Write about a family with a long-standing tradition, whose members all have conflicting origin stories for it.

Posted in Thanksgiving on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 60 stories

“Poker Night ” by Maria Bray

TW: spousal abuse Their dad had all taught them to play poker. When he died, twelve years ago, all six of them agreed to start assembling once a month for poker night. In his honor, as a way to stay connected. Jonathan lived in Eugene, Oregon and Gene lived 20 minutes south in Springfield so Jonathan would pick him up and the two would make the two and half hour trip to Coos Bay together. Jonathan, having a lead foot and zero fear, not only scared the living shit out of Gene but made the trek in well under t...

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“Fitting in with the Family” by LM Konkel-Dixon

No matter how hard he tries, Madoc still couldn't manage to fit in with the Goya family. Despite his relationship with Wesley being in a good place, he hasn't managed to reach the same level of eccentricity it takes to fit into his family. They were loud, out-spoken, brazen, and weird. Every reason was part of why he loved them all so much. From an outside perspective, the Goya family was a regular Addams family, but to ...

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“Origin of Species” by Joe Swanson

“I thought you told me he came from Poland.” “No, Austria technically. They were close, and when he moved to a part of town primarily inhabited by Polish immigrants, he went with the flow, easier, safer. His village was close to the border, they spoke the same language, easy default.” “Yes, but then it was not true. Claiming to be from one country when you are from another, seems fraudulen...

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“Tradition is Love” by Jess Mowdy

“Oma!” Julia’s pudgy little legs danced as her arms reached up to her grandmother. The old woman smiled brightly and picked up the toddler. “Oma Santa is coming soon! Daddy said he’s in the ocean right now.” Julia’s excitement filled the room with momentum. “Well, he won’t come unless you eat all your dinner and mind your manners. He will pass right by without a glance.” Uncle Oscar stood tall but the war left him...

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“The Sharman Tales” by Ishita Nigam

Jiya put the plates on their six-seater mahogany dining table. The overflowing sleeves of her tawny sequined gown got stuck between the table and the plates. At first, she thought of just giving in to the ire and yanking out the sleeve in one motion. Her friend, Maya, gawked at her from her chair, but Jiya ignored her.

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“Where GrandMama Sleeps” by Poweful Music

When I was brought into the world, novice and all, it was assigned to me a family of five turned six when chogo (lastborn) was born five years later after I. Life was big when I was small: our small kibanda (hut) near the never not smelly river seemed a mansion.The large population from non-stop procreation in the area allowed me to have as many alter egos; not being aware of what they called such places – rookeries, even worse, jhuggi.All houses, though we rambled on and on about living in the big city...

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“The Lotus Princess” by Harper Tzou

I was bemoaning the coming terrors of nightfall, all tragic and Shakespearian, when my phone, blasting the somber, violin-strung songs narrating my pity party, died. I groaned and plucked the headphones out of my ears, hoisted myself up, and rubbed bleariness out of my eyes as they focused on the imposing houses our car was speeding by. “Glad to see you back from the dead.” I had more than a couple photos of my mom’s teenage years that proved she had spent a good chunk of her high school career emulating the dead, a...

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“Sushi on Christmas Eve” by Susie Helme

Sushi take-away on Christmas Eve. It was the last minute manouevre of a desperate housewife in possession of a credit card, trying to give some happy spin to the bleakness of her new life. I swear. That was what it was. My family back home--Americans—we had always had such a rich tradition at Christmastime. For the whole of Advent, we kids would do ‘good deeds’ every day, and with each one we’d win a piece of stra...

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“What the Heart Wants” by Jac Mat

Momma thinks we all pack our things and go to Niagara Falls every year for July 4th just because we love her. Not saying I don’t love her. After all I still call her momma. But there’s no way in hell I’d drive my ass all the way up here from Wilmington North Carolina just to see my family and some water fall I’ve seen annually since my senior trip of high school. The same goes for my two sisters. My dad thinks we drive up...

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“The War Hero” by Theresa Bhowan

[A Father’s day tribute to my dad. This is the first year I face this day without you.]The origin story of our father’s scar is a long-standing family tradition that constantly ignites humour in its vast inconsistency. With three kids born in three different generations, we each heard a different story of how our dad got the scar. One thing was consistent in all its retellings though, and it was that he received this scar during a war.The perfectly round, dime-sized, shiny scar that was on the outer sid...

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“The Brain Freeze Tradition: A Raspberry Family Story” by Lyn Carstone

Raspberry House was buzzing with activity as everyone prepared for the first day of summer celebrations. Stella, along with a half dozen other family members were on ice cream making duty in the kitchen. A duty which Stella was already late for. “Stella!” Little Dorian barreled towards her. She caught him up in her arms. “Have you seen Aunt Raz? She was supposed to be back this morning but she’s not back a...

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“ A SONG FOR GALE” by Onyxx Moon

"It all began with her," Clodagh said in her usual intriguing way, "she washed up on the rocky shore, just below Finnegan's Point.."Sara could tell her friend Clodagh was winding up to begin the dramatic story of the person to whom the festival of Galen was named. This was the first time however, she had heard it surrounded by the origin place of the myth itself. Clodagh had listeners there on the train, mostly tourists traveling to the festival with ...

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“Phelan” by Laurence Tryon

“Ma, what was your dog’s name when you were little?” “T’was Phelan, Hun! Same as our current Phelan and countless other dogs through many generations of O’Donnells!” “Why are all our dogs always named Phelan?” “Ye can ask me Ma when she and Grand-da come over for dinner with Uncle Daffyd and Aunt Rosalie! Go on and play outside now. I’ve got me washing to do!” Mary shook her head as she watch...

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“Woody” by Gracie Jean

"I'll never let it happen, Woody," I said. Tears were running down my face and onto the pillow under my chin, betraying my life-long effort to conceal all emotions.But since there wasn't anyone in the room besides Woody, I didn't care. I was looking straight into his perfect, copper eyes, while he stared up an me from the floor, confused. I'm sure he was just as frightened by my behavior as I was about my family's disgusting traditions."I promise, boy. I don't think you understand, but you'll have to stay close to me."

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“Family Beef” by Ella Ryder

Why? Arguably, this is a question asked by everyone at some point in their lives, whether it’s used as a form of complaint or to declare an existential crisis. This was exactly what I asked myself as I watched little drops of blood trickle from my bottom lip and onto my white, Pink Floyd Tee. I reached for a tissue to tend to the indent my upper left canine had made in my lip, and where the evidence of the scene was still overflowing. I lightly dabbed the tender area and planned to apply some sugar afterward to stop the bleeding. My ...

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Write about a family with a long-standing tradition, whose members all have conflicting origin stories for it.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 60 stories

“Poker Night ” by Maria Bray

“Fitting in with the Family” by LM Konkel-Dixon

“Origin of Species” by Joe Swanson

“Tradition is Love” by Jess Mowdy

“The Sharman Tales” by Ishita Nigam

“Where GrandMama Sleeps” by Poweful Music

“The Lotus Princess” by Harper Tzou

“Sushi on Christmas Eve” by Susie Helme

“What the Heart Wants” by Jac Mat

“The War Hero” by Theresa Bhowan

“The Brain Freeze Tradition: A Raspberry Family Story” by Lyn Carstone

“ A SONG FOR GALE” by Onyxx Moon

“Phelan” by Laurence Tryon

“Woody” by Gracie Jean

“Family Beef” by Ella Ryder

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with a character having a premonition, but no one believes them.

Write about someone who’s desperately trying to change their luck.

Set your story on (or in) a winding river.

Write a story involving a character who cannot return home.

Contest #98

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

762

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: