Ratcest Secret Santa 2025
@ratcestsecretsanta.bsky.social
Welcome to the Ratcest Secret Santa, a winter-themed Ratliff family fic and art exchange! We're a normal family, having a normal holiday season.
Header art by the talented @martapossum, icon by our lovely mod @elen42564
Header art by the talented @martapossum, icon by our lovely mod @elen42564
-Please contact the mods at [email protected] by 12/13 if you think you won't be able to make the deadline so we can find you a pinch hitter
November 4, 2025 at 5:39 PM
-Please contact the mods at [email protected] by 12/13 if you think you won't be able to make the deadline so we can find you a pinch hitter
-Use of AI at any point in the creative process (ideation, creation, or beta/editing) is not allowed.
-Your work must be entirely created by you. Plagiarism will result in a ban from the fest.
-Your work must be entirely created by you. Plagiarism will result in a ban from the fest.
November 4, 2025 at 5:39 PM
-Use of AI at any point in the creative process (ideation, creation, or beta/editing) is not allowed.
-Your work must be entirely created by you. Plagiarism will result in a ban from the fest.
-Your work must be entirely created by you. Plagiarism will result in a ban from the fest.
-Failure to respect your recipient's noted dislikes/triggers will result in your work's removal from the AO3 collection.
-For all written works, we strongly encourage a beta reader.
-Works must be created specifically for this fest and cannot be not previously published/posted.
-For all written works, we strongly encourage a beta reader.
-Works must be created specifically for this fest and cannot be not previously published/posted.
November 4, 2025 at 5:39 PM
-Failure to respect your recipient's noted dislikes/triggers will result in your work's removal from the AO3 collection.
-For all written works, we strongly encourage a beta reader.
-Works must be created specifically for this fest and cannot be not previously published/posted.
-For all written works, we strongly encourage a beta reader.
-Works must be created specifically for this fest and cannot be not previously published/posted.
-Works must meet AO3 Terms and Conditions and make applicable use of Archive Warnings (“choose not to warn” is also acceptable).
-All content is welcome, including darker tropes, as long as it is properly tagged.
-All content is welcome, including darker tropes, as long as it is properly tagged.
November 4, 2025 at 5:39 PM
-Works must meet AO3 Terms and Conditions and make applicable use of Archive Warnings (“choose not to warn” is also acceptable).
-All content is welcome, including darker tropes, as long as it is properly tagged.
-All content is welcome, including darker tropes, as long as it is properly tagged.
-Submissions must be complete, standalone works.
-Works cannot be a sequel/prequel/companion to another work unless it can be read as a standalone.
-An AO3 account is required to give/receive your gifts. If you need help creating an account, please reach out to the mods ([email protected])
-Works cannot be a sequel/prequel/companion to another work unless it can be read as a standalone.
-An AO3 account is required to give/receive your gifts. If you need help creating an account, please reach out to the mods ([email protected])
November 4, 2025 at 5:39 PM
-Submissions must be complete, standalone works.
-Works cannot be a sequel/prequel/companion to another work unless it can be read as a standalone.
-An AO3 account is required to give/receive your gifts. If you need help creating an account, please reach out to the mods ([email protected])
-Works cannot be a sequel/prequel/companion to another work unless it can be read as a standalone.
-An AO3 account is required to give/receive your gifts. If you need help creating an account, please reach out to the mods ([email protected])
-Fic must be at least 300 words; art should demonstrate a similar level of effort. There is no max word count, but the fest is intended to be a fun, low-commitment exchange, so please don’t feel the need to create lengthy/complex works.
November 4, 2025 at 5:39 PM
-Fic must be at least 300 words; art should demonstrate a similar level of effort. There is no max word count, but the fest is intended to be a fun, low-commitment exchange, so please don’t feel the need to create lengthy/complex works.
November 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
•Upon uploading, add your Santa as gift recipient
•The collection will remain anonymous until December 31, when it will be de-anoned. If you’d like to stay anonymous beyond this date, email your mods (below)!
•The collection will remain anonymous until December 31, when it will be de-anoned. If you’d like to stay anonymous beyond this date, email your mods (below)!
November 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
•Upon uploading, add your Santa as gift recipient
•The collection will remain anonymous until December 31, when it will be de-anoned. If you’d like to stay anonymous beyond this date, email your mods (below)!
•The collection will remain anonymous until December 31, when it will be de-anoned. If you’d like to stay anonymous beyond this date, email your mods (below)!
How Do I Share My Gift?
Once you’ve filled your giftee’s request, you can share your work on AO3 any time during the posting window (December 25–31). • All works should be added to the AO3 Ratcest Secret Santa collection
Once you’ve filled your giftee’s request, you can share your work on AO3 any time during the posting window (December 25–31). • All works should be added to the AO3 Ratcest Secret Santa collection
November 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
How Do I Share My Gift?
Once you’ve filled your giftee’s request, you can share your work on AO3 any time during the posting window (December 25–31). • All works should be added to the AO3 Ratcest Secret Santa collection
Once you’ve filled your giftee’s request, you can share your work on AO3 any time during the posting window (December 25–31). • All works should be added to the AO3 Ratcest Secret Santa collection
Check out our Rules for more guidance. If you don’t think you can make the deadline, please let the mods know! The sooner we hear from you, the more easily we can find you a pinch-hitter to fill in.
November 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Check out our Rules for more guidance. If you don’t think you can make the deadline, please let the mods know! The sooner we hear from you, the more easily we can find you a pinch-hitter to fill in.
Okay… Then What?
Your mods will reach out on Tues. November 25 with your giftee’s AO3 handle and preferences via the email you share in the sign-up form. Then it’s creating time!
Your mods will reach out on Tues. November 25 with your giftee’s AO3 handle and preferences via the email you share in the sign-up form. Then it’s creating time!
November 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Okay… Then What?
Your mods will reach out on Tues. November 25 with your giftee’s AO3 handle and preferences via the email you share in the sign-up form. Then it’s creating time!
Your mods will reach out on Tues. November 25 with your giftee’s AO3 handle and preferences via the email you share in the sign-up form. Then it’s creating time!
Timeline
• Sign-ups open: NOW
• Sign-ups close: Fri. November 21, 11:59 EST
• Assignments sent: Tues. November 25
• Posting window: December 25–31
• Sign-ups open: NOW
• Sign-ups close: Fri. November 21, 11:59 EST
• Assignments sent: Tues. November 25
• Posting window: December 25–31
November 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Timeline
• Sign-ups open: NOW
• Sign-ups close: Fri. November 21, 11:59 EST
• Assignments sent: Tues. November 25
• Posting window: December 25–31
• Sign-ups open: NOW
• Sign-ups close: Fri. November 21, 11:59 EST
• Assignments sent: Tues. November 25
• Posting window: December 25–31
Eligibility
Participants must be 18+ and have an active AO3 account to participate. Check out our Rules for more guidance.
Participants must be 18+ and have an active AO3 account to participate. Check out our Rules for more guidance.
November 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Eligibility
Participants must be 18+ and have an active AO3 account to participate. Check out our Rules for more guidance.
Participants must be 18+ and have an active AO3 account to participate. Check out our Rules for more guidance.
We welcome flash fiction, as long as it meets the minimum 300 word requirement, and art that demonstrates a similar level of effort—this is meant to be chill!
November 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
We welcome flash fiction, as long as it meets the minimum 300 word requirement, and art that demonstrates a similar level of effort—this is meant to be chill!
This is a low-stakes, relaxed Secret Santa fic and art exchange centered on the Ratliffs—in any configuration you can imagine them, as long as it’s with each other. The theme is winter, and we encourage works that tie into the season, this can any creative way you interpret the theme.
November 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
This is a low-stakes, relaxed Secret Santa fic and art exchange centered on the Ratliffs—in any configuration you can imagine them, as long as it’s with each other. The theme is winter, and we encourage works that tie into the season, this can any creative way you interpret the theme.