It’s the most wonderful time of the year — except your character can’t shake the feeling that something’s off.

Posted in Short Story on Dec 27, 2024

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✍️ 37 stories

“Unforgettable” by Michelle Oliver

Submitted to Contest #283

“‘Tis the season to be jolly…”The carolers rang out their joyful refrain, fa, la, la, la, la-ing with enthusiasm, as Mary wandered slowly through the softly swirling snow-flakes that drifted into her thick, rich, hot chocolate. The mug was bright purple and contrasted oddly with the picture perfect Christmas card environment, so she wrapped her mitten covered fingers further around the cup to disguise the imperfection.Three children were building snowman, scooping piles of fluffy snow that gathered beneath the overhanging eaves of the nearby...

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“Figgy Pudding ” by Anthony Andrés

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #283

You struggle to wake up on Christmas morning. You want to stay in bed, in your Christmas pajamas, covered up in several layers of blankets as if you were lasagna. You feel safe and away from the fear under the sheets. There is something about this Christmas that seems…off. Almost as if Santa was a harbinger of an upcoming mental breakdown. You blame part of your mood and current lack of energy on the fact you were up late bouncing from store to store, waiting in long lines with your fellow procrastinators, trying to purchase whatever r...

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“Mona Lisa Bouquet” by Hannah Lynn

Submitted to Contest #283

A huge bouquet greeted her from the coffee table without a card or explanation. The flowers just sat there looking gorgeous and mysterious like the Mona Lisa. Kate felt relief wash over her. Maybe they were a peace offering. Maybe she wouldn’t have to go to the consultation with the attorney after all. The fork in the road was ahead of her, with the road endlessly shifting like a warped nightmare. Sometimes a few steps away while other times so far on the horizon that the fork was barely visible. Kate reached f...

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“Christmas Tree ” by Korinne H.

Submitted to Contest #283

The day I arrive home from college, my family does not come to the door. I find them in the kitchen. Rising quickly, my mom fumbles an apology. “Oh, honey! I wasn’t sure when you’d get here.” I told her, twice, but that's ok. She hugs me and asks about the trip. “Good,” I smile, “no traffic.” My dad is already out the door, popping the trunk. He’s more of a doer than a talker, that's ok. There is no sign of my little brother in the kitchen. There is no sign of him anywhere, actually. That’s ok. Eventually, they trickle to other par...

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“Cold Subway, Love Reunion” by Scarlet Ibis James

Submitted to Contest #283

The bitter December wind whipped around Julie as she descended into the Union Square subway station, her coffee clutched tightly in her red, green and gold-mittened hands. Christmas lights twinkled overhead, strung across shop windows like tiny stars fallen to earth. The holiday season in New York always filled her with a peculiar mix of joy and melancholy—like a snow globe someone had shaken, leaving glitter suspended in the air. Today, that feeling sat heavier in her chest than usual. Something is off. The platform was crowded with holiday...

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“The seventh setting” by Penelope Stansfield

Submitted to Contest #283

For a moment, Hannah stood by her car at the end of the driveway, cold white flakes falling silently around her, reminding her of childhood, when Christmas had felt soft and light, frosted with the essence of secrets and mystery. At the top of the drive, an expensive looking Range Rover belonging to Peter, her brother-in-law, looked down at Hannah’s battered old Renault, which sat meekly close to the roadside, an appropriate distance away from the house.Hannah curled her cold fingers around the handles of the bag of gifts, took a deep b...

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“Aloha” by Lily Finch

Submitted to Contest #283

Most wonderful time of the year, my ass, Jimmy thought. I detest the chaos caused by everyone's fake smiles and insincere gift-giving simply because it's the festive season.This place will never be the same since Rocko and I were stuck together at Christmas many years ago. This year, he unexpectedly appeared in my thoughts, which caused me to feel as though something was amiss.Whenever I purchase a gift for someone, I feel like I'm being watched closely or that Rocko will suddenly appear and greet me with, "Aloha, friend."Considering that we...

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“Like a Breath of Cold Air” by Elizabeta Zargi

Submitted to Contest #283

By December, Montreal was buried under a heavy coat of snow that had been piling up since late October. Grey slush lined the streets, the result of salt and traffic grinding the once-pristine snow into a dirty, icy mess. The biting cold cut through even the thickest coats and the endless scraping of shovels and snowploughs provided a constant backdrop to city life. Holiday decorations were everywhere, but their cheer felt commercial, more of a reminder to spend money than a celebration. The air smelled faintly of exhaust and wet wool, the ki...

