Center your story around an unexpected guest who changes a traditional get-together.

Posted in Short Story on Jan 3, 2025

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✍️ 11 stories

“A Story to be Told” by Howard Halsall

Submitted to Contest #284

Christmas morning arrived, as it always did, with Claire buzzing about like a snow-dusted sparrow while I nursed a coffee and grumbled under my breath about the cost of everything. Our house was a swirl of tinsel and twinkling fairy lights, the air carried the scent of roasting turkey and citrus notes of mulled wine. And yet, all I could think about was the sanctity of Boxing Day football fixtures—a glimmer of normalcy amid the forced cheer. At eight o’clock I got a call from my sister, Victoria. “Roy,” she ...

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“Angels Don't Have Wings” by Rebecca Hurst

Submitted to Contest #284

In the bible, angels don’t have wings. In fact, the moral imperative is that we should never know they are amongst us. The presence of wings would change behaviour, much like a grovelling employee before a CEO, or a plain girl who seeks the protection and the validation of the beautiful. An angel is in all things anonymous, and you will be judged in accordance with their opinion of you, and never the other way round. Of course, I am being allegorical, but isn’t that just what life is?*****Let me tell you about my mother-in-law, my ...

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“Suppertime With My Intended” by Hannah Lynn

Submitted to Contest #284

Mama greeted me nervously as I entered the kitchen. A quick glance showed an extra setting at the already crowded table. My heartrate quickened as I saw my mother busy herself, avoiding my eyes. Suppertime came with the arrival of the beady-eyed man whom Mama introduced with downcast eyes. “Isabel, you remember Papa’s second cousin, Elijah?” She seated him next to me as a lump formed in my throat forcing any possible reply down into my gut. I took my seat next to my obvious intended. An awkward silence enveloped us in our newl...

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“Uninvited Guest” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #284

No one noticed him upon his arrival and nobody knew his name for good reason. You see, he had arrived at our office Christmas party uninvited, but that did not stop him from entering the Hilton ballroom where holiday lights hung from every nook and cranny and elves on the shelves peered out from every possible shelf with devious smiles painted on their plastic faces. Broderick Stoneman the CEO for our publishing company sat at the head table with the other managers from each department. Mrs. Oliva Stoneman sat next to her husband and c...

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“The Serpent We Know: A Holiday Tale of the Arts Department ” by Martin Ross

Submitted to Contest #284

“Could I get mansions covering ten thousand miles, I’d house all the poor scholars…”Du Fu “By the way, we’ve got New Year’s plans,” Wei Zhao announced as she pulled into the long drive in the campus fringe of Mulberry. Wei heard the entomologist sink into the upholstery.“I thought we were doing a peaceful evening of Huluween horror, Sichuan Palace and Papa John’s, and bringing 2025 in with a bang or maybe three,” Will sulked.“Now, that’s a Hallmark movie I’d watch,” the University’s youngest tenured prof mulled, waiting out the ailing garage...

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“It will all be over soon” by Tamarin Butcher

Submitted to Contest #284

Askid slithered across the cracked terrain that typified planet Radynon, the glowing tendrils protruding from his prehensile scales slicing through the dried ground and his undulations gouging a permanent trail which the lesser beings of Radynon would sooner or later turn into a road. In the distance, Askid saw his eighteen parents, all early (of course) and each at the end of a lesser but nevertheless impressive gouge in the earth of their own. Beyond them he could just see his sister, Sepaj, as she made her own approach. Sepaj's undulation...

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“More Than the Leaves Caught Fire” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #284

The abandoned mansion had marked the gateway to Sharpsburg, Maryland since around 1825. The well-maintained, authentic Colonial style home had served as a silent witness to many events, especially the multitude of Civil War battles fought on the 12 acres that surrounded the majestic structure. It seemed like the perfect setting for the spring fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity’s Washington County ReStore. Event Chair Melanie Granger figured that o...

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“The Evening before the Tournament for the Ninth Diamond” by Jo Freitag

Submitted to Contest #284

Whenever the Royal Weaving Expo was held in the vicinity of Astolat, Lady Charlotte-Elaine of Shalott stayed in her childhood home; and it was always an occasion for a special banquet with roasted meats and the best vintage served and minstrel entertainment provided. Bernard of Astolat missed the company of his Lily Maid, Elaine, since she had moved to The Tower on the Island of Shalott. Elaine had found a plot loophole to escape from her recurring tale of nursing Sir Lancelot du Lac for months on end, falling in love with him and then dyin...

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“Prodigal Sons” by Preston Pyle

Submitted to Contest #284

I’d known the Guilfoyle clan near thirty years. They’d been in Corceadus about that long, but since the grandsire never saw people or went without drink, it wasn’t until Beverly, his missus, started stepping out on her own that she made our acquaintance. We're at the Bramble Batch eating tacos on Wednesdays.It started innocently enough. We could tell from her feet she'd be amenable to joining our happy group. But posterity and pride, a rare abundance in this town, prevented her joining until Lila was able to pry out a mutual interest in arbo...

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“Aunt Carol” by Claire Campbell

Submitted to Contest #284

Thanksgiving at Aunt Carol and Uncle Dean’s comes around as often as the Olympics. If the two events were to be compared, the one adjective that could apply to both is spectacle. Unlike the laid-back football focused years at Uncle Robert and Aunt Cece’s, or the understated yet budget breaking Martha Stewart cross Meghan Markle aesthetic at Aunt Janice and Uncle Logan’s, Aunt Carol stops at nothing for a memorable meal. In typical Aunt Carol fashion – always ridiculously early and fastidious in her expectations – she set the Whats App famil...

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“Christmas Turkey” by Marilyn Filewood

Submitted to Contest #284

“You can’t experiment on an old man. Especially not the Major.” Steve glanced over at his co-worker. “I think we should think this through a bit more.”"He'll be fine, I reckon he'll enjoy it," Martin eased the van from the main road into the alleyway, negotiating the turn with his usual skill. In places, there was barely a whisper of air between the narrow brick walls and the side panels of the ancient vehicle. He pulled up at the entrance to the alley. It was the moment before dawn broke, the light around them still dim, not yet g...

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Center your story around an unexpected guest who changes a traditional get-together.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 11 stories

“A Story to be Told” by Howard Halsall

“Angels Don't Have Wings” by Rebecca Hurst

“Suppertime With My Intended” by Hannah Lynn

“Uninvited Guest” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“The Serpent We Know: A Holiday Tale of the Arts Department ” by Martin Ross

“It will all be over soon” by Tamarin Butcher

“More Than the Leaves Caught Fire” by Bob Faszczewski

“The Evening before the Tournament for the Ninth Diamond” by Jo Freitag

“Prodigal Sons” by Preston Pyle

“Aunt Carol” by Claire Campbell

“Christmas Turkey” by Marilyn Filewood

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who receives a gift or message that changes their life forever.

Center your story around a character spending their first holiday alone.

Write a story that includes the line “I should’ve known better.”

Set your story in a place where everything should be familiar to your character(s), but isn’t.

Contest #284

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

353

Contest entries

148

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: