CHRISTMAS
HORROR SHORT STORY COMPETITION
2025
🏆 £1,000 Grand Prize for the Best Story!
COMPETITION DETAILS
WORDS: 3,000 max (no minimum)
CLOSING DATE: 23:59 (UK time) 26th Jan, 2026
WINNER ANNOUNCED: 3rd Mar, 2026
If you’d like to enter more than three stories, please buy a three-story ticket and then use a discount code for your additional entries.
HOW TO ENTER:
Please read the competition rules very carefully.
Next, buy your ticket or tickets. You can submit any number of stories, but you must buy enough tickets to cover the number of entries.
Entries are to be sent by email before the deadline of the competition. Full submission instructions will be sent by email as soon as you purchase your ticket.
Please see this formatting guide. While submissions are not directly scored on formatting, we recommend presenting your entry according to industry standards, as this can influence the overall impression it makes on the judges.
THE COMPETITION
Our Christmas Horror Short Story Contest is open to writers working across the full spectrum of horror. We welcome everything from dark and disturbing tales to quiet, atmospheric stories and even cosy horror. If your story is subtle, strange, eerie, or gently unsettling rather than outright scary, it absolutely belongs here.
Entries will not be judged on how frightening they are, but on their overall quality: storytelling, craft, originality, and voice.
Christmas-themed horror means your story should embrace the themes, symbols, and traditions of the season. Think snow, Santa, reindeer, presents, Christmas trees, festive meals, winter lights, or seasonal gatherings. But we also want to be inclusive: your story can still fit the contest as long as it taps into the seasonal mood.
Word Count: Up to 3,000 words. There’s no minimum, but we suggest at least a couple hundred words to give your story room to shine. Every story is judged on its own merits, so whether your tale is 300 words or 3,000 words, it can succeed.
FEEDBACK EXCHANGE (Optional)
Participants can take part in a peer feedback session in our Facebook group on:
12th January, 2026
Share your story privately with other entrants and get constructive feedback to help make your submission the best it can be. Engaging with other writers is also a fun way to connect with the community!
Why Enter?
Prize: £1,000 for the winning story!
Grow as a writer: Get feedback, polish your entry, and showcase your unique voice.
We can’t wait to read your story!
WHY WRITERS LOVE OUR CONTESTS
“Globe Soup has a great online community of writers in all stages and skill levels… It’s allowed me to dip my feet in and start building my confidence as a writer.” — Tinamarie, Arizona, USA
“This competition got me out of my comfort zone… Now, I’m considering turning the short story I wrote into a novel. I will definitely be joining again!” — Jennifer, USA
“I won’t ever forget that first win, it was an amazing feeling… You set me on my writing journey and so much has grown from that first seed of belief.” — Katrina, Llanfairpwll, U.K.
“Winner or no, my experience with GS has already given back ten times the value of the small entry fee; and for once, the exchange feels like a gift.” — Nicole, South Africa
“I remember hammering out my very first short story… I was surprised to find myself a genre finalist. This was tremendous motivation to continue writing.” — Nimisha, Mumbai, India
“This competition gave me a boost in confidence again… It was a wonderful way of getting back into writing.” — Kelly, United Kingdom
“Globe Soup is extremely genuine… They have a lot of personality and humour, and they seem to care about everyone who is in the group.” — Jess, South Africa