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“Dougal McCoogan vs. Santa Clause” by R L Garth

Submitted to Contest #283

Dougal McCoogan had made it. Finally, after walking for weeks, through blizzards and blinding cold, he had done it. The dishevelled, skinny boy looked down on the scene below him with a definite sense of pride and smiled. The North Pole was exactly like he though it would be. No, this is not the story of a boy explorer trekking in the wilderness. That is just incidental to our tale. And the north pole Dougal was now staring at is probably not the one you have seen in pictures. I am not sure you know this, but there is in fact thr...

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“It's Okay” by Aaliyah Salia

Submitted to Contest #283

Trigger Warning: This story contains themes of mental health struggles, emotional distress, and graphic descriptions of violence and gore, which may be unsettling for some readers. Discretion is advised. Mike hadn’t been coming home for the past two weeks. It was strange because he would always come home with his two duffle bags and stay until New Years. Christmas holiday was all he looked forward to. It was something he and I thoroughly enjoyed. We would go out to dinner, drink hot chocolate with a splash of whiskey in it, and cuddle next t...

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“The Christmas Secret” by Amber McGinnis

Submitted to Contest #283

Christmas has found its way back around the 365 day calendar and my family is loosing their fucking mind. If I hear Mariah one more time, I'll become Ursula and she aint getting her voice back. It's bad enough that I'd felt uneasy since being here and decided to hide upstairs in the kids bedroom. "Courtney! Come downstairs! Don't be a Screwge!" mom yelled from the kitchen. The house is filled with relatives from both sides, which includes the ones that only come for a few conversations and 2 bags of to-go plates. The aunt that thinks she's ...

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“Santa’s got a problem” by Henry Ramos Acosta

Submitted to Contest #283

“I am sick of this. He’s fat, he’s lazy, he works once a year and we work every single day making all these toys. Have you ever seen a paycheck? I haven’t. When’s the last time you saw your family? For millennia we’ve been complaining about this and asking for change, but nothing ever changes. The only thing that changes is what those freaking kids ask for out there. How in the dang frick am I supposed to build this little fool an Xbox? I know, I know I say the same thing every year and you roll your eyes at me every single time, but I know ...

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“Mulled” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #283

Wonderful. It should be wonderful. That’s how it’s supposed to be. And I guess, by inference, that’s how I’m supposed to be. I am supposed to be wonderful. No pressure there then. No pressure at all. Dance monkey! Dance! Perform. Put on a show. Delight your audience. Only, there is no audience. Not this year. And that feels wrong somehow. Wrong in a way that makes no sense to me as I awaken to a Christmas morning on my own.Christmas is steeped in all manner of emotional herbs, spices and vices. Year upon year, it ferments and becomes a stron...

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“Wonderful Time of the Year” by Ralph Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #283

Lawrence Shafer wakes to the sound of Tony Bennet’s “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” on the radio. He winces and covers his ears. His head feels as though it is full of thorns. Lawrence tries to pry open his eyes, but they’re glued shut. Still, Bennet sings. “Oh, God! What has happened to me? I don’t remember coming home, let alone getting into bed. I last remember being at our office Christmas party and talking to Xiao, the receptionist.” Lawrence turns to look at the alarm clock and notices how the numbers seem to be ...

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“The Long Holiday Nights” by Jarrel Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #283

I had a thought: say, hypothetically, I die one day. In such a case, this would be my hell. I would be at work, wearing a red polo shirt and tight khaki pants, fulfilling someone’s never-ending online grocery order, while Christmas carols play over the loudspeakers. And moments before I pass out from exhaustion, my second to last thought would be if my ass still looks tone despite all the weight I lost over the past eight hours. This thought warmed me, like a plush-loft blanket cocooning my body at two a.m. after walking five minutes f...

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year — except your character can’t shake the feeling that something’s off.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 37 stories

“Unforgettable” by Michelle Oliver

“Figgy Pudding ” by Anthony Andrés

“Mona Lisa Bouquet” by Hannah Lynn

“Christmas Tree ” by Korinne H.

“Cold Subway, Love Reunion” by Scarlet Ibis James

“The seventh setting” by Penelope Stansfield

“Aloha” by Lily Finch

“Like a Breath of Cold Air” by Elizabeta Zargi

“Dougal McCoogan vs. Santa Clause” by R L Garth

“It's Okay” by Aaliyah Salia

“The Christmas Secret” by Amber McGinnis

“Santa’s got a problem” by Henry Ramos Acosta

“Mulled” by Jed Cope

“Wonderful Time of the Year” by Ralph Aldrich

“The Long Holiday Nights” by Jarrel Jefferson

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that ends with a huge twist.

Write a story about two characters who surprisingly end up spending a holiday or event together.

Write a story about someone’s first Christmas after a major life change.

Write a story with the line “I wasn’t expecting that.”

Contest #283

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

293

Contest entries

123

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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