50 Christmas Fiction Writing Prompts

50 Christmas Fiction Writing Prompts

The holidays are an inspiring time for writers. There’s something magical about Christmas that sparks our creativity and imagination. The twinkling lights, festive decorations, scrumptious treats, and spirit of giving all provide the perfect backdrop for heartwarming tales.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of 50 Christmas fiction writing prompts. These story ideas showcase the humor, wonder, family, and even mischief that make the holiday season so special. They range from Santa’s escapades gone wrong to Christmas wishes come true, providing endless inspiration for your next holiday-themed short story or novella.

In this list you’ll find prompts about everything from Advent calendar capers and snowbound neighbors to mistaken Santa deliveries and Christmas costume chaos at the mall. Whether you’re looking for a touching tale to make readers misty-eyed or a comical misadventure to split their sides, you’re bound to find spark for your next Christmas fiction project here.

The only limit is your imagination. You can take these jumping off points in any direction your creativity wants to go. So cozy up with a mug of hot cocoa, put on some Nat King Cole, and let these prompts deck the halls of your imagination this season!

50 Christmas fiction writing prompts

1. Santa is arrested after a burglary gone wrong on Christmas Eve. Write about how the presents still get delivered.
2. A child mails a letter to Santa asking for an impossible gift – and gets it. But how and at what cost?
3. Someone is stealing presents from under Christmas trees around the neighborhood. A group of kids set a trap to catch the Grinch.
4. Santa hits his head Christmas Eve and wakes up with amnesia on Christmas Day. Chaos ensues as he tries to figure out how to deliver presents.
5. A family gets snowed in alone at a remote cabin on Christmas Eve. Write about their challenges – and unexpected joy.
6. Someone finds a magic wristwatch under the tree that stops time. How do they use or misuse it over the holidays?
7. A young elf makes a mistake in the workshop and sets off a chain reaction that could ruin Christmas. How does he fix it?
8. Santa takes a new route on December 24 and ends up crash-landing in the wrong place. Where is it and what happens?
9. A child receives a doll for Christmas that turns out to be possessed or otherwise sinisterly magical.
10. The story of how someone became the first Santa centuries ago when he had to deliver presents using unusual means.
11. Trapped in a winter storm on Christmas Eve, five strangers take shelter. Write about how they end up saving Christmas.
12. Someone has to dress up as Santa on short notice on Christmas Eve and deliver presents to amuse the kids. Write their funny story.
13. Santa comes down with a bad cold on December 24th. Write about how Christmas still comes together despite challenges.
14. The North Pole is accidentally put on lockdown by an inept elf trainee just before Christmas Eve, locking Santa out. How does he get back in?
15. A bakery sells magical Christmas cookies that temporarily give people different powers/abilities when they eat them. Write a story about the mayhem that ensues.
16. Someone finds a magic snowglobe that transports them into a picturesque Christmas setting – but they can’t get back out.
17. Santa’s reindeer go on strike on Christmas Eve – what or who will replace them?
18. A child stays awake on Christmas Eve to try and sneak a peek at Santa, with unexpected consequences.
19. Someone accidentally gets the “Naughty” and “Nice” lists mixed up, and nice kids get coal while naughty ones get gifts! What happens?
20. A couple get stranded in a small town due to car trouble on Christmas Eve. Locals take it upon themselves to recreate the perfect Christmas for them.
21. Santa and the Grinch swap bodies/lives for a day due to a magical spell. Write about the hilarious chaos that results.
22. Someone has to deliver a pregnant woman’s baby alone on a snowy Christmas Eve when they get stranded.
23. A funny story about someone trying to re-create an exact replica of a favorite childhood Christmas down to the smallest detail.
24. A family adopts a troubled child before Christmas who has never experienced the magic of the holiday before.
25. A family gets mistakenly double booked at two different vacation rentals for Christmas – write about their exploits trying to pull off celebrating at both.
26. A grumpy introvert is forced to wear an embarrassing costume and play Santa at a big public event on Christmas Eve.
27. Santa interviews potential reindeer for the team and is impressed by an unusual candidate.
28. A curmudgeonly character experiences events that rekindle their Christmas spirit despite their best efforts to avoid the holiday.
29. Someone takes a new mall Santa under their wing and trains them in proper Santa etiquette before Christmas Eve.
30. A harried elf must take the reins planning the perfect North Pole Christmas gala when Santa comes down sick with a cold.
31. A famous mall Santa arrives on Christmas Eve to find all the rental costumes have been mixed up thanks to a new trainee.
32. A family’s Christmas tree ornaments get accidentally shattered. Write about their mad scramble to replace them on Christmas morning.
33. A story about how Santa met Mrs. Claus.
34. Santa arrives at the wrong house on Christmas Eve and has to delicately extricate himself without disappointing the starstruck kids inside.
35. Someone stays up all night trying to prepare Christmas dinner by themselves to surprise their family. Mishaps ensue.
36. Write a story about an elf’s first time out delivering presents on their own when Santa can’t make it.
37. Santa loses his magical sack of presents right before Christmas Eve – where in the world could it be?
38. Two quarreling neighbors compete to put up the biggest, brightest Christmas display to outdo each other. Chaos and hilarity results.
39. Someone gets caught using a “naughty” gift from Santa for personal gain and has to make amends before Christmas morning.
40. Mrs. Claus gets amnesia right before Christmas Eve and thinks she’s a normal suburban housewife.
41. Santa accidentally takes the wrong sack and delivers presents that make no sense to the children on Christmas morning!
42. A Christmas tree farmer retires but first must find the perfect family to gift their last tree to on Christmas Eve.
43. Someone tries to capture the perfect Santa photo on Christmas Eve with comically disastrous results.
44. A snowstorm during the holidays brings out the best in people who help neighbors/strangers.
45. Write about the night Santa decided to make Christmas Eve deliveries worldwide in one night.
46. A funny misadventure about someone trying to learn to become as adept as Santa at climbing down chimneys.
47. The North Pole loses power on Christmas Eve – how do Santa and the elves save the holiday?
48. A spoiled child tries to bribe Santa for the most extravagant gifts, but receives a meaningful lesson instead.
49. Santa loses the key to a family’s house on Christmas Eve and ingeniously figures out a way inside to deliver the gifts.
50. A story about Santa’s own favorite Christmas memory growing up at the North Pole as a child.

We hope you enjoyed these 50 Christmas fiction writing prompts. We hope they inspired you to come up with a story full of cheer. If you were so inspired, and you want to share that story, please put it in the comments or send it to us. Also, we have many other writing prompts on our site, you may enjoy them. Also, if you’re wondering how much time you have until Christmas, check the official countdown. 

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Richard

Richard Everywriter (pen name) is the founder of EveryWriter and a 25-year veteran of the publishing industry. With degrees in Writing, Journalism, Technology, and Education, Richard has dedicated two decades to teaching writing and literature while championing emerging voices through EveryWriter's platform. His work focuses on making literary analysis accessible to readers at all levels while preserving the rich heritage of American literature. Connect with Richard on Twitter  Bluesky Facebook or explore opportunities to share your own work on ourSubmissions page. For monthly insights on writing and publishing, subscribe to our Newsletter.

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