Children’s author Chris Vick has a real treat for you… a brand new Christmas writing dare! Read on to discover the holiday magic.
Flying reindeer, naughty elves, Scrooge’s ghosts . . . There’s no doubt about it, Christmas is a time of magic: dark nights, crackling fires, whispering winds and frosty fields. When time freezes, the rules of logic are suspended . . . and anything is possible.
Let’s take that as a starting point for our Christmas writing challenge!
It’s late on Christmas Eve. A snowstorm is howling outside. You toss and turn, knowing you should sleep, but you’re too excited and . . . what’s that?
You hear bells tinkling, the ‘neeeeeiighh,’ of . . . what? It sounds like a horse, but could it be something else? Then – thuds on the roof that just might be footsteps; then clanking and clattering downstairs. Then silence.
You switch on the light. The clock on the wall has stopped dead. It’s midnight. You creep downstairs and find . . .
Get a pen and paper, close your eyes, talk and walk your imagination through the above story and down those stairs. What do you see?
If you’re not sure, here are some ideas:
- An elf sits under the tree, eating all the chocolates and opening your presents. ‘Hi there!’ She squeaks. ‘Mind if I stay?’ What’s the elf’s name? What does she do next? How do you stop her wrecking the house!
- Santa Claus has fallen down the chimney and knocked himself out. His chief elf stands beside him and says to you: ‘Quick, we need someone to drive the sleigh. You’ll do!’
- There are no presents under the tree, but one. It’s wrapped in sparkling purple paper. It’s glowing and floating, inches above the ground. The card says: ‘For (your name). Use it wisely.’ What’s inside?
We’d love to read whatever you come up with! Send us your stories by Email, Twitter or Facebook.