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

“FIT or FIT” by Lucy Kihiko

Submitted to Contest #69

The sound of the chimes woke me up.I had over slept on the very day that i was supposed to see the delights of the new life that my mother entangled me to. I was the only black skinned who felt misplaced since my mother was already absorbed in the traditions of the western.Every moment i thought of the awkwardness of my skin color i got a lump on my throat but being the girl that i am i wanted to show them of how high I could raise my flag.I heard a knock on my door and as i was going towards the door I realised fresh flowers were on the vas...

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“Close to the heart” by Meagan Smith

Submitted to Contest #69

Dear Journal, I know people would call you a diary but that's just not a good idea for me. But, in other news. My mom has started dating this guy and she thought it would be a good idea that we first meet him and his son on Thanksgiving day. I'll just let that sink in. My MOTHER is dating this RANDOM GUY and thought it would be a GOOD idea to meet him, me and my sibs, that also includes the one I adopted as my own, and his son on THANKSGIVING. The day for 'family and giving thanks. And we should be thankful that I have finally moved on...

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“The Hand That Stuffs The Turkey” by Rebecca Bogan

Submitted to Contest #69

"Where's the marshmallows?" Kari muttered, peering into the pantry."There'll be plenty of sugar in the pies already, with Susie baking them." Kari's father winked at Susan, his new wife of six months."I'm all the sugar you'll need this year." Susan teased him back. "Sugar free, egg free pumpkin is what's going in the oven."Kari was not amused. "We always put marshmallows on our sweet potato casserole.""Not this year. Your father needs to cut back on sweets. In fact, we're skipping the sweet potatoes altogether. Doctor's orders." Susan turned...

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“The McKinley-Lee's first Christmas” by Oshin Wong

Submitted to Contest #69

Ever since I was little Christmas was always my favorite holiday. The food, the presents, helping mom and dad decorate the Christmas tree. Putting the star on top of the tree was my absolute favorite and I’ve been doing for the last 15 years. This year things are going to be a lot different I knew it the moment mom and dad gather us in the family room to tell us they were getting a divorce. Fast forward 5 years later and mom gets remarried to this guy she meet on a work retreat and suddenly it was no longer a work retreat but mom getting her...

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“Stepmother” by Sarah Brennon

Submitted to Contest #69

December 20th, 2017 Christmas is approaching, but for the second time in my twenty years, I am not looking forward to it. The first time was when I was seventeen, right after my parents split. It was in the summer, but I had not yet gotten over it by Christmas, and I spent the holiday crying into my pillow. This year, I will be spending the happy holiday with my father and his unknown bride. I’ve never met the woman that is now my stepmother. Father was engaged almost before I knew he had been dating, and I told him that I was taki...

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“RealDad” by Andrew Anthony

Submitted to Contest #69

Crazy was versatile. If one were young, it meant creative; old, senile; rich, eccentric. That Christmas Eve, Mother, in the glow of her 59th year, was very simply: Crazy. "Gossamer wants to enjoy cigars and brandy in the sunroom before we sit down to eat," Mother announced, collecting our coats and kissing several cheeks. "Please open a window in there, he's delicate and sensitive, I don't want him developing a cough." I had arrived with my brother, Dale, and his ten-year-old, Sue. They were much more tolerant of the mad woman's antics. Su...

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“Coming to Their Senses” by Pat Calay

Submitted to Contest #69

" What's the use!, Sarah thought. She would always did her best. She doesn't seemed to be noticed by her mother. It has always been their youngest brother Olivier who always did the right thing, the best produce whatever he put his hands on. Looking at their finished project, to her it was just about the same. "Why, what's wrong with me? she would sulk in one corner of the house one day, trying to find out the reason. It must have been a thousand times that she thought of leaving the family. "They wouldn't notice it anyway. They might be ev...

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“Thanksgiving's Yuletide” by Betsy Remington☕

Submitted to Contest #69

Lydia stood nervously on the doorstep contemplating her options. She could still turn tail and run, but the yard was an obstacle course of inflatable Christmas decorations. Santa waved merrily as the Grinch tip-toed with a sack of presents, but the centerpiece was a giant snow globe with a snowman and a blizzard of swirling snow. She heard the rattle of the doorknob and realized her time was up. She turned back to the door and hefted her casserole dish, pasting on a smile. "What are you doing just standing out here like a p...

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“THE GATHERING ” by TANAE STARKS

Submitted to Contest #69

I sit at the beautifully decorated table.My smile is as tight as the dress I wear.My new mother stares at me, a beautifully soft smile forms on her perfectly red lips."You ok?" She asks.I nod as she pours me a drink.Red liquid fills my cup.My father lovingly looks at his new wife."Welcome to the family Lenora" He softly whispers .It takes everything to keep me from cringing and crying openly.I take a sip of my drink to calm me down.I twitch alittle, but not on purpose.My fingers tightly grip the table cloth.Mother still has her eyes on me."I...

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“Hallmarked Holiday ” by Beth Robertson

Submitted to Contest #69

My dad was driving us to my mom’s house, and he had the radio blaring Christmas tunes. He was singing along to that Mariah Carey hit and it was blatantly off key. His enthusiasm at that moment did not match the feelings of my sister and I who were heading to my mom’s house for our holiday dinner with her new husband and his two children. We’d met them very quickly at the wedding in November and it had been completely awkward. For some reason, my new stepdad had invited his mother-in-law who guarded his son and daughter and whi...

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“Bloody Thanksgiving” by M J

Submitted to Contest #69

My mom has zero taste in men. First, she fell for my dad. Now, it’s a dead guy. At least she upgraded. In my mother’s defense, James isn’t a corpse rotting away in some graveyard like a moldy grapefruit. That would be disgusting. No, my new stepdad is a vampire. It took me forever to understand the logistics behind James’ existence. He’s what they call a “birth vampire,” meaning that his parents were both vampires who had a vampire child (don’t ask how, I don’t know). He’s around my mom’s age, but he is immortal, so I don’t know h...

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“A special holiday” by Jose Gonzalez

Submitted to Contest #69

Martin bruno was excited to be back and see his kids , his ex wife , his old home. He didnt harbor any resentment for the way things ended sometime things happen that way. And some of the blame, well almost all the blame lay on him. He wasnt perfect by any means. He cheated on his wife and was sorry about it but he wanted to come back and see her again. Make sure the kids saw their parents coexisting. They were teenagers so it didnt hit them so hard. They were in their own little world with no care for anyone else. He asked to bring his new ...

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“Bloody Christmas” by Gabriela Marinić

Submitted to Contest #69

BLOODY CHRISTMASI didn't expect her to be this pretty. In fact, nobody did. Smiling with her shiny white teeth (which were, obviously, fake), laughing and talking to dad, it almost looked like they are still in the marriage. However, next to me was sitting Isabella, dad's new wife. I like her better than mom and I'm happy to see them together. Dad finally looks like he found his true soulmate.Mom changed a lot in the past year. We haven't seen her since the two of them got divorced. She looks a lot better now. The conversation continued. Eve...

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“Dear Diary” by Annie Proulx

Submitted to Contest #69

Dear Diary By Annie Proulx Dec. 2nd, Diary entry #23: This is ridiculous. This year has already been hell after the divorce, mom moving up to Washington, living through a pandemic, and everything else sucking! The only thing I was looking forward to was the holidays. After the pretty fall leaves coat the ground and the cozy sweaters come out, the Christmas lights illuminate the streets as we enjoy the best time of year. Well, that’s how it usually goes. But this year, when I thought Theresa and her little son Tommy moving in and messing e...

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“UNO Fixes Everything” by Paige Winters

Submitted to Contest #69

The house was quiet and simple. Two stories with pale yellow walls and red-brown shingles. A brick walkway leads up to the front door with a sign on it that says, Happy Thanksgiving. A dying flower garden lay in front of the house. The short driveway was packed full of cars, some spilling out onto the street. We were parked on the other side of the street from the small house. “Cassie, can you help me with this?” Faith calls from the back of the van. I close the car door and walk back to her, tucking my phone into my back pocket. I pick up ...

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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

“FIT or FIT” by Lucy Kihiko

“Close to the heart” by Meagan Smith

“The Hand That Stuffs The Turkey” by Rebecca Bogan

“The McKinley-Lee's first Christmas” by Oshin Wong

“Stepmother” by Sarah Brennon

“RealDad” by Andrew Anthony

“Coming to Their Senses” by Pat Calay

“Thanksgiving's Yuletide” by Betsy Remington☕

“THE GATHERING ” by TANAE STARKS

“Hallmarked Holiday ” by Beth Robertson

“Bloody Thanksgiving” by M J

“A special holiday” by Jose Gonzalez

“Bloody Christmas” by Gabriela Marinić

“Dear Diary” by Annie Proulx

“UNO Fixes Everything” by Paige Winters

🌟 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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