The 2022 Short Story Advent Calendar

“Some of the best short stories from today’s writers. Plus, [H&O’s] graphic design team is something worth celebrating.” —People

Like we always do at this time: the Short Story Advent Calendar is back for 2022.

We had such a great time last year working with our first-ever guest editor, the one and only Alberto Manguel. This year, however, we’re bringing things back to basics. No overarching theme or format, just 25 top-class short stories, selected in-house, by some of the best writers in North America and beyond.

Contributors to the 2022 Short Story Advent Calendar include:

Venita Blackburn (How to Wrestle a Girl)
Lucy Ellmann (Ducks, Newburyport)
Steven Millhauser (Martin Dressler)
Ander Monson (Predator: A Memoir, A Movie, An Obsession)
John Elizabeth Stintzi (My Volcano)
and 20 more

(This is a collection of literary, non-religious short stories for adults. For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.)

First time with us? Or maybe you just need a refresher of how it all works? (What, you don’t constantly have the holidays on the brain because you live somewhere that’s not buried in snow six months of the year?) Either way, we’ve got you.

The Short Story Advent Calendar is a deluxe box set of 25 individual short stories that are meant to be opened, one by one, on the days leading up to Christmas. Surprise is the name of the game, so you won’t know exactly what you’re getting until you open the booklets each morning starting December 1. Then, after you’ve read that day’s story, check back here to read an exclusive interview with the author about their work. And be sure to use the hashtag #ssac2022 on Twitter and Instagram—we’re @hingstonolsen on both—to chat about the stories with your fellow advent calendarians.

Oh, and this year we decided to finally get rid of the stickers on the booklets. So no peeking!

Plus, this year’s limited-edition box comes wrapped in vibrant original artwork by the incredibly talented Eugenia Mello, an illustrator and graphic designer based in Brooklyn, New York. It’s available in a short run of 100 hand-numbered copies, plus a few lettered overs.