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Celebrating the Art of Storytelling: Writing About Holidays

Evan Swensen
4 min readDec 20, 2024

The smell of cinnamon and evergreen mingles in the air, a sensory reminder of both present warmth and memories of the past. For writers, the holidays are more than just a season; they are an invitation to connect with readers emotionally. The universal appeal of holidays lies in their ability to evoke shared experiences — joyful, bittersweet, or deeply personal. Crafting holiday-themed stories requires a delicate balance of emotion, tradition, and originality, yet the rewards are unparalleled.

Emotion as the Anchor

The holidays offer an emotional palette ready for exploration. They are steeped in nostalgia, gratitude, joy, and even grief. Consider the poignant opening scenes of Little Women, where Christmas is framed not by abundance but by familial love and sacrifice. These moments remind readers of the universal themes that holidays embody.

For writers, this emotional depth is a gift. Use it. Describe the warmth of a crackling fire against the cold outside, the clatter of dishes during a family feast, or even the aching quiet of solitude on a holiday morning. These details ground your story in a sensory reality that resonates.

Traditions and Universality

Holiday traditions are potent tools for storytelling. From decorating a tree to…

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Evan Swensen
Evan Swensen

Written by Evan Swensen

Book publisher, editor, author, Author Masterminds charter member, founder of Readers and Writers Book Club, and bush pilot.

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