Well, Thanksgiving week is nearly upon us, and the end of the year is trailing close behind. These short holiday weeks can feel tough, with attention spans running short and classrooms feeling chaotic. Why not harness that buzz and funnel it into something productive and celebratory by incorporating writing prompts for the holiday season into your classroom?
Here, we’ve compiled a list of ten top prompts to be used at any point throughout the holiday season to inspire gratitude and help students express their feelings of appreciation.
The best part? Each of these prompts can be tailored to fit your target grade level! Younger students can write a sentence or short paragraph, while older students can put their research skills to use and complete a longer essay. Check out our top writing prompts for the holiday season below!
Writing Prompts for the Holiday Season
- Think of a family member who means a lot to you. What do you appreciate most about them?
- Describe your favorite holiday tradition. How does it make you feel and why?
- Write about a teacher or coach who has made a positive impact on your life this year. How have they helped you grow?
- Reflect on a challenge you overcame recently. Who supported you through it, and how can you show your appreciation?
- What’s something in your life that you’re thankful for? Describe it and explain why it makes you feel grateful.
- Think of a friend who has been kind to you lately. How did their actions make you feel, and why are you grateful for their friendship?
- Describe your favorite meal. Who prepares it for you, and why does it make you feel thankful?
- Write about a book that has inspired you this year. What lessons did you learn, and why are you grateful for having read it?
- Reflect on a small act of kindness you witnessed or experienced recently. How did it brighten someone’s day?
- What’s something about your school or community that you’re thankful for? How does it make your life better?
*List created in part with help from Perplexity.AI.
How Writing Can Inspire Gratitude
It’s no secret that writing is intensely personal. Putting your internal thoughts out into the external world can feel vulnerable and often intimidating. But this actually makes writing the perfect outlet for some of those warm (or otherwise) holiday feelings we get each year, because the holiday season is also an incredibly intimate and vulnerable time for many. So, directing some of those feelings into a written project helps students (and adults, alike!) learn to express their complex emotions in a healthy, creative way.
Holiday writing projects don’t even need to be shared with the class, if the topic is sensitive. You’ll have to gauge that for your own classroom. This project may be as simple as a thought-provoking exercise or it might be a full-blown essay. Either way, you’ll be helping the next generation process and share their feelings while sharing some holiday cheer with these writing prompts for the holiday season!
Have an idea to add to our list? Add it in the comments below!
