I participate on the SFFWorld.com writing forum. The members on this forum hold a monthly flash fiction contest. I participate in these contests as well.
This month’s theme is ‘traditions’. I’m really having a hard time coming up with an idea for this one. I usually come up with 5 or 6 ideas to play with for the month before I decide on 3 or 4. I then write those up. Depending on some initial feedback, I submit one of those by the mid-month deadline. But the muse has left me.
Since I have been an ardent atheist since I was six years old (imagine a chubby, brown little kid saying “you can’t be serious” to her Sunday school teacher), I have long been trying to shed all traditions. For me, most of the traditions I see around me are tied to some sort of religious event or person. There are, to be sure, secular holidays and/or traditions throughout the year. There’s Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, April Fool’s Day, Ground Hog Day, Veteran’s Day, Labor Day, and others. None of ‘em are in December.
In the month of December, there is Hanukkah from the 12th to the 20th, Muharram, and Christmas (the 25th). Each heavily tied to Judaism, Islam and Christianity, respectively. There is, of course, the Winter Solstice on the 21st, but even celebrating that day has Pagan roots.
So…what on earth does someone like me write about in terms of ‘traditions’? We will see what I come up with. Wish me luck! 
Don’t forget oral traditions, song and poems… And traditions that are present in the every day life of a society… British Afternoon Tea?
But yea, I’m kinda struggling with this one, too.
You going to do the Short Story Comp, too?
Depends on the theme. If I can fit something from my current WIP, then yeah. If not, then I really just don’t have time. Got to get my novel done at some point.
Thanks for the suggestions. (And thanks for reading my blog. You know you have increased my readership by 100%, don’t you?
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It’s the only blog I read, too!
Reading your blog is a pleasant respite in my daily routine. So thanks for posting and sharing! Plus, I figured as an author nowadays you have to blog, so I thought I’d start getting into it.
By the way, what’s Angry Robot Books? A publisher you’re aiming for?
Click on the link and find out! Yes, it’s a publishing company. Is it one that I am aiming for? No, not particularly. If you become an Angry Robot Recruit, you can get advance copies (mostly digital, but they give out hard copies as well) of their books to review. I keep meaning to review a book, but haven’t done so yet.