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

Posted in Thanksgiving on Oct 26, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 80 stories

“Unpleasant Surprise.” by Shay Bush

Submitted to Contest #17

It's a chilly evening in November, everyone in the family is gathering around the table in the backyard; decored by some yellowish hanging lights across the yard, white cloth on the table, gold accents in the dishes. It's Thanksgiving, the turkeys are looking good, the scent of my father's pasta is in the air, the sound of wine glasses hitting around and the drunken laughs of everyone, as I am sitting on a couch a little distanced so I can admire the look of my family enjoying the occasion.It was the first time in a long time since all of us...

0 comments 0

Read story

“A Christmas Healing” by Jane Kelley

Submitted to Contest #17

Picture, if you will, a typical Hallmark Christmas Eve. Imagine yourself as an invisible observer, like Mr. Marley, peaking in on a gathering, from somewhere above. It has recently turned dark outside so the quaint lantern- like street lamps have just appeared, giving very little useful light, but a perfect ambiance to the evening ahead. On the door of the big old stucco home is a wreath with twinkle lights sparkling all around. The driveway and street around the home are full of vehicles as varied as the cha...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Evelyn's Seat ” by Sarah Paris

Submitted to Contest #17

Sludging through the drifting snow, Callie’s heart was filled with apprehension and sadness. She felt her foot slip, which caused her to squeeze the large cardboard box full of individual egg custards she carried with mittened hands a little tighter than the already near death-grip vise she had on it. It was her grandmother’s recipe after all. Thanksgiving would not be the same without her grandmother’s egg custard, and if they couldn’t have the woman herself there, they should at least have something that...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Thanksgiving Dinner – 2007” by Gaynor Jones

Submitted to Contest #17

Thanksgiving Dinner – 2007 We are Canadian; we celebrate our Thanksgiving in October. The family is having supper at mom and dad’s house. There will be nine of us all sitting around the table enjoying a roasted capon and all the fixings for dinner. Mom and dad have worked hard all day cooking all the food. Mom went out and purchased a capon a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving and put it in the freezer. A capon is bigger than a chicken but smaller than a turkey. The day before our get-together she removes it to thaw out. She gets it r...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Dinner With Dinah” by Hance Theodore

Submitted to Contest #17

The aroma of Mom’s famous three beans rice and stewed pork fill the room, and with it, comes a sudden rush of joyous childhood memories. Dad expresses his disappointment with my wife and kids not being able to make it, after I had explained they were visiting their grandmother. He then quickly goes on to insist we hold hands and say grace before we partake in the delicious spread laid out before us. I take a peek through one eye as dad says grace, and see Dinah, my eldest sister, fidgeting nervously in her seat, as my other sister, Anissa, t...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Lance and Dale” by Karen Waugh

Submitted to Contest #17

As a father, you want what's best for your children, even when they are grown and on their own. Isn't it true that a good dad puts his own needs secondary to what's important to his children? Doesn't he keep his promise and show up everyday? If love cannot be said in words, sometimes actions speak in ways that words cannot.My own dad showed me love in my life and I grew up knowing I was cared for. Sometimes a man doesn't follow his good dad's good example though. In spite of the fact I have my father's blue eyes, I don't see life in the same...

0 comments 0

Read story

“And you can't stay” by Anie Doe

Submitted to Contest #17

This was exactly one of the mornings when I woke up startled, almost jumped up because the light entering the room told me that it was later than it should be. With my heart pounding I check the phone. It is 10am. I let the head fall on the pillow again and try to straighten my thoughts before I start panicking. “It is not as bad as it might seem. I will not manage to clean the apartment, but well, it hasn’t been cleaned for a fortnight, so one more day is not going to make much difference. If I leave before midday, I will still manage ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Hearth and Home” by Rachel Clark

Submitted to Contest #17

The embers in the hearth illuminated cyclically, a repetitive glowing and dimming that demonstrated the cruel ease of nature to give warmth and light and in equal time take it away. The comforts of the world are ephemeral, an introduction always to the inevitable absence of the feelings of safety and belonging. To Sophia, the warmth radiating from a fire was associated with the cooling coals, after being snuffed out. “Sophia, focus on your task. I need you to set the table for our esteemed guest,” Madame Lorna insisted. ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Redamancy ” by Amara Morena Bennett

Submitted to Contest #17

Grandmother's house was filled with fresh smells of honey crusted turkey, and fresh baked sugar cookies spaced neatly around caramel dipped apples. The strongest smell was my fathers’ thick homemade apple cider. The vibrant smells drifted from the dining room to the front window. Outside slowly made its way, under the door, to me. Thanksgiving was a time to be grateful for what you have. My nieces and nephews ran through the living room chasing paper planes, while grandma sat in the rocking chair by the rustic wood stove trying to hide...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Cacophony” by Jaclyn Canada

