Write about a festive party gone wrong that’s saved by some holiday magic.

Posted in Holiday on Dec 15, 2023

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✍️ 24 stories

“Mrs. Fezziwig” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #229

Christmas is ruined. Ruined, once again. Last year it was the debacle with the nutmeg wine, and this year it’s the ghosts from the future showing up to terrorize everyone with some grumpy looking gentleman in old pajamas. Didn’t I tell you as soon as we saw that specter in the window that you needed to go outside and scare her off? Now, I don’t know how one goes about scaring a ghost, that is true, but we’re trying to have a party, and who feels like making merry when there’s demons floating about? I don’t care if she was a very pretty...

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“Too-Cute Meet” by Mary Bendickson

Submitted to Contest #229

Too-Cute MeetThe explosive excitement of Chrissy's fifth grade class was peaking as the much anticipated holiday party approached. The final afternoon before the traditional winter two-week break was officially kicked off with festivities pointing to Christmas Day. But, of course, no one could call it Christmas Vacation. It just happened to coincide with the religious reason for the season.The coming of Jesus or the coming of Santa rivaled each other but if she was a betting person the ten-year-olds in her classroom were hyped-up on thoughts...

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“A Letter to Darlene: c/o Franklin County Jail” by Aeris Walker

Submitted to Contest #229

Darlene,It’s a crying shame you’re still incarcerated, Sis, otherwise, I would have dragged you with me to the Wheatville Baptist Church Christmas party last night, because it was surely a night I won’t forget.You remember Miss Beverly, right? The one who always wore her hair in that big swoopy up-do? She’d been directing the children’s play every year for the last thirty years, but she passed away in June, God rest her soul, and so they needed somebody to take her place. Well, Elvira Mumford got wind of it and said she might be interested i...

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“Elf Off the Shelf” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #229

From the beginning, there had only ever been one rule: Don’t let anyone see you move. But after what I saw tonight, I was afraid I was going to have to break that rule.The Dunken’s house was full of people. From inside Mrs. Mitchell’s purse, I carefully peeked out through the open zipper and saw dozens of recognizable faces, people who had come over to pick up Oliver and Sklyer’s friends over the years. They were all laughing and eating and drinking merrily. Despite Christmas having already passed – this I knew because Mrs. Mitchell had alre...

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“Christmas Campout” by RJ Holmquist

Submitted to Contest #229

“Christmas Campout.”These are two words no ten year old kid should ever have to hear put together in a sentence. They should never be used within six months of each other. They belong at opposite ends of the solar cycle, at opposite ends of any sane kid’s philosophical paradigm, at opposite ends of the universe, where they can never be combined to form the worst kind of holiday misery. Dad spoke them in a moment of crisis, his arms convulsed around grocery bags filled with frosting and charcuterie cheeses. It was December 24th and bits ...

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“28 Sleighs Later” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #229

Above the laughter and Christmas music, the bang against the door came: thump thump thump.Paul Reyes sighed. He patted his wife’s hand and pushed his chair away from the table. ‘Don’t worry, love, I’ve got this one.’Rosemary frowned at him. ‘But everybody’s here. Who could it be?’He stopped. Rose had framed the doorbell with tinsel. You couldn’t miss it. It would take a brain-dead person to knock instead of ringing. He shrugged. ‘Carolers, or something. I’ll give ‘em a quid and tell ‘em to bugger off.’A round of laughter rippled around the t...

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“Too Soon to Tilt” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #229

New Year’s Eve–another boring party with inane gossip, too-loud music and guests robotically rattling off resolutions they knew they had no intention of keeping. Another year gone by with Wilson looking forward to almost nothing–except: The software salesman’s annual turning-of-the-calendar-page ritual did have one very bright spot–across the room stood the stunningly beautiful and intelligent blonde lady as she had for the past two years. Aside from her tantalizing appearance ...

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“Return of the Ghost of Christmas Past” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #229

It was his first Christmas without her. She passed away in late summer. It was a private ceremony, him and her two sons, Baker and Ranson. Baker brought his wife Francine and their two children while Ranson brought David, his life partner which always agitated him. “It’s not natural.” He uttered continually throughout the service. “Are you going to be alright?” Baker asked during a private moment after the ceremony. “Yes.” He nodded. “I worry about you dad.” Baker looked him in the eyes. “I worry about what will become...

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“The Change” by Daniel Rogers

Submitted to Contest #229

"I don't have a reason. I just want it too," Anne Joyce said with a smile as she opened the top door of her double oven and put in her green bean casserole, wiping her hands on her snowman apron. The Joyce's kitchen was buzzing with activity. James, husband and father, bent over the table, brushing egg wash on rolls. "Does she have to have a reason?" "Ah, come on, Dad. It's more fun if we pry it out of her," Glenn said. "The Young One is right," Stan, the oldest twin by five minutes, said. "Isn't it the reason for tonight? To have fun?...

