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CONTEST: Holiday Story Writing Contest
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Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Dec-12-2009 22:43

Holiday Story Writing Contest

Happy Holidays all!!

We're running a bit late, but as promised, here's one of the two contests sponsored by the people of Wish On a Star. Good luck, and enjoy!! ;-D

The Rules

They're fairly simple. You need to write a holiday story, using the requirements listed below. The *deadline for ALL entries is December 31, 2009 at 11:59PM (ie--server turnover).* Spelling, punctuation, and grammar, as always, do count (and will be looked at by the judges). No, it doesn't have to be set in the Noir-era necessarily (though that will probably earn you bonus points with the judges). And no, it doesn't have to be mystery- or Noir-themed for a plot (though again, if you do manage to work some element of that into your creation, all the better ;-). There is a *4000-CHARACTER limit* on all entries (ie--2 posts). And you're only allowed one entry per person/double. Other than that, sky's the limits. See? Piece of cake!! ;-D

Oh yeah...Remember those 'requirements' I mentioned before? There's two small components that you MUST include in your story. (Well, we couldn't make things THAT easy for ya, now could we?? ;-)

Requirement A:

You MUST include ONE (or more) of the following holidays in your story, and build your story round that/those day(s):

Hanukkah
St. Nicholas' Day (and NO, this isn't Christmas, it's Dec. 6)
Bodhi Day (Buddhist holy day in India, Dec. 8)
St. Stephen's Day (Dec. 26)
Boxing Day (also Dec. 26)
Kwanzaa
Chinese New Year
Muharram (Islamic New Year)
Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year's Day
Ashura (Islamic holy day, on the 10th day of Muharram)
New Year's Day (Western world â€" Jan. 1)
St. Basil's Day (Jan. 2)
Epiphany (usually about Jan. 6)
Lohri (Hindu holy day -- the Bonfire festival)
Pongal (Hindu holy day of thanksgiving)
Australia Day (Jan. 26--Just for Squirrel ;-D )
Losar (Tibetan [Buddhist] New Year)

Yeah, I know. What the....?? It gets better. ;-D

Replies

Molly Maltese
Molly Maltese
Old Shoe

Dec-15-2009 03:15

It started with the cat.
It is widely recognized that black cats crossing your path are an omen of bad luck to follow, but it doesn’t take a genius to realize that an irate cat with store-bought plastic reindeer antlers tied to its skull probably symbolizes a holiday-related brand of bad luck . And indeed it did. For no sooner had I gotten home when I found a note taped to my door, signifying that not one, but twelve days of torment were to come, in the form of the loving and ‘creative’ attentions of my then boyfriend, Victor. It read, ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME…and the second half of the message was on the other side of the door. Immediately the monstrosity had leapt for me and I reflexively fired a shot before turning on the lights.
“What in the world?” I asked myself, as I saw what appeared to be an enormous inflatable palm tree leaning drunkenly towards the wall, while a google-eyed rubber chicken dangled limply from one of the fronds, affixed to the tree by a strand of now-ruined lights. I neared the unfortunate poultry and saw a card extending from its neck, and turned it over.
A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE!
Right on cue, the phone rang. I reached round for it and held it to my ear, watching the tree slowly slide down the wall into a puddle of defeated synthetic fabric. The chicken stared up at me accusingly.
“Did you like it?” It was my then-boyfriend Victor. “I utilized all my ‘creativity to twist a traditional Christmas carol into a new and exciting piece!”
“Victor…forgive me if I am correct but you represented the metaphorical Jesus as a rubber chicken on a palm tree?”
“Don’t you love it?”
“Good night, Victor.”
The next morning, while having coffee and butter on rye toast, I opened the ice box to have two gigantic paper-mache turtledoves spring at me from where they had perched in wait on a carefully wrapped fruitcake that had been given to me by my grandmother (who insisted on dying her hair blue) just about a year ago.

Molly Maltese
Molly Maltese
Old Shoe

Dec-15-2009 03:17

In fact, that seemed to be the only contents of my icebox. I opened the pantry, but nothing but a pile of sad-look turnips had greeted my eyes.
On my way to the store, I passed my dear friend Anais as she sat in the park spinning a top and watching little Josee build a snowman. They improvised the nose with a tomato bought from the vegetable vendor on the corner, who was unfortunately fresh out of carrots, but did offer some potato pancakes and latkes made from an exotic strain of potato that was bright purple
And so it went. The next day, I awoke to find three hens adorned in tiny berets on my dining room table. The fourth day, I returned to my apartment to find a barbershop quartet singing a medley of Broadway tunes. To this day I still only vaguely understand the connection to ‘calling birds’. On the fifth day, five ring-shaped firecrackers lit up the New York sky from my lawn, severely irritating the fire department, and on the sixth day, my living room was turned into a madhouse of honking geese. The next day, swans had replaced the geese, and on the eighth day eight paper mache cows were being ministered to while my reindeer lawn ornament leaned drunkenly against the building. On the 9th and 10th days the same troupe of crossdressing dancers pranced and leapt about my apartment in ostentatious pairs of clown shoes, and on the 11th and 12th days, my neighbors complained as respective bands of drummers and pipers caused a cheery racket on the street. After the drummers, Victor came forth from the assembled crowd and approached me where I stood on the stoop.
“I hope you enjoyed this gift! Merry Christmas!” he said, kissing me on the cheek. I, furious at the horrible displays I had been subjected to for the past week and a half, narrowed my eyes and took an object from behind my back.
“By the way, I’m Jewish.” I said, and knocked him upside his fool head with my rusty heirloom, the family candelabra for Hanukkah, before stiffly making my way inside.

Molly Maltese
Molly Maltese
Old Shoe

Dec-15-2009 03:23

( A note: To avoid any confusion to anyone who read that and went "WTF?", the events are representative of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" carol, which is basically, 12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids-a-milking, 7 swans-a-swimming, 6 geese-a-laying, 5 golden rings, 4 calling birds, 3 french hens, 2 turtledoves and a partridge in a pear tree.

All those in turn are religious symbolism, and a partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus in that carol, for those who didn't understand that reference.

I just wanted to clarify, because I didnt even know what that song meant until I started rehearsing it for the choir concert this weekend. Happy holidays everyone!)

Inspector Yousuf Abdullah
Inspector Yousuf Abdullah

Dec-17-2009 01:18

It was new Al Hijra year when I went to a town I had never been before.
It was known for its weird culture and so I planned to pay a visit. Before that, I asked some people who had been there and they told me to meet the mayor of the city.
It was snowing heavily all the way.
As I reached the peripheral region in my car, I saw some snowmen without noses. Same time, I saw some children tomato fighting.
And as I was watching, one boy threw a tomato that got stuck into a snowman's face below the eyes. And I burst into a laughter, seeing a snowman with tomato nose.
I asked some people around for the whereabouts of the mayor and came to know that the mayor was known as the leader. Maybe they were tribal people.
I reached the street where the house of the leader was to be found and saw that a string holding twinkling lights was making the street bright.
I knocked on the door which was opened by a musketeer. To my amazement, there was a musketeer cat besides him, wearing antlers and holding a small knife.
I told the guard that I wanted to meet the leader and he took me in.
On my way, I saw a ten year old kid filling air into an inflatable palm tree.
After some chit chat with the leader, he asked me if I was good at hunting. I replied in positive. That's when he asked me to fight a wild drunken reindeer who was a threat to the town's safety.
I went to the forest next day and as soon as I saw the target, I aimed and shot my gun. The bullet broke through the skull of the animal.
I was taken back to the leader who gave me a pair of clown shoes to show his gratitude.
After that, we celebrated.
A troupe of dancers shooting firecrackers and some musicians playing the medley of Broadway tunes made such a scene that my head started spinning.
To relax myself, I went to roam around. I was walking when I smelled something weird. I followed the smell and reached the royal kitchen.
There was a pile of unpeeled turnips at the corner.
I smiled and stepped out.

Inspector Yousuf Abdullah
Inspector Yousuf Abdullah

Dec-17-2009 01:18

Some time later, I returned to the celebration site.
We were served dinner which consisted of some purple potato pancakes with a slice of rye toast.
After that, the leader asked me if I wanted to see their family treasure. I said it was alright. He told his man to show me the way.
As we entered the dark corridor, the man used the rusty candelabra to show me the way. I was taken into a room where he showed me a square egg with a nose and a spinning top. He opened the egg and inside were some old rusted valuables.
I was about to faint that time!
Next day, I planned to leave. I was walking through the town to reach my car when I heard some sounds from above. I looked up and saw a flock of honking geese were flying above me.
I shook my head and stepped forward.
Then, a cottage caught my attention. It was a small lonely cottage in that area. I advanced and knock on the door. And another nightmare!
A blue haired granny opened the door and asked what I wanted. I said I was just walking by and wanted to see what was going on there.
She nodded and told me to wait. I waited!
She came back soon with a fruitcake and told me that it was a year old and would bring luck to anyone who feeds it to a rubber chicken.
Now that was it!
Enough is enough!
I ran towards my car, hopped in and sped my way towards London.
That day, I promised myself never to go to that town full of psychos.

luc pfeiffer
luc pfeiffer
Red-Nosed

Dec-18-2009 01:02

WOW! Three terrific stories and not one laundry list between them! I am PSYCHED!!!!!!! Way to go guys! I guess someone really does want a Christmas goose...

Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

This reply has been deleted by a Moderator

Suzy Wong
Suzy Wong

Dec-21-2009 07:19

Shanghai 1938

Little Mei Ling couldn't believe it's Chinese New Year all over again. This signified her forth year at the orphanage. It was mid-afternoon and she made a snowman in the front yard by herself, just like what she saw as a young child in New York. Mei Ling forgot what should be used as a nose, and in the end decided on a tomato.

The ongoing Japanese invasion had bombs exploding every night, but the Chinese people continued to celebrate the most important day of the year as if nothing was happening. They even lit the small red Chinese firecrackers for luck, which to the little orphans' ears they sounded too much like the firearms. The orphanage workers were busy preparing for the festive treats. They peeled turnips and taros, and even slaughtered one of the geese they were raising, sending the rest of the flock honking madly. They offered a chicken in front of the ancestral altar, but due to the war they had to substitute fresh chicken with a rubber one.

A boy playing with a spinning top looked at what Mei Ling was doing and said, "That is a silly snowman!"

"It is as silly as the girl who made it!!" Another girl holding a cat added. She was trying to put onto the kitten the antler she stole from the Chinese medicine cabinet.

Mei Ling didn't say a word. She sang a medley of Broadway tunes she remembered to flush out the insults, and continued with what she was doing. The English songs didn't sit well with the rest of the kids and they started to throw stones at Mei Ling.

The headstrong girl ran out of the orphanage. She wanted to cry but swallowed her tears. Mei Ling continued to run and run, not caring where she was going. Soon enough, the girl landed herself in the French quarter of Shanghai. The sky was beginning to dim.

Suzy Wong
Suzy Wong

Dec-21-2009 07:22

Many foreigners have deserted the place due to the invasion. Mei Ling strolled down the abandoned street, and finally noticed a string of twinkling lights hanging by a window. Mei Ling put her face to the glass and looked inside. What she saw was a funny little paradise.

There was a miniature train set running through a model town. Figurines of a troupe dancers was twirling in the middle, and a clown with bright red shoes was giving balloons to miniature children figures on the side. A reindeer was drinking from a beer keg, while a Santa Claus was dancing with a polar bear. Little Mei Ling was absolutely enchanted by the miniature set.

Suddenly an old granny with a blue wig poked her head out from the other side of the window. Mei Ling was startled and ran. The old lady opened the window and called to the little Chinese girl. "Arrete! Mon cherie! Come! Come!"

Mei Ling looked around and saw the gentle face of the granny, who took off her blue wig and was beaming at the girl. "I have a lot of vood, come eate with me!" she said. Mei Ling stood on the street and thought for a while, and decided that she had nothing to lose. The brave little 10-year-old accepted the invitation and went inside.

The old French ladies' home was decorated with rusty candelabras and inflatable palm trees amongst other odd gadgets. Soon, the scent of roast beef from the oven filled the air. The lady had quickly prepared a basket of rye toast, a bowl of salad and some purple potato pancakes for the sudden company. "Mon cherie. Help yourself to some vood!" The old lady beamed, glad to finally have a guest in the house. "Just don't touch the fruitcake by the cupboard, it's been there for une year."

Mei Ling smiled and poured herself some milk. She happily ate the pancake and conversed with the old lady with the limited English she still remembered. For one short evening, two lonely souls spent the Chinese New Year in the war torn city together, oblivious to their own troubles.

Secret_Squirrel
Secret_Squirrel
Safety Officer

Dec-21-2009 22:19

lol sorry to say my little story turned out about 4 posts too long, lol, so well done to those who can keep their thoughts so concise :D

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