Writing through the holidays
This is a great season for capitalizing on natural writing opportunities (rather than relying on contrived assignments). I’ve included some of the most obvious ideas along with ones you may not have thought of! I’ve also organized them to fit with the Natural Stages of Growth in writing (taken from Chapter 14 of The Writer’s Jungle).
Jot it Down (kids who can handwrite and/or copy writing):
- caption photos in a family holiday letter
- write out tags for wrapped gifts
- create placecards for your holiday meal
- write gift wish lists
- address envelopes for holiday cards
Partnership Writing (you help with transcription):
- all of the above in “Jot it Down” works well with Partnership phase too
- retell and write a short description of the year’s biggest highlight for family letter
- copying lyrics from Christmas hymns or other holiday music
- writing a list of holiday traditions to remember
- putting holiday events on a posted family calendar
- thank you notes for gifts received
Faltering Ownership (kids who are writing, but are still not high school level):
- interview family members for holiday letter
- write your own memories of the year and send in holiday letter
- journal about each holiday event and bind in a little notebook at the end of holiday season
- plan and execute a New Year’s party (including invitations, games, food to purchase)
- copy holiday cookie recipes onto notecards, make cookies
Transition to Ownership (junior/high school level):
- take control of the family holiday letter (interview family members, organize and execute)
- take photos of the holiday season, caption and scrapbook as the month goes along
- keep a notebook of quotable quotes from the family over the month
- write a meaningful description of what the holiday means to you personally and share on holiday
- reflect on a significant piece of religious or reflective literature by freewriting or journaling about it