Write a story about a family dinner that includes someone unexpected showing up.

Posted in Thanksgiving on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 80 stories

“The Dinner Guest” by Jason Burchfield

Submitted to Contest #17

I sat there for at least ten good minutes and none of them realized it. How can you not see a stranger sitting at your dining room table? I guess they were too busy. Mom was finishing up dinner; the two kids were in the living room with their noses stuck to their smart phones. And dad, well dad by the looks he kept giving was looking at inappropriate pictures on his phone hoping mom didn’t walk behind him and get a glimpse. It wasn’t until she brought out the glazed ham and went to sit it in front of me that I was fi...

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“A Bright Surprise” by Alyssa Shields

Submitted to Contest #17

Darkness was expected, but today was one of extra gloom. The sky was dark grey, almost purple, like the bruise on my leg from bumping into the coffee table last night. I could feel it under the pressure of my skin-tight jeans as the thought crossed my mind. In the past, my legs were regularly decorated with bruises from playing outside, but now they were a rare appearance.The grass beneath the dusty sky was basically nonexistent nowadays – not from a lack of rain, there was plenty of that, but from the absence of light. We hadn’t seen anythi...

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“Cuts” by Mike Garrigan

Submitted to Contest #17

My mother sliced the turkey’s breast with the Ginsu knife that my father bought for her last Christmas. A Ginsu knife can cut through a tin can like butter. Last year, on that Christmas morning, right after she ripped open the wrapping paper and saw what Dad had given her, she said, “Oh, Phil, you must trust me!” Dad had a good laugh. Mom sipped her Bloody Mary and gave my dad a look, one that I can only describe as “Ick.” While carving the turkey, my mother paused and took a sip of wine. My father sat at then end of the table, his fing...

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“Where Have You Been?” by Dianne Bramble

Submitted to Contest #17

It was a beautiful fall day in Toronto. As happened every year, the whole family was getting together for Thanksgiving. It was Maggie's favourite time of year.She was busy cleaning her house, which had been her parents’, and preparing the turkey. Other family members were bringing the rest of the meal and she was eagerly anticipating their contributions. Everyone was coming this year and she was the happiest she'd been in a long time. It had taken her many years to be able to enjoy this day as her twin brother, Mark had disappeared on a day ...

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“Daath comes calling” by PETER Inserra

Submitted to Contest #17

A pre-winter storm blew into Aston Ville that Thanksgiving, expectedly so, which meant no one was taken aback by it and densely populated the Royce residence for the annual gathering of friends and family to gorge on Master Charles’ bountiful feast. Charles, being the wealthiest person in Aston Ville, always went all out for the holiday and all who attended gave him many thanks in return. Most of Charles’ employees assisted at the feast and in turn were treated most generously...

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“A Feast for Crowns” by A.B.B. Olson

Submitted to Contest #17

There wasn’t a single, stereotypical thing about this household’s holiday feast other than some of the food. Even the pie had been converted to cheesecake. Olive wiped her hands on her flour-caked apron and blew a sweaty strand of ginger hair out of her face. Painfully aware of how red her face was, she used her wrists to push more hair back and turned to her husband, who was leaning against the doorframe watching her.“Get the turkey carved, please,” she said in a clipped tone.“Sure, since ye asked so kindly,” Alex replied cheerfully.“Don’t....

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“The Headless Visitor” by Serenity Cundiff

Submitted to Contest #17

The dining room was full of laughter as the family passed around plates of food. The mother had made a mother-watering meal that the kids would no doubt enjoy. As the kids sat down, the mother raised her hand, stopping them. “Not yet, we are still waiting on my friend.” The kids groaned with displeasure, they really didn’t want to wait. It looked so good, and the steam rising from their plates was enough to make them drool. “Maybe, um, she’s running late.” The son said. “Yeah, “ the daughter pitched in, “Or maybe she can’t make it. It’d be a...

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“Skeletons” by Alicia Trevino

Submitted to Contest #17

It isn’t like they were having a nice time. They all know it. They’re sitting around the oak, dinner table ogling the delicacies set before them. Mother always thinks it’s the best idea to set up a dinner feast so fancy that you can’t tear your eyes away from it. Airily she would wave her hand and say, ”Margo, if I have to look at your brother's face one more time I shall throw up in that wastebasket over there. Put the fine china out.” Does she have the right to complain about her mother’s wishes?So she put the fine china out and ...

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“GHOSTLY THANKSGIVING” by Margie Ricca

Submitted to Contest #17

When ghosts showed up at my house for Thanksgiving dinner, I didn’t mind. I invited them. I have haunted this house for many years, although at the present time it is vacant. People don’t tend to stay long once I begin my ghostly pranks. Every year, all of the ghosts go separate ways to haunt some family’s Thanksgiving celebration. I thought this year, we should celebrate Thanksgiving by getting together at my house to swap stories of our most memorable or fun hauntings and talk about what we are going to haunt for Christmas, so we all met h...

