December Writing Prompts

Draw a picture of your favorite holiday decoration. Write about what makes it special.

What is your favorite thing about the winter holidays? Write about it.

Write about decorating for the holidays. What do you put up?

Write about a special holiday food your family makes or eats.

Write about holiday music. What songs do you love to hear?

Write about a holiday tradition your family does every year.

Write about the excitement of waiting for a special holiday.

Write about spending time with family during the holidays.

Write about holiday lights and how they make your neighborhood look.

Write a story about a magical holiday adventure.

Write about what Christmas means to people who celebrate it.

Write about Hanukkah—the Festival of Lights. What traditions are part of this holiday?

Write about Kwanzaa and its seven principles. What do they teach?

Write about Las Posadas or another cultural holiday celebration.

Compare two different winter holidays. How are they similar? How are they different?

Write about why people give gifts during the holidays.

Write about holiday movies or TV specials you love to watch.

Is it better to give or receive gifts? Write your opinion with reasons.

Write about how different countries celebrate winter holidays.

Research the history of a winter holiday tradition, like Christmas trees or menorahs.

Write about what the holidays mean to you personally.

Write about holiday stress. How can people enjoy the season without feeling overwhelmed?

Write about people who work during the holidays—nurses, firefighters, and others.

Should schools have holiday parties or keep celebrations at home? Write your opinion.

Write about how to be inclusive and respectful of different holiday traditions.

Research how winter holidays have changed over time. What’s different now?

Write about the commercialization of holidays. Has gift-giving gone too far?

Write about holiday traditions you want to pass on to future generations.

Write about what makes the winter holiday season feel magical or special.

Reflect on the true meaning of the holidays beyond gifts and decorations.

Write about a time you gave someone a gift. How did it feel?

What is the best gift you could give someone that doesn’t cost money?

Write about doing something kind for someone else.

Write about helping someone in need during the holiday season.

What does “the spirit of giving” mean? Write about it.

Write about making a homemade gift for someone special.

Write about donating toys, food, or clothes to people who need them.

Why does giving make people feel happy? Write about this feeling.

Write about a random act of kindness you did or saw.

Write a story about a character who learns the joy of giving.

Write about volunteering during the holidays. What could you do to help?

Is a thoughtful gift better than an expensive gift? Write your opinion.

Write about how small acts of kindness can make a big difference.

Write about organizations that help people during the holidays.

How can you spread kindness to people you don’t know?

Write about the gift of time—spending time with someone who needs company.

Research a charity or organization that helps people. Write about their work.

Write about how to be kind not just in December, but all year long.

Write about people who spend the holidays alone. How can we include them?

Reflect on what generosity means and how it makes the world better.

What was your favorite thing that happened this year? Write about it.

Write about something new you learned this year.

What was your happiest memory from this year?

Write about a friend you made or got closer to this year.

What was the hardest thing you did this year? How did you handle it?

Write about a book, movie, or show you loved this year.

What are you most proud of from this year?

Write about how you changed or grew over the past year.

Write about a trip or adventure you had this year.

Describe this year in five words. Explain why you chose each one.

Write about something that surprised you this year.

What mistake did you learn from this year?

Write about a goal you achieved this year. How did you do it?

What would you do differently if you could redo part of this year?

Write about someone who made a difference in your life this year.

Create a “highlights reel” of your year in words.

Write about the funniest thing that happened to you this year.

What lesson from this year will you carry into the next?

Write a letter to your past self from January. What would you tell them?

Reflect on the year as a whole. What will you remember most?

Draw a picture of winter. Write about what the season looks like.

Write about playing in the snow. What do you like to do?

What is your favorite thing about winter? Write about it.

Write about staying warm on a cold winter day.

Write about the sounds of winter—crunching snow, howling wind, crackling fires.

Write about drinking hot cocoa or another warm drink on a cold day.

What is the winter solstice? Write about the shortest day of the year.

Write a poem about snow using words like white, cold, soft, and silent.

Write about animals in winter. How do they survive the cold?

Compare summer and winter. Which season do you prefer and why?

Write about how different cultures celebrate the winter solstice.

Write about the science of winter—why it gets cold, why it snows, why days are short.

What would winter be like without snow? Write about it.

Write about winter sports like skiing, skating, or sledding.

Write about the beauty of a winter landscape—snow-covered trees, frozen ponds, icicles.

How does your family celebrate New Year’s Eve? Write about your traditions.

Write about staying up until midnight on New Year’s Eve.

What do you hope will happen in the new year? Write about your wishes.

Write about watching fireworks or the ball drop at midnight.

What is a New Year’s resolution? Write about what this means.

Write about one goal you have for the new year.

Write a story about a character who has an exciting New Year’s Eve adventure.

Write about New Year’s traditions from around the world.

What makes a new year feel like a fresh start?

Write a letter to your future self to open next December.

Do New Year’s resolutions work? Write your opinion with reasons.

Research the history of New Year’s celebrations. How did this tradition begin?

Write about the feeling of counting down—10, 9, 8, 7… What is it like?

Write about what you are looking forward to in the coming year.

Write about the meaning of new beginnings and starting fresh.

Research how different cultures mark the start of a new year.

Write about time—what does it mean that a whole year has passed?

Write about making realistic goals instead of impossible resolutions.

What would you put in a time capsule to remember this year?

Reflect on endings and beginnings. Why do we celebrate the turn of a new year?