Write a short story about a work Christmas party that goes... awry.

Posted in Winter on Nov 1, 2022

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✍️ 27 stories

“This Simple Phrase” by Oceania Chee

Christmas Eve, the pop of a champagne bottle followed by a resounding cheer, one voice louder than the rest. Where you are is the glass-walled corner of an open-plan office space, colored in neutrals and grays on all sides in the style of what the CEO’s wife thinks is minimalism. Imagine setting down a little bystander on Google Earth, peeping through windows and open doors. Imagine seeing you leaning against the wall adjacent to floor-to-ceiling glass; lanky, slightly lackluster, not quite thirty yet but not quite 20 ...

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“I Shouldn't Be Here” by Kaylee Tinsley

Should I go? Should I stay? I’ll go. I’ll go out of respect. My boss so kindly planned the party, so I’ll go. I’ll stay for two hours. An hour and a half? No. Two hours. I’ll go. &nbs...

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“My Brother's Gut Is Never Wrong” by Leya Newi

I stared at all the people. All I wanted was to go home. It was Christmas Eve for goodness sakes! Mom was busy though, and Dad was too. And Mom wouldn’t let me stay home alone. She said it was too ‘dangerous.’ Wow, Mom. Way to put your trust in me. Mom was ignoring me, as usual, but still I had to sit here while she wor...

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“We wish you a merry doomsday” by Marte Van Der Linden

There had been some discussion about the dress code for the Christmas party. Mike from Financial Exploitation had suggested ugly Christmas sweaters but he had been shouted down by the eco-conscious millennials from Propaganda. Jess from Inhuman Resources was all for science fiction, Dylan from Nuclear Acquisitions wanted horror, and Ana from Hacking said they might as well drop the dress code altogether because there was no way in hell she would change out of her ripped jeans and oversized hoodie anyway. In the end, word had come down fro...

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“Love On West 4th Street by Patric Quinn (Word Count: 1900)” by Patric Quinn

&nb...

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“The Christmas Lights” by Audrey Lininger

I do love the lights. The blinking lights you see during the holidays. They fill my heart with glee. I may sound childish, and maybe I am, but there is not a happier feeling than waking up on Christmas morning and tearing open the presents under the tree.But today, the glee was different. My pulse screamed in my ears. What was this? This want. No, this need.The clinking of a utensil against a glass pulled me away from my thoughts. "I thank all of you for coming tonight." Mr. Christopher said. The CEO of the company, I have a...

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“Work-off” by Amanda Mnguni

Work-off"That's a nice outfit you got there Mrs Taylor"His voice echoed through the hall. I turned to look at him "Oh thank you Mr Evans"That was awkward. The boss has never complimented anyone-or so I thought,and I'm so much happily married."Let me get back to the uhmm to everyone"He turned on his black shiny shoes walking up to where everyone was.Awkward!I looked at the beautiful view just on the balcony. It was so beautiful to watch,the start...

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“Last Party at the Argus” by Deborah Mercer

It is a truth we probably ought to acknowledge that if an office has never established the tradition of a Christmas party, then there’s possibly a very good reason for it. The staff at the office of the East Counties Argus (which was still surviving though there was talk that it might have to be made into a fortnightly rather than a weekly publication) weren’t a po-faced posse of the successors of Scrooge. They exchanged Christmas cards, which were strung up on green ...

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“The Naughty List” by Emilie Conroy

Anders rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Maxine was knocking on his door, looking in all ways like her night had been anything but silent. "I thought you'd find your way here." “Humbug.” Maxine crossed her arms. "Maxine, the stupid production assistant." "After you disappeared from the party everybody got kind of worried.&nbs...

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“A Pair of Black Heels” by Samantha Russell

The oven clock read 5:02 and the smoke alarms blared. I had managed to burn yet another casserole. My mother used to make them constantly, specifically for our family’s annual Christmas Eve gathering, and I always watched in speculation. With my mother in mind, I had wanted to cook up a casserole for my work’s Christmas party. The wait staff at Higgin’s, a low-key brunch diner, planned to all meet up at coworker Charlie Zeatod’s house for a little holiday bash. Everyone wa...

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“The Fight Before Christmas” by Gary Phillips

This was not the first Christmas party Sienna attended at Frost Payments. She accepted the position as Director of the Underwriting Department four years ago and had attended every party since. It was the only time she could recall that an office party had broken down into a physical altercation. Sure there had been wars of words aplenty at other gatherings, but guests had kept enough sense to rein their darker impulses in before matters got personal. It didn’t surprise Sienna in the slightest that it was Craig an...

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“O Holy Night” by Tommy Fox

“Breaking News: yet another death has occurred this week, marking this the seventh of the month. Twenty-year-old Margaret Bell was found poisoned inside her own house last Saturday night. Police were called into the scene when neighbors reported the—” “Oh turn that off, will you?” Mia sa...

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“Hedonist, Inc.” by Sjan Evardsson

As much as I hated these things, I found myself at another Hedonist, Inc Christmas blowout. The company’s real name is HedoLine, Inc, but I’ve called it the other way since the first party I attended here. It was a booze-fueled night of inappropriate jokes, kiss and grope, and indiscrete lavatory hookups.Around me the others came in, dropping off the normal “party supplies.” Assorted finger foods, seven bottles of high-grade liquor, a case of energy drinks, a bowl of cannabis edibles (a staple since legalization), and The Punch Bow...

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“The Christmas Party” by Mei Joan Guyll

The Christmas Party‘It’s the same old same old every year,’ Jemima, from the typing pool moaned.‘What? Pub lunch and cheap crackers?’ Lynn, the receptionist sneered.‘Considering that we all still have a job, I’m not complaining,’ old Mr Thomas, the security guard commented in passing.However, on the day that they were all told to assemble at the ground floor of their 10 storey building, everyone was talking.‘This isn’t normal is it?’ Lynn nudged Jemima.‘No, can’t say it is. Gawd, I hope they’re no...

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“All I want for Christmas... ” by Nathan Agustin

“Father! Father!” a little boy called. He scampered his little feet across the hall and into his father’s office. Once he opened the door, he found no one but a string of holly, garland, and a beautiful deer statue and could only hear the distant tolling of Christmas bells. No sign of his dad anywhere inside. He pouted and walked away. Before his tiny little toes could hit the ground once more,...

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Title: This Simple Phrase

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Write a short story about a work Christmas party that goes... awry.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 27 stories

“This Simple Phrase” by Oceania Chee

“I Shouldn't Be Here” by Kaylee Tinsley

“My Brother's Gut Is Never Wrong” by Leya Newi

“We wish you a merry doomsday” by Marte Van Der Linden

“Love On West 4th Street by Patric Quinn (Word Count: 1900)” by Patric Quinn

“The Christmas Lights” by Audrey Lininger

“Work-off” by Amanda Mnguni

“Last Party at the Argus” by Deborah Mercer

“The Naughty List” by Emilie Conroy

“A Pair of Black Heels” by Samantha Russell

“The Fight Before Christmas” by Gary Phillips

“O Holy Night” by Tommy Fox

“Hedonist, Inc.” by Sjan Evardsson

“The Christmas Party” by Mei Joan Guyll

“All I want for Christmas... ” by Nathan Agustin

🌟 Similar prompts

You live in a neighborhood where lots of people go out of town for the holidays. But lately, this has been resulting in an increased number of break-ins.

Just before Valentine's Day, a long-lost relative you've never heard of enters your life.

Write a short story about an inn-keeper wondering whether this will be their last holiday season in business.

You are a bartender working a night shift when a group of people come in on a Valentine's Day pub crawl.

Contest #21

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

174

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Tired of MS Word?

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