Even the most continually inspired of us need a bit of prompting from time to time, whether it’s to get the creative juices flowing in the first place or to provide a new challenge. So in that spirit – and in the spirit of the season – here are a few festive writing prompts to get you thinking. If you write anything based on any of them, do feel free to share.

1)      The mince pie that the children left out for Father Christmas is gone on Christmas morning – but it wasn’t Mum or Dad who ate it.

2)      A family Christmas party takes a turn for the worse when one relative spills someone else’s secret.

3)      Write a story involving an accident with some tinsel, the dog being in the doghouse for some tree-related antics, and a real-life angel.

4)      Father Christmas is real.

5)      It’s the night before Christmas and many, many creatures are stirring – especially the mice.

6)      The Christmas tree is on fire.

7)      Boxing Day sales shopping.

8)      Write about what everyone really thinks of all those gifts they received.

9)      Write a story about Christmas without using the word Christmas.

10)  There’s a mishap involving the turkey.