Submitted to Contest #17

Heat visibly rises off the Hawaiian Sweet Rolls as I take them out of the oven. I can smell the slight tinge of bitterness that suggests I should have taken them out a minute or so before. While I may be a guy with many talents, I was placed on bread duty because my cooking abilities are right on up there with my ability to be invisible…which is to say, non-existent.My sister, on the other hand, was graced with a skill in the kitchen that I’ll never be able to compete with. Not that I enjoy cooking enough to ever try. I also don’t make a hab...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Unexpected Visitors ” by Kim Nickolopoulos

Submitted to Contest #17

The Unexpected Visitors “Hey can you pour me some more wine please” I asked. My husband grabbed my glass filled and handed it back to me taking the knife from hand. “Why don’t you sit and take a break I’ll finish up” he kissed me and swatted my butt as I passed. It was going to be just the two of us this Thanksgiving no family no friends. This was our first Thanksgiving without my dad, who passed this last January. We didn’t want a traditional turkey dinner we decided on filet mignon and some veggies. We would toast ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Yum gobble gobble went Jake...” by Matthew Harris

Submitted to Contest #17

His beady eyes espied Jenny. She snood out amidst flock. They got hatched and raised in close proximity. Hens, no surprise when figurative young Turks spent entire growing years together, they developed mutual attraction for each other. Thus come Thanksgiving holiday months later, they fluffed respective tail feathers, which obvious amorousness ran a fowl regarding grown turkeys ill fated cruel fourth Thursday of November.Such overt displays of attraction did not go unnoticed! Quite the contrary! Diligent paragon of organic farming herbi...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Solamidorela” by Ovidiu Bocsa

Submitted to Contest #17

That day, a pretty young lady held a suitcase in one hand, and in the other hand a five-year-old girl, tired and bumpy, who at her turn had a rather heavy bag. They stopped. They stopped next the block where old Adam lived. He stared at the window, not knowing how to spend his time when the young Adam was missing, whom he argued as usual: "He said he came today and he did not come. What annoying boy! He's always late when I need him. Is he still in the queue for milk? Long queue! "Then he changed his mind. He knew the young Adam was a loyal ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“A Thanksgiving Turkey or a Fox: A Thanksgiving Dinner To Remember” by Thomasina Rushing

Submitted to Contest #17

Every year at Thanksgiving the family would always try to come together to eat Thanksgiving dinner. Some family members make it while others cannot get out of work time because of work schedules. It is one of my favorite holidays because it is a time to give thanks for everything. Well one year my mother shared a story with us about a Thanksgiving Hoke’s played on her by her father. My grandfather loved to go hunting and that Thanksgiving he was especially exited to feed his family. They thought that he went out and caught a turkey for Thank...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Dining in Family - Funny short story” by Jose Adams

Submitted to Contest #17

Josh had just waxed his new Harley; the rays of sunshine highlighted the perfection of his mechanical engineering miracle. He had finally managed to complete the money to buy it and would finally meet his girl's family today. What better way to impress her and her family than to show them his most treasured acquisition.He finished rubbing the imperceptible dust motes delicately. As he caressed the leather seat, he remembered the secret the seller had shared with him: "always save a little Vaseline for the upholstery, that will keep it as new...

0 comments 0

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

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

Thanksgiving – 33 stories

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

Holiday – 40 stories

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

Historical Fiction – 30 stories

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

Nonfiction – 30 stories

Contest #17

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: All the Fixin's

$50

Prize money

213

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 29, 2019 EST

Won by Ian Gonzales 🏆

Title: No Place Special

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 80 stories

“Unpleasant Surprise.” by Shay Bush

“A Christmas Healing” by Jane Kelley

“Evelyn's Seat ” by Sarah Paris

“Thanksgiving Dinner – 2007” by Gaynor Jones

“Dinner With Dinah” by Hance Theodore

“Lance and Dale” by Karen Waugh

“And you can't stay” by Anie Doe

“Hearth and Home” by Rachel Clark

“Redamancy ” by Amara Morena Bennett

“Cacophony” by Jaclyn Canada

“The Unexpected Visitors ” by Kim Nickolopoulos

“Yum gobble gobble went Jake...” by Matthew Harris

“Solamidorela” by Ovidiu Bocsa

“A Thanksgiving Turkey or a Fox: A Thanksgiving Dinner To Remember” by Thomasina Rushing

“Dining in Family - Funny short story” by Jose Adams

🌟 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 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: