First up, a bit of administrative duties — for the last flash fiction challenge I was to pick a random participant to receive an Art Harder mug or e-book? The winner on that one was Ashley Lorelle. Ashley, you should email me at terribleminds at gmail dot com.
Now: time for the actual flash fiction challenge.
I love the concept of the “War on Christmas.” I don’t mean that I like the actual faux-bullshit “war,” I mean, I like that term.
I want you to use that term literally.
I want you to write a war about — or even against — Christmas.
Or, really, any winter holiday that tickles your fancy. Hanukah, Solstice, Kwanzaa, whatever. Hell, all of ’em wrapped up in one.
Interpret that as you see fit.
You’ve got the traditional 1000 words.
Post online, then link to it in the comments.
You’ve got one week: till Friday the 21st at noon EST.
I’ll pick a random participant to receive a… random holiday gift from yours truly.
64 responses to “Flash Fiction Challenge: “The War On Christmas””
Idid a Holiday card with this theme a few years ago. It’s too long (2000 ws) to qualify, but I submit it for your enjoyment
http://www.baddaystudio.com/harbinger.html
I loved that, especially the part about “…communication itself becoming decorative and ornamental?” You pretty much nailed it.
Thanks for sharing!
Howdy. Been way too long, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Here’s my submission:
Jack vs. Christmas
http://lindsaymawson.blogspot.ca/2012/12/flash-fiction-challenge-49-war-on.html
Weird. I actually feel dirty after writing this one. I don’t know how to feel about that. That’s actually kind of awesome.
http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1908446-The-War-on-Christmas
Wow, that was a major twist Jenn! I like it 😀
I’ll second Tami on that! Had to read the last part twice!
That was brilliant!
That was delightful.
Wow. That was dark, but brilliant. Great job!
http://www.tamiveldura.com/2012/12/winter-war.html?zx=a933fc4fbb1761e2
I present Jack Frost’s Winter War.
This was beautiful! I really loved it 🙂
It wasn’t written specifically for this challenge, but this story I wrote a couple of weeks ago seems to fit the theme.
http://narratorium.com/2012/12/06/good-tidings/
[…] Wendig is having a flash fiction contest. 1,000 words on the “War on Christmas” could win you free swag. Writer’s swag! Here’s my entry. Hope you enjoy […]
http://instoryland.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/the-santa-nik-flash-fiction/
The Santa Nik, we all need someone to believe in.
That’s my kind of story. I enjoyed it.
I liked this, quite alot 🙂
This wasn’t the story I’d intended to write, not by far. But after today it was the one I needed to write, so I scrawled it out. Maybe I’ll put another one together later in the week how I’d planned this morning. For now I’m satisfied with this one.
http://www.jqpdx.com/2012/12/15/the-mission/
I really enjoyed reading The Mission. Great work!
This was great, I really loved the sense of mystery. Very nice job!
This is the first writing I have done for years. I had forgotten how extraordinarily pleasurable it is when all the words come together. I already want to do it again…
http://bluelynx.blog.com/2012/12/15/the-list/
That was great, thanks for sharing!
That was excellent. Well done!
I wrote a story a couple of years ago that fits that theme pretty well — not with Christmas, but with another winter holiday. I’m sure it’s not eligible for the gift draw since it wasn’t written specifically for this, but I thought I’d share it anyway for anyone who’s interested: http://lynnalandstreet.com/stories/disablot
I went a little off topic so I probably won’t win. But I should get a button for showing up.
http://www.jonah2eight.blogspot.com/2012/12/time-for-birch.html
Off-topic or not, that was brilliant. I loved it!
[…] For this challenge Chuck wanted us to write about the war on Christmas. I don’t care if you believe it or not–there is one. To read more, peek in your stocking here: Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge: The War On Christmas […]
I’m back–by popular demand!
Or maybe it was popular demand that caused me to disappear ever so briefly. In any event, I truly am best in small doses, which also explains why I like to write short fiction.
I have two entries here for your reading…pleasure. I want to tell you that I come at this from the perspective that there really is a war on Christmas, and it will only escalate.
Tell Santa What You Want
This second one doesn’t count, I wrote it about 2 years ago, and tweaked it a bit for this, but this is the first time I’ve published it on my blog. If you like it, you are as wrong in the head as I am.
One Night During Kwanzaa
So…Merry Christmas.
You and I had a similar take, @oldestgenxer. I like it.
I make it a rule to never read any of the stories until AFTER I have posted mine. When I read yours, my jaw actually dropped open. I could have used your character–
Too funny, too awesome.
[…] of its ditch and write some Flash Fiction. Specifically, I’ve written a piece of Fiction for the Terribleminds.com Friday Flash Fiction Challenge. In Chuck’s own words… “I love the concept of the “War on Christmas.” I don’t mean that […]
Here’s mine, hope you like it. I feel a little out of practice.
Where Elfs Dare – http://writewayround.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/flash-fiction-where-elfs-dare/
Thanks
Hmmm… I should thank you. Inspiring something truly giggly sick.
Peter’s Pains
http://wp.me/pJy7b-4O
Here’s my entry – Christmas Is Hell!
http://philnorris63.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/chuck-wendig-flash-fiction-challenge-war-is-hell/
[…] wanted a war on Christmas. Be careful what you wish […]
“War on Christmas.” They keep using that word. I don’t think it means what they think it means.
http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2012/12/17/flash-fiction-the-war-on-christmas/
I liked that a lot. It was very evocative and (I mean this in the BEST way) it put in my a bit of a World of Warcraft space for a bit there!
[…] This one is fun. I’ll have mine posted in the next day or so. […]
[…] May God has as much mercy on your soul as he has on ours…. *** (Story inspired by/written for Chuck Wendig’s “War on Christmas” flash fiction challenge. Concrit […]
This one spoke to me immediately. Somewhat hilariously, I was thinking literal just from the title before I read the challenge. So here’s my attempt, “For the Greater Good”: http://itt.ymakadomain.com/?p=46
A winter campaign, waged every year. Here’s “Jinglebell” for your reading pleasure.
http://knotachance.tumblr.com/
What will the displaced do to survive? “Old Gods, New Faces”
http://wp.me/p2WVLl-1C
The first thing I thought when I read your writing prompt was “We always expected the fall of Christmas to come from the secularists. We never expected the real trouble to come from within.” So that became the first line. And so “The Civil War on Christmas” was born.
887 words. I didn’t do bad reigning it in this time.
http://whirlingnerdish.blogspot.com/2012/12/flash-fiction-challenge-civil-war-on.html
That was frickin’ great! Very clever and I LOVE the last line!
Yikes. Long-time visitor, first-time ‘Flasher.’ (You know what I mean.)
I won’t say, “be kind,” or anything. I’ll only say, it’s a couple-hundred words too long and it’s my first one and I hope it’s not offensive.
NERVOUS.
K, here t’is: http://itsfamilyjules.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/flash-fiction-challenge/
Jules. That was awesome. Great concept, fun execution. I’m so glad I came back to read this.
Thanks! Yours was wonderfully written and kinda freaked me out, lol!
Nicely done! I greatly enjoyed it.
Thanks!
Okay, this sort of felt like a disaster but I’m going to roll with it anyway. Not my best flash fiction, but I had fun writing it. The challenge prompt itself is absolutely wonderful!
War on Christmas in the Streets: http://www.humming-rain.com/2012/12/19/flash-fiction-war-on-christmas-in-the-streets/
That thing down there, about “cute,” and “smile?” That was meant for you. 🙂
Aw, thanks so much!
I thought it was very cute! Totally made me smile 🙂
Written at the end of November – Christmas Lights:
http://chriswhitewrites.com/2012/11/26/christmas-lights/
Mad Santa and Mistress Claus: http://www.pendemon.com/flash-fiction-operation-double-wrap/
can’t remember how to do this but I get it right.
At first didn’t have a clue what write but this is what I came up with.
Enjoy.
http://dreinmiller.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-war-before-christmas.html
[…] Link to Flash Fiction Challenge. […]
My take on it. http://evathereseebert.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/flash-fiction-challenge-the-war-on-christmas/
The Once-White Cloak: http://www.thewanderingstag.com/2012/12/the-once-white-cloak/
My first time posting, and I’m coming in just under the wire.
The Battle on Christ’s-Mass: http://captainecchi.livejournal.com/668460.html
Okay, a little rough but this is what I’ve got.
dreinmiller.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-war-before-christmas.html
http://razorwiretightrope.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/christmas-war/
Is it after noon? I’m in Fairbanks, Alaska and I can’t tell anymore. (Though it may not matter since this technically isn’t finished anyway: The Battle for Christmas: http://welltemperedwriter.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/the-battle-for-christmas/)
[…] I picked the random winner from the last challenge, “The War On Christmas.” […]
[…] on Livejournal, for Terrible Minds’ weekly flash fiction challenge, where the prompt was “The War on Christmas.” Here I am imagining an alternate history where the German states never became Christian. Small […]