At the beginning of September 2011, Sam Gray had an idea. What if we, the writers' organisation 26, challenged 26 writers to write a short story for the 26 days of Christmas - from the exciting 1st to the bloated, wasn't-that-great-but-I-never-want-to-see-another-turkey-again 26th?
After chats with Rob Self-Pierson, Errol Chevannes and Mark Thomas, 26 had its first Christmas project: 26 Stories of Christmas.
How the idea grew
The idea became simple and beautiful. 26 writers chose an object that means Christmas to them and wrote 26 words about it. Those objects and words found new homes, as we paired each writer with another writer's object. Each writer then came up with a 500-word piece of family fiction inspired by their new object - the sort of story you might share after Christmas dinner.
Batteries, fairy lights, Maraschino cherries, riddles and a double CD of country singer Jim Reeves inspired stories of sparky relationships, gardens in Jerusalem, quiet Welsh towns, jealous talking paper and children wrapped in coats in sheds. Other objects inspired equally special festive tales.
These stories then inspired 26 illustrators, who had just two weeks to respond to a piece of fiction they'd never seen before.
What you'll find here
From 1st to 26th December, we'll publish a story a day with its illustration.
We hope you enjoy the 26 stories of Christmas, tell your friends about them and have a fun, warm and loving Christmas time.
Merry Christmas.
The Writers & Illustrators
26 writers and 26 illustrators worked together to bring 26 Stories of Christmas to life. A big thank you and warm Christmas wishes to:
26 Stories Of Christmas has been a collaborative project from the beginning. Everyone involved has donated their time and creativity. With the help of the following people, it's become bigger than 26 could ever have imagined. So thank you to: