84+ ‘Customs’ Writing Prompts
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Dia dos Namorados in Brazil
Write about Brazil’s June 12th romance holiday, Dia dos Namorados, or ‘Lovers’ Day.’
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French Valentine’s Customs
Write about “une loterie d’amour” – the love lottery, a now extinct French Valentine’s Day tradition.
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Valentine’s Day in Japan
Write about the unique way in which Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Japan and how it differs from Western traditions.
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History Of Holidays
Select a holiday you love and write about its origins and how the celebrations have changed over time.
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Festival Melting Pot
Describe a traditional festival or celebration from your culture you would want to share with your classmates.
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Land of Mistle-Twist
Imagine a world where holiday rules and customs are completely opposite to the ones in our world. Write a story from the perspective of a character who travels from our world to this alternative holiday world.
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Exploring Country Cultures
Choose a country you’ve never visited before, research its culture, traditions, geography, and history, then write about it.
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Extraterrestrial Pen Friends
Create an imaginary extraterrestrial friend from another planet and describe a day in their life.
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Celebrating Family Traditions
Write about a specific family tradition in your household and why it’s important to you.
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Intergalactic Amorous Affair
Compose a narrative from the perspective of a sentient alien observing or participating in Valentine’s Day for the first time.
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Celebrating St. Joseph Worldwide
Explore and compare how St. Joseph’s Day is celebrated in different cultures and countries.
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The Evolution of Valentine’s Day
Write a speech about how Valentine’s Day has changed and evolved over the centuries.
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Around The World Christmas
Write about how different cultures and families celebrate Christmas across the globe.
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Adventures in Fantasia
Describe a childhood fantasy world your inner child would create as a teaming ground for adventures.
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Infused Insurrection
A group of young, modern vampires rebel against the ancient customs that bind their existence.
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Night In The Vampire’s Den
Write about a detective working on an eerie murder case that leads them to a mansion with Vampire Lords as its occupants.
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Lost Vampire Tribe
An adventurous vampire discovers a hidden pocket of his race, hidden for centuries and drastically divergent in their customs and habits.
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Letters to Love Legends
Write a letter to a legendary romantic figure from a different culture than your own.
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Ode to a Bygone Valentine
Craft an adventure tale about a character who discovers an old Valentine’s Day tradition and tries to bring it back.
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Fictitious City
Create a city that exists in a different dimension and time. Describe a day in the life of a resident.
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Traditions Altered
Retell your family’s traditional Christmas morning but with a significant change that alters the course of the day.
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Lunar Lore
Imagine that the moon has a secret civilization thriving on it. Write about this lunar society, their customs, cultures, and beliefs.
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The Spirit of Community Events
Write about a local event or festival that you recently participated in.
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Vampire Chronicles
Write a story from the perspective of a vampire historian explaining the evolution of vampire laws and customs.
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Around the World in Seven Pages
Choose seven different countries from around the world and write a page about each one as if you are visiting.
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A Way Back Into Time
Imagine your character has the ability to travel back in time to a period and place, where and when will that be and why.
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Escape to the Sun
Describe a getaway to a tropical destination during December when the North is usually cold.
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Global Culture Perspectives
Write an essay about a country you’ve never visited but would like to, based on the aspects of that culture that appeal to you the most.
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Pre-Winter Traditions
Recall or create a family or cultural tradition that signifies the arrival of winter.
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Ancient Customs and Celebrations
Explore and describe ancient Irish traditions associated with St. Patrick’s Day.
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A Modern Thanksgiving
Imagine a future where Thanksgiving traditions are drastically different. What are they?
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Cultural Transformation
Write about how a country with no cultural ties to Ireland would adopt and localize St. Patrick’s Day.
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Historical Specter
Write from the viewpoint of a ghost from a historical era, observing the modern world.
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Forward to the Past
Imagine your favorite characters travel back in time. How would they cope with the relevant historical era’s societal norms, technology, and customs?
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Star-Crossed Space Lovers
Write a sci-fi romance where two characters from different planets find a way to be together.
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Romancing the Renaissance
Write a love story between characters from 21st-century popular culture who find themselves in the enchanting yet tumultuous period of the Renaissance.
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Discovering Thedas
Document your imagined journey through the world of Thedas, detailing the places you visit and the people you meet.
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Underground Diplomacy
Describe a diplomatic mission sent from the surface to establish relations with a dwarven society.
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In the City of Shemlen
Write a story about a Dalish elf experiencing life in a human city for the first time.
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Misunderstood Supernatural Being
Imagine a supernatural creature attempting to fit in human society but always misinterpreting social procedures.
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Cultural Roots
Write about the traditions, customs, or rituals of your cultural or ethnic background that mean a lot to you.
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The Remaining Monarch
Imagine a world post-apocalypse, where royalty still exists and reigns supreme.
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Global Cuisine Journey
Choose a cuisine you have not tried before. Research its origins and traditions, then write as if you’re experiencing that food for the first time.
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Lost in Translation
Narrate an experience where you struggled with language or cultural barriers during your travels.
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Hidden City
Create a city located beneath the earth’s surface, describing its inhabitants, customs and way of life.
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Journey to Different Cultures
Imagine and pen down an immersive journey to three different cultures you’re most curious about.
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Alien Anthropologist
Write a story about human society from an alien’s perspective studying Earth as a culturally diverse planet.
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Alien Societies
Envision a unique culture or society in a faraway planet and describe their way of life.
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Inventing New Worlds
Create a detailed description of an alternative world, with distinct geography, biology, culture, and political systems.
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Journey to an Unknown World
Imagine a protagonist who accidentally stumbles upon a hidden world, rich with untold mysteries and dazzling wonders.
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Cultural Connection
Describe a tradition or custom from your culture which you feel profoundly connected to.
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Food Tales from Far Away
Create a narrative revolving around unique food experiences during your travels.
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Hallow Ground
Narrate an experience, event, or ritual that significantly marks your cultural or family heritage.
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Confluences of Culture
Envision two distinct cultures coming into contact in your created world for the first time.
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“Alien Anthropologists”
Write about alien anthropologists studying Earth and being bewildered by our customs.
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Culinary Culture
Choose a dish from your culture and describe its significance, associated customs, and personal memories.
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Melting Pot
Reflect on an experience where you were exposed to a culture radically different from yours.
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The Birth of Civilization
Write a story about a day in the life of an individual living in one of the first Mesopotamian cities.
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Roots and Heritage
Reflect on the cultural or historical background of your family and how it has shaped you.
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Tapestry of Traditions
Describe a unique tradition, ritual or holiday in your family and its origin.
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Preserved Traditions
Dive deep into your family’s customs, focusing on ones that have been preserved and handed down by your parents.
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Sensational Celebrations
Talk about a family tradition that is tied to a specific celebration or holiday in your family.
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Culture and Traditions
Describe the customs, traditions, or cultural aspects that are significant in your family.
