The Friday Challenge - 12/4//09

Looks like we've got a pretty good turn out for our Second Annual Thanksgiving Story challenge. So, let's take a look at the tryptophantasies entered for this week. (Honesty compels me to admit that Vidad coined the word "tryptophantasies," I just used it in print first.)

Miko - Thanks Given

Topher - The Dinner

Passinthrough - Thanksgiving with the in-laws

The rest of the entries can be found at drop.io.

torainfor - Sufficiency Day

Arisia - Thanksgiving 2039

As always, even if you haven't submitted an entry this week—even if you never submit an entry in any week—you're invited to read, comment on, and vote for your favorite. Don't be shy about leaving feedback on the authors' sites, either. Writers thrive on knowing that someone out there is actually reading their words. The winner will be announced on Sunday.

By the way, I'm going to start clearing out files from drop.io on Sunday morning. If you didn't save a copy of something you placed there, let me know so I don't delete it!

And now for this week's challenge.

Letters to Santa

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Anyone who's gone to any kind of department store in the last month knows that the Christmas season is in full swing. Retailers have had Santa Claus waiting to exchange a few of your hard earned dollars for a photo op, colored lights are up through out the stores and malls and Christmas music has been playing since the Halloween displays were removed.

Yes, 'tis the season for crowds and shopping and forced good cheer and spending money. There's even some mention of the birth of the Christ in there, too. At least, I think that's still part of the holiday. And who could forget the cynicism the holidays bring out? But what I'm writing about is Christmas from an adult point of view, minus all the magic and wonder that makes it such a great holiday for children.

The challenge for this week is to cast aside your inner cynic and dig deep to remember the child you once were. I want you to channel that child, to remember the magic of Christmas, to believe in the fat man in the red suit, reindeer and all. And then I want you to write a letter to Santa.

You can write anything you want, ask for anything you want, discuss any topic you want. As long as it's something the magic of Christmas and Santa can bring or do, you'll be fine. You can ask for things a child would want or things an adult would want.

As usual, we're playing for what's behind Door #3.

Ready? Set. Write!