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“What They Never Expected” by Brittany Minocha

Submitted to Contest #17

The saying goes, ‘expect the unexpected.’ But when it really happens, no one knows what to do or say when the unexpected shows up. They just stare, mouths agape with not a thought to their shocked minds. It was Thanksgiving Dinner, and my mother had invited both sides of the family to join us. Aunt’s Uncles, Cousins, Sister, Brothers, and the like. My mother was bringing out dishes and dishes with food; turkey, ham, stuffing, gravy, potatoes etc. The chatter of people quickly filled the whole house; laughter, and excitement. A true family g...

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“ All His Children” by C. Freshour

Submitted to Contest #17

It was a typical evening for Terry Gind; he sat in his favorite rocker in the living room after a very modest supper, looked into space with seemingly worlds of thought spinning in his head while the only sound in the room was the constant ticking of the old table clock on the television. He sometimes gazed out the window; the sun was setting much earlier now that it was November. At 5 o'clock it was already starting to get dark in the peaceful neighborhood where he had lived for 50 years. Terry was frail now, in body and min...

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“The Unexpected East-Ender” by Rose Leven

Submitted to Contest #17

Maybe, just maybe, Lily thought, if I sit here long enough I really will sink into the sofa. Still, maybe it was better to get it all out of the way in one go. If her parents insisted on coming to visit maybe it was better that it coincided with getting a bollocking from the head of Finance and then missing missing her bus, leading to a mad dash across London to be home in time. She’d only just had time to shimmy into acceptable clothes (“Honestly, Lilian. A lady needn’t look so dowdy just because she’s decided to enter the workplace.”,...

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“You, Me, Us, and Them” by Megan Rosevear

Submitted to Contest #17

"Jenna?""Yeah?""Door!""Gimme a- ah!" Jenna said, her shriek being cut off by a giggle. The five-year-old boy cradled in her lap sported a toothless smile and the biggest brown eyes she'd ever seen. "You weasel, don't pinch me! Pinching hurts, dude..."The boy erupted into more laughter, clinging to her as she tried to rise to her feet."Tash, help!" Jenna said, trying and failing to keep her balance while fifty pounds of dead weight toppled her over. From her vantage point on the bed, Tash looked quite cozy with her legs loosely crossed."Nah,"...

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“Well, that was something.” by Leaf Austen

Submitted to Contest #17

I let out a soft sigh as I turn off my car. I’m here. I never really liked these ‘family’ dinners, it almost always consists of someone getting drunk and starting something with someone before we were even done with the main course. There’s usually yelling, and the occasional spillage of food or drinks, sometimes staining an expensive suit or blouse. It’s a disaster really. I doubt this one will be different, but I couldn’t say no to my mother, I’ve never been able to say no to her. I pull the bottle of apple cider from the passenger seat an...

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“The Best Gift Ever” by Maggie McVey

Submitted to Contest #17

Ding! The phone on the counter chimes with a new text. Cara wipes her hands on her pants and picks up the device. The word "Lover" shows, telling her the text is from her husband. "All clear?" the text reads. Then, Cara hears the sound of the garage door opening and a car pulling up the driveway. Cara sends a thumbs up and quickly discards her phone to the side. Cara places the final strawberry on her three-tiered chocolate cake and steps back to look over her creation. It's not a traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but she's proud of her mast...

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Write a story about a family dinner that includes someone unexpected showing up.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 80 stories

“The Dinner Guest” by Jason Burchfield

“A Bright Surprise” by Alyssa Shields

“Cuts” by Mike Garrigan

“Where Have You Been?” by Dianne Bramble

“Daath comes calling” by PETER Inserra

“A Feast for Crowns” by A.B.B. Olson

“The Headless Visitor” by Serenity Cundiff

“Skeletons” by Alicia Trevino

“GHOSTLY THANKSGIVING” by Margie Ricca

“What They Never Expected” by Brittany Minocha

“ All His Children” by C. Freshour

“The Unexpected East-Ender” by Rose Leven

“You, Me, Us, and Them” by Megan Rosevear

“Well, that was something.” by Leaf Austen

“The Best Gift Ever” by Maggie McVey

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a family dinner from the perspective of an in-law who's married into the family.

Write a story about a "chosen family" dinner, where no one is related by blood, but they still feel like family.

Write a story about a family dinner that takes place in any time period other than the present.

Write a story about a family dinner that involves some kind of reconciliation.

Contest #17

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

213

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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