Write a short story about someone who does not spend December 31st celebrating New Year's Eve.

Posted in Winter on Nov 1, 2022

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✍️ 77 stories

“Happy New Year” by Bridgette Portman

Submitted to Contest #22

Civic Square. 12:00 a.m. Happy New Year.Blood-red ink. No signature. Fingerprints wiped clean.Officer Elsa Siward closes her eyes and sees the message etched behind them. She’s the only one taking the threat seriously. The rest think it’s a prank, a bluff, a waste of time. Or maybe they just don’t want to work on New Year’s Eve.Siward has a feeling about it, though. And she’s been on the job long enough to know she should trust her feelings.She takes a mental inventory of the town square. Women shivering in short dresses, crimson li...

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“Another sad year.” by Nermine Ben Hammadi

Submitted to Contest #22

Somewhere in our huge world, lived a twenty year old girl named Megan.What comes to mind when people think about twenty year olds is, partying, going to college, young love, living life to the fullest… But unfortunately Megan's life was nothing like that.When she was just 18 years old, she lost her precious mother to cancer..Ever since that devastating and shattering tragedy happened, Megan's life changed forever. Or better said, she stopped having a life at all.Her life came crawling down around her and everything was spiraling out of contr...

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“New Years I was Truly Alone” by Joanne Phanh

Submitted to Contest #22

It was 1980. We had yet another perfect New Year’s Eve. Sam picked me up at the front door. He came inside to greet my parents as usual. After Sam helped me on with my winter coat we said good evening to my parents and headed to the car. The gentleman he is, Sam opened the door and closed it after I was seated. He drove us to La Blanc, the ritziest place in town. Sam said he had 8 o'clock reservations. Sam was always punctual. We parked. Sam opened my car door and h...

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“Cheers. ” by Boston Chandler

Submitted to Contest #22

The ball drop is a wake up call. It’s December 31st soon to be January 1st. I’m drunk as a skunk and getting into my car. It’s North Georgia, there are a few bars and a small town with local businesses, a diner, and some roads, roads that wind and suddenly catch up to you, and when they do catch up, you have to wonder how long it’s been since you felt something, and if you took a right or a left at the fork. At least, that’s what I always wondered when I realized I was driving. Nowadays I drive and I don’t even think about it. It’s a se...

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“Year of Resurgence” by Brianna Savage

Submitted to Contest #22

To be honest, I never really understood the point of New Year’s Eve. I know that’s probably cynical, maybe a bit cliché, but to me it’s the truth.Who cares about party poppers, or fireworks? What’s the point? For that matter, what about that tradition from my family about stuffing twelve grapes into your mouth at midnight for luck?Why did that matter?In the end, one year just bleeds right into another, as long as you’re fortunate enough to be alive to see it.I suppose that was the draw - a new year means another chance to be a new you.Whatev...

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“Echoes: A New Year's Eve Memoir” by Sarah Poe

Submitted to Contest #22

It sounded like war. It sounded like a passing train. It sounded like popcorn. Yet, in a darkened room, a humming humidifier and a creaky rocker muted the explosions of light bursting in the new year. The woman whose tired legs pumped the chair to and fro could be called both a "young mother" and an "old mother". The oldest of her four boys attended the lowest grade in the public schools making her a mother of small children, a recent parent. However, the silver strands streaking her hair hinted that the approaching decade would kick of...

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“When Oliver Dropped the Ball” by Jillian Smart

Submitted to Contest #22

“I don’t really get why we can’t celebrate this year,” Eliza sighed, dropping defeatedly onto the couch and turning her eyes to the blank television in front of them. “We can’t even watch the Ball Drop?”“No chance,” huffed Oliver, his arms folded tightly over his chest. He was sitting quite stiffly on the other side of the couch, his legs outstretched to the coffee table and his gaze drifting absently to the frosted window of his apartment. On the bustling street eight floors beneath them, hundreds of eager, desperate, and perfume-drenched p...

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“"The Re-Play"” by Marisa Readus

Submitted to Contest #22

It's a beautiful Tuesday here in Dallas, TX as I prepare to head out to the store to grab some snacks. Luckily, traffic isn't it's typical clutter of a mess on the 75 so my commute should be a breeze.You see today is New Year's Eve so most people are off, and preparing to celebrate this ridiculous holiday. They plan for weeks, for one day and proclaim "New Year, New Life!" As though they've been dead throughout the entire year.They rant, on and on......... get drunk pass out only not to remember what happened the next day. It's the dumbest a...

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“Better than a new year” by Kristin DeLong

Submitted to Contest #22

She came running over to me, very excited. “Grandfather, Happy New Year!” she exclaimed and held out the cookie that was pressed tightly in her chubby little hand. “Thank you my dear,” I smiled as she placed the crumbling baked good into my weathered old palm. It was a simple recipe, one that we used often. The only difference is that it had been rolled up into a ball for the holiday. She quickly ran off to play with her friends, and I was left alone in my thoughts of the old days.We used to be a very greedy and selfish society, but Mother N...

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“millenia normalcy” by Mai Zhang

Submitted to Contest #22

The new year isn’t much of a celebratory event for me, hasn’t been for a long while. New year celebrations are just that - a party to begin a new year which, personally, I’ve always thought of as a sort of arbitrary designation. The new year could be any of the 365 days. Thinking on it more, I think a more accurate designation for a new year would be a birthday, since it’s celebrating actual new year of life. But none of that is important, and I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade. It’s a good enough excuse to have a few drinks and meet up...

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“Fifteen Minutes to Midnight” by Nicole Westerhouse

Submitted to Contest #22

11:45 p.m. Natalie walks through the litter of silver streamers and discarded discount beer cans. The sky is strangely bright for midnight, the wind whipping in the frenzy of a potential storm. The dark part of her hopes it rains. That the water floods the street, drowning the party mood of the city around her. Why should they be happy when she's not? She was supposed to get off of work at eleven, but the closing host, Skye, had an emotional breakdown and had to leave early. Amazing how Skye's fragile soul only ever seemed to fall ...

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“New Year's Eve Fiasco” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #22

I do not like New Year’s Eve. Why? I am often asked. There are times that I wish I had an excuse that would make people leave me alone. Reasons like my religion forbids it or it goes against my values. However, I have no valid excuse to not celebrate New Year’s Eve. I mean I do have an excuse…but it isn’t considered valid by anyone else but me. My life sucks. Not completely, but enough that celebrating New Year’s Eve is a joke. All these traditions and the last kiss at midnight or whatever. It is not worse my time and energy. I str...

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“The Cave ” by Naomi Hartrampf

Submitted to Contest #22

New Year's Eve was always a big thing in my house. there were huge parties - most of which I was too young to participate in. When I got older, about 18 or so, my parents kept having these parties and went to many themselves. I, on the other hand, stopped going as much. For the next twenty years I celebrated less and less. I just didn't understand it. I didn't understand the alcohol or the drugs or the parties. Instead, I've started to spend the 31st of December watching movies or hanging out with friends. This year, however, I took a trip...

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“The Lonesome New Year ” by Zoe Shafer

Submitted to Contest #22

Well, here I am again. New Year’s Eve. Another pointless holiday amongst other pointless holidays in a pointless life. Is it alright for me to say that this is my least favorite time of the year? Well, it is. It is a reminder that I am alone in the world and have to fend for myself. No family, no husband, just me. I sit in my apartment by myself watching everyone else’s happy faces scroll by on Facebook. They’ve gotten married. They have parents to return home to. They have a life. Me? No relationship has worked out. In fact, they’ve a...

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“Skipping New Years” by Richard Chamberlin

Submitted to Contest #22

There was no line for the late night flight, in fact Jace was surprised it hadn't been cancelled. That would have ruined his plans, to be sure. Instead he snuggled into his seat and cuddled his warm chai latte.It was only a day ago he was looking forward to the thrill of the ball drop in Times Square. That would have been with Debbie, who now likely was about to celebrate with his best friend Zach somewhere back east. On a whim he'd created a resolution - to skip New Years. Literally. Now he was about to make it...

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Write a short story about someone who does not spend December 31st celebrating New Year's Eve.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 77 stories

“Happy New Year” by Bridgette Portman

“Another sad year.” by Nermine Ben Hammadi

“New Years I was Truly Alone” by Joanne Phanh

“Cheers. ” by Boston Chandler

“Year of Resurgence” by Brianna Savage

“Echoes: A New Year's Eve Memoir” by Sarah Poe

“When Oliver Dropped the Ball” by Jillian Smart

“"The Re-Play"” by Marisa Readus

“Better than a new year” by Kristin DeLong

“millenia normalcy” by Mai Zhang

“Fifteen Minutes to Midnight” by Nicole Westerhouse

“New Year's Eve Fiasco” by Unknown User

“The Cave ” by Naomi Hartrampf

“The Lonesome New Year ” by Zoe Shafer

“Skipping New Years” by Richard Chamberlin

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a short story about a person who goes to bed on Valentine's Day and wakes up in 1920.

Write a short story about someone with unconventional New Year's traditions.

Two strangers meet at a New Year's Eve party. They spend the party together, and then never see each other again.

Write a short story in which the last line is the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve.

Contest #22

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

338

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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