High-Pressure Hunt

Describe a frenzied, last-minute search for a sold-out holiday must-have gift.

This prompt invites you to recreate the frantic energy and suspense associated with holiday shopping when high-demand items are nowhere to be found. Describe the countless store checks, the elation or disappointment in the face of success or failure, and the desperation of turning to outrageous alternatives just to fulfil a holiday wish. This is an opportunity to examine human behavior under pressure, determination, perseverance, and the spirit of giving.