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“Christmas Ghost Story” by Heather Henderson

Submitted to Contest #229

“I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t until I knew you were sure about me.” She smiled as her blonde hair, which was studded by the stars in the sky behind her, fluttered in the winter wind. She’d never looked more radiant, more spectre-like. Taking my hand, she began to guide me up the hill. She giggled as we ran, further and further, my ankle boots kicking mounds of grass and slipping on unseen slopes, never a stable step. The cold air felt good in my lungs. There was a crazed wildness to our being out in the dark like this, on some ...

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“The Gingerbread House” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #229

Having lost her own house, Mylee knew exactly what she wanted in this one, though being ten, she didn't quite have the words for it. She added a chimney for her fireplace, and then squeezed icing in hopeful, repeating swirls across the roof.Of course, kitchens and bathrooms were important, but for Mylee, the Hideout Closet, the Secret Attic door, and the Comfy Corner were absolute priorities. She needed places where she could escape and be alone. Staying at her Uncle’s apartment, crowded now with two families and a cat in just two ...

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“Amelia's Tree” by Tori Winterrose

Submitted to Contest #229

“Everyone, sit down!” Mrs. Thomas yelled while waving her arms around like she was ready to lift up and out of the 3rd grade classroom. Mrs. Thomas didn’t know where things went wrong. It may have been when she stepped in a pile of scattered cat litter on her kitchen floor this morning (barefoot) while desperately trying to locate her car keys, or when she seemed to hit every red light between her house and the elementary school, or when she arrived at the parking lot only to find that someone had double parked in her favorite parkin...

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“The Dog Who Kinda Saved Yule ” by Sabrina Rose

Submitted to Contest #229

I was feeling the holiday vibes listening to a bad Christmas music playlist in my room while I picked out a nice outfit to wear to the Orders Yule party (aka ‘OOM’ aka ‘Order of Merlin, the Magi’, whatever have you). I was excited since this was my second party with my newfound friends since I moved to the West Coast (the first being the Samhain celebration aka Halloween) I settled on a white dress shirt and red knit Christmas vest over black leggings and my most festive shimmering combat boots before the gang picked me up at a quarter to 5 ...

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“Fight or Flight” by John Van Winkle

Submitted to Contest #229

Fight or Flight “Ms. Hartman,” Sadie Nelson said, “I’m 48 years old… twice your age. Nobody has ever ripped me off and gotten away with it, and they won’t start now. Someone is siphoning off inventory right under our corporate noses, and I’m sick of paying big bucks to lawyers and CPAs in suits, who seem incapable of solving this problem. So, I’ve decided to bypass them and hire someone myself… someone like myself… educated in law and finance, tough, smart, fearless, and armed… but younger,” she continued, opening her left l...

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“Guest List” by Audrey Knox

Submitted to Contest #229

Hailey was determined to throw an “adult” Christmas party. A dinner party. With a menu and place settings and themed décor and everything. She and Steven had moved in together earlier that year, leaving apartments they had each shared with roommates behind.Though Hailey would never admit it to her mother—or anyone else for that matter—she had her own doubts about Steven and their future together. But she really did honestly love him and want to be with him. Even if he did always leave his shoes in the living room and never pick up after hims...

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Write about a festive party gone wrong that’s saved by some holiday magic.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 24 stories

“Mrs. Fezziwig” by Story Time

“Too-Cute Meet” by Mary Bendickson

“A Letter to Darlene: c/o Franklin County Jail” by Aeris Walker

“Elf Off the Shelf” by AnneMarie Miles

“Christmas Campout” by RJ Holmquist

“28 Sleighs Later” by Joshua G. J. Insole

“Too Soon to Tilt” by Bob Faszczewski

“Return of the Ghost of Christmas Past” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“The Change” by Daniel Rogers

“Christmas Ghost Story” by Heather Henderson

“The Gingerbread House” by Marty B

“Amelia's Tree” by Tori Winterrose

“The Dog Who Kinda Saved Yule ” by Sabrina Rose

“Fight or Flight” by John Van Winkle

“Guest List” by Audrey Knox

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in which a cynical character gets amnesia on Christmas Eve.

Write about a character who visits their hometown for the holidays and reconnects with a former love interest.

Start or end your story with a character finding out the love of their life is actually royalty.

Write a story in which a character is stuck reliving their worst Christmas ever, over and over again.

Contest #229

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

171

Contest entries

64

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: