Write about a family’s first holiday after a parent has gotten remarried, and now there are new faces at the table and new traditions to be honored.

Posted in Holiday on Jun 12, 2021

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✍️ 98 stories

“Families Parties” by Judith Buskohl

Submitted to Contest #69

“Mom is going to be there because she won’t let Ned come without her since Lynn is coming with dad. I hope today goes pretty good and everyone involved better behavior themselves for the sake of the holiday and to be a good example for Ned.” Pausing to let the hopefully thought sink into her brother, Stuart and pray with the other part of her mind that everything would go smooth today at the family Christmas Party. She went over her list of the presents that she was bringing to the party to see if she had forgot someone and ho...

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“The Step Not Taken” by Courtney Haynes

Submitted to Contest #69

In the quaint, antique-ridden dining room, Greg sits at the head of the table, squirming in his chair trying to find a comfortable position. Playing with his glasses as if that could make him seem less dorky to his new family. To his right is Blanche, hair high as the sky. Done up like an ice cream cone with too many toppings, Kevin thinks. Kevin is to his father's left. Slicked back hair, feigning a toughness he heard about somewhere in an alt-right podcast. Blanche's twins are on either side of him. They stare across the table like those l...

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“NAVEEN'S REMARRIAGE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #69

The ad in the matrimonial column read: “Male 38 years, Master of Business Administration, working for a large company needs bride. I am a divorcee. Own an apartment in which I live alone. Divorcee will be considered.” Other details were the usual photo and contact details. He received 4 responses and felt the one from Asha was suitable. He invited her for dinner at a restaurant and she accepted. He was waiting for her wearing a flowered T-shirt over well-ironed trousers. He was tall. fair and bearded with his curly hair nicely parted and was...

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“OH GOD! Traditions” by Tanzeel Fatima

Submitted to Contest #69

My phone hasn't stopped ringing for the past 10 minutes, and I know who might be calling me at this hour, especially in the holiday season. I stood up and frustratingly picked up the mobile, suddenly it stopped ringing. I wonder how it suddenly went silent until I heard her voice coming from my phone. These touch screen mobiles aren't in my favor nowadays. I don't know when my finger pressed the answered button. Guess it's confirmed that my life is full of surprises. "Kevin there? " she said happily. I know answering the phone call made ...

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“Pinot Grigio” by Helen Ross

Submitted to Contest #69

I don't want to meet him, Dad. Paul pulls up in his silver Corsa, snow turning to slush under the tires. The gravel is muddy and his leather boots are flecked with dirt. He rubs them on the hessian mat and slips them off in the boot room, hanging up his coat on the empty peg. It's red - a dark, bloody colour. Lottie returns to the sofa, sitting down next to me. She fits perfectly. This is what home is - everyone fits. I start to stroke her hair as Paul’s footsteps pad down the hallway towards us. Dad stands up from his chair, picking up ...

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“New Times” by Magarette Daya

Submitted to Contest #69

Three months until Christmas "You may kiss the bride!" the sermon said smiling as an applaud erupted throughout the crowd. I had heard it twice now, the first time with Mom's marriage, and this time with Dad's new marriage The cheers could be heard for miles, I was sure of it. It used to be just Mom, Dad, and I, but now it is Mom, Josh, my step-dad, Andrew along with Dad, Emily, my step-mom, Sophie, and myself. Well of course it is in two different houses, but now my mom said that I would get two holidays and two birthdays. But I still wante...

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“Reminiscence ” by Avi Jain

Submitted to Contest #69

Father, how do you like Kashmir for this vacation? Carl asked excitedly to his father. His father, Joel, tried to hide his pain with a smile and a yes. Carl in his excitement was not able to understand his father’s real emotions and interpreted them as real feelings. It has been 7 years now since the death of Joel’s wife and Carl’s and Rose’s mother. She died in a young age in a car accident, and it scared them to the feet. The kids had to grow young and with them Joel was growing old. The kids knew that no matter how hard they try but soon ...

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“A new celebration is born” by Pamela Berglund

Submitted to Contest #69

"Are you almost ready", shouted my husband from the bedroom. I"t seems like you've been in there for hours and we've got to get on th road early to avoid all the holiday traffic." 'Just give me a few more minutes." I stood looking in the mirror, trying to put on just the right amount of makeup to cover up the frown lines on my face to hide how nervous I was feeling at meeting my mother's new husband. My parents had been divorced for over fifteen years. I was only 10 when they broke the news to my sister Jo...

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“No Turkey” by Marie ONeal

Submitted to Contest #69

“What do you mean, no turkey?” Surely, I had heard wrong. My dad did not just say there would be no turkey for Thanksgiving. “No turkey this year” he repeated. “Marie wants to cook and I agreed to let her take control of the menu. Jake and Tracey will be here too, and I think it would be a decent gesture to show them some courtesy and flexibility.” “...

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“A Tale of Two Christmas’s” by Cheryl Fulks

Submitted to Contest #69

A Tale of Two Christmas’s"George, I can't wait until the family gets here, they are going to love you," Mary told him as they walked into the cabin. After their wedding took place after knowing each other for six months, they were excited and a bit apprehensive to introduce their new spouse to their children. They chose Aspen to celebrate Christmas and invited both of their families. It was neutral territory and they were hoping the expensive ski vacation would butter their families up. Sidney, Mary's oldest daughter, and...

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“The First Thanksgiving” by Lisandra Bergey

Submitted to Contest #69

“Hey, babe?” Matt called out with a muffled mouth. He regrettably swallowed, but only to clear his mouth and esophagus. “What’s up?” Meredith asked, her face twisted with concern. Matt blinked and gulped a glass of water to wash away the aftertaste that was still unfortunately l...

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“Greener Trees” by Shannon Ethel

Submitted to Contest #69

I remember staring out of the window for a long time. Counting snow flakes maybe. There wasn’t much else to do and I was trying to ignore the excited chatter coming from downstairs. Where my head was, I can’t say for sure. Maybe I was imagining Christmases past, running outside in the heat of a southern sun and jumping into swimming pools with my sister. Instead, I was now halfway across the world, shivering in an over-sized jersey and wishing the time would pass faster. The creak of the door – that house always creaked – drew ...

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“Here Today” by E Shouse

Submitted to Contest #69

Everyone has heard the expression, "Here today, gone tomorrow."Well, when my grandmother died, this was the first time I could really relate to this.Grandma was one of the healthiest people I ever knew She was the only athletic-type person in our whole family. Also, she was also the only thin-type person in our whole family. All the rest of us would rather sit and read a book or something, not run on an exercise machine down in the basement.So when Grandpa called that Saturday morning it was surreal. I answered the phone on t...

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“After the Nikah” by Hikmat Quadri

Submitted to Contest #69

The car was silent as we made the drive down to our dad's new house. The sun was rising quietly, and the trees rushed by like they had somewhere important to go. I rolled down my window on the passenger side and breathed in the fresh air. For the first time in forever, my breath was not tainted with exhaust from trucks and random smoke from the streets. "Close the window." My older brother said harshly. Nazeer had not yet accepted our parents' divorce and this trip was hard for him. "Naz, won't you stop on the way? I need to use the re...

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“Our Improper Monster Stepbrother” by Tiffany 🌻

Submitted to Contest #69

The energy at the dinner table was the oddest it had ever been. Drunk uncles and crazy aunts were easy to handle compared to the uncomfortable awkwardness. From my father in a Hugo Boss suit to the bellbottoms sitting right beside me. I looked across at my sister who was sipping carrot soup and avoiding eye contact with our new stepbrother. He was gobbling his turkey leg with bizarre buck teeth that poked out like daggers. One strap of his dirty blue bell-bottoms was hanging off. The mud from his boots was dirtying our expensive carpet, one ...

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Write about a family’s first holiday after a parent has gotten remarried, and now there are new faces at the table and new traditions to be honored.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 98 stories

“Families Parties” by Judith Buskohl

“The Step Not Taken” by Courtney Haynes

“NAVEEN'S REMARRIAGE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

“OH GOD! Traditions” by Tanzeel Fatima

“Pinot Grigio” by Helen Ross

“New Times” by Magarette Daya

“Reminiscence ” by Avi Jain

“A new celebration is born” by Pamela Berglund

“No Turkey” by Marie ONeal

“A Tale of Two Christmas’s” by Cheryl Fulks

“The First Thanksgiving” by Lisandra Bergey

“Greener Trees” by Shannon Ethel

“Here Today” by E Shouse

“After the Nikah” by Hikmat Quadri

“Our Improper Monster Stepbrother” by Tiffany 🌻

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a family adapting a holiday tradition to take place over video chat.

Write about someone who falls back into childish behaviors whenever they’re around their family.

Write about someone who didn’t get along with their family as a child, but has since found an appreciation for them.

Write about someone telling their family they won’t be continuing the long-standing family business.

Contest #69

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

510

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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