closets. The Widgett Family is one of the latter. So famous their legendary family quirks that it has been rumored that Charles Dickens himself used some of their stories to model Ebeneezer Scrouge after a long deceased patriarchal member of their family known as a unre...

Read story

“Ye old hag. ” by Ashlee Osborn

Submitted to Contest #281

Salem.A very dark era of history emerged in the city of salem. This book is inspired by the things that happened to the witches of salem Massachusetts. It takes a look at the consequences they endured if they were accused of witchcraft. Very dark magical times. For young adults due to triggers, death, violence and magic and foul play/language. Ye old Hag. The coldest day of the year that we've had in decades. My lips were blue and my teeth were shivering. But I was determined to see what was in the Forrest and why it was prohibited. It was ...

Read story

“A Noble Death” by KA James

Submitted to Contest #281

The end has got to be close now. My end … the end of a life. I still had hope not that long ago, but beaten down, tortured, abused and humiliated, not anymore. I lie here in the dark and can only wonder what I have done to deserve this cruelty, and wonder what comes next. This makeshift graveyard is so cold. By the few dim lights, I can see the hundreds, maybe thousands of others, just like me. More are brought and dumped here every day. We cling to life with whatever little bits of energy we have left.Three, maybe four weeks ago, I’ve lost ...

Read story

“Portrait of a Dog” by Orlando Chavez

Submitted to Contest #281

He tells me that I remind him more of a cat than a dog. I don’t take this as an insult. Humans are the ones who invented the rivalry between cats and dogs. I don’t have anything against cats. As a matter of fact, it’s other dogs that worry me more, cats tend to stick to their business while other dogs stick their snouts up your behind, trying to figure out what you had for breakfast, or they’ll walk up to your bowl and start eating your food without asking. Anyway, I’m happy that it is just me and him in the house, we are like roommates, exc...

Read story

“The Old Guard” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #281

Rufus woke with another itch. It was the weather, of course, and the room. The room was too hot, the weather too dry, and he itched. He itched to the point of scratching away skin, bleeding on his bed, and feeling embarrassed by it but not nearly as ashamed as when he fell asleep on the couch. Incontinence. That wasn’t the first time; there’d been more “episodes” as the others would say. Poor old codger. Rufus wasn’t getting old; he was already old. It must have been yesterday surely when he’d had the energy to play with everyone. Laugh when...

Read story

“Soul Gardian” by Ana M

Submitted to Contest #281

The neon “Paradise” sign on the motel flickered. The evening was cold, and the snowstorm showed no hint of letting up. “What an irony,” he muttered, glancing at the sign as he trudged through the untouched snow. The forecast predicted it would be the coldest day of the year. He pulled up the collar of his coat to shield himself from the snow blowing directly into his face. Somehow, he reached the motel’s entrance, stomping the snow off his boots before stepping inside. In the lobby, an older man with completely white hair was peacefully slee...

Read story

“Ma Ranlett's Home for Wayward Girls” by Luca King Greek

Submitted to Contest #281

Bairstow is an isolated harbor town at the end of a peninsula on the Coast of Maine, organized as a self-governing Plantation, a law unto itself. It is a blue-collar place, with a dark past and dormant secrets. A place of mutant horrors, of terror beyond the breakwater and reefs, where the warming ocean and over-fishing is denuding the sea floor, urging lobsters north, weakening the Deep Ones, driving them to despair. Ignorant or dismissive of its murky history, nervous tourists slum here in fair weather, looking for elusive monste...

Read story

“Wintergreen” by Carol Stewart

Submitted to Contest #281

*** Continuation of my previous two stories (but can be read as a standalone piece). References to domestic abuse and serious illness***Helen, I’m sorry I accused you.Forget it, darling, life’s too short… Do have a vol au vent, I made them especially…Mmm… lovely…And a little Prosecco…?You spoil me, you know…Nonsense, Evelyn, it’s your birthday…And nothing says December birthday – fifty-ninth December birthday - more than a picnic in the park…Now, now, don’t forget the Christmas Market… Ah! What a ride… Bet you didn’t expect you’d be up there...

Read story

“Uninvited” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #281

On New Year’s Day private investigator Gary Tomlinson awoke at 7 am and tried to clear the throbbing pain from his head. He then began mentally reviewing the strange turn of events from the night before in his mind. For the third year in a row, Gary had gone to the same country club party to which one of his clients had dragged him. He only had attended the galas as a gue...

Read story

“Impulse Control” by Jessica Stradinger

Submitted to Contest #281

Disclaimer: Mild language and sexual nuance.“Where the hell is it?”Nancy was fussing about the kitchen, looking for the wine opener. She crashed through drawers, slamming them shut after nearly taking them off their runners jerking them open. She could feel Thomas was watching from the doorway.“Having fun?” She quipped sarcastically. “Nope, just hoping it'll make you aware there are other people around.”Nancy sighed. She hated when she got like this. It was always over stupid, pointless things, but her whole body would shake with violen...

Read story

“FLEAOPIA” by Lily Finch

Submitted to Contest #281

Momma Fluxine and Daddy Pucks were married and had two batches of flea babies together. Daddy Pucks worked as a longhaul jumper and was often absent. Momma Fluxine became accustomed to Daddy Puck's absences and maintained strict control over her household. For the most part, her kids respected her and showed her their love and support as much as possible.Momma Fluxine had a problem. She had been left alone with all her babies and their bare cupboards. She led them out into the streets of NYC, where they caught a ride with a rat inside the lo...

Read story

“Taking Stock at Christmas” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #281

Being Fashionable I’ve learned that discussing things I find on the internet with my wife Liz is like tossing a match into a pool of gasoline. Liz works in corporate PR. In loyalty to her paycheck, she embraces the corporate establishment’s narrative. When I read the news, I like to take time to figure it out instead of taking it at face value. You might call me an “Internet Dad”. I hope to one day find the right moment to talk some common sense into her. Maybe that moment is today.My computer screen shows 10:59am. I promised Liz I’d be...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

309

Contest entries

154

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 20, 2024 EST

Won by Karissa W 🏆

Title: The Counter and the Coal

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!

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