Creative Christmas Gifts Only a Writer Can Give

by Cathy Baker @CathySBaker

As writers, we have the unique opportunity to give gifts not found on your typical Christmas list. Material gifts gather dust, but words captivate the heart.

While most of the gifts below are more meaningful than fun, all are in your wheelhouse waiting to be wrapped and given away.

Creative Writing Gifts 

Write the person who first inspired you to write. Share specific ways God used him/her to ignite the spark. As a result of his/her encouragement, your work and accomplishments also become theirs in a sense. Like echoes, the sound waves of your words create patterns that will inevitably return to where they began. If the person has passed, write it anyway. There will be days you'll need to be reminded why you started the journey—because most of us have them!

Write letters to your cheerleaders—those who are in your corner. They may not be dressed for the part, but if you receive encouragement, inspiration, or a holy conviction from someone, tell them what it means to you. We never know how they may be in need of encouragement.

Write a review. Did you enjoy a recent read but neglect to leave a review? Rest assured, you’re not alone. (Cue raised hand!) But it’s never too late for us to redeem the opportunity to bless another writer. And trust me, nothing says “Merry Christmas!” like an Amazon review.

Write a letter to a generation you will never know. Philippians 1:9-14 is one example of Paul praying for a group of people he would never know, trusting in the eternal power of prayer. Write a letter to your great, great grandchildren or like Paul, to a group of people you will never know. Share how you specifically pray for them. Include what you hope for them and the choices you would change in your own life if given the opportunity. Above all, share how your relationship with Christ has impacted your life. Put it in an envelope and write down the names of future recipients. Commit them to prayer and tuck the envelopes away, trusting God to land the envelope in the right hands.

Volunteer to write Christmas cards for assisted living residents. Years ago, I volunteered at a local assisted living home. I quickly learned that many residents were unable to write due to physical limitations. The elderly woman I helped was blind and living away from her lifelong friends back in Virginia. Her cards blessed her friends to the point that one cold January morning they piled in a van and drove several hours to visit her.

Show your love with sticky notes. Every day during the month of December, surprise a loved one with a strategically placed sticky note. Maybe it's the bathroom mirror, the car dash, the milk jug, their favorite chips bag, or the TV remote. On each note, write one reason why you love that person. Be specific. Bonus points if you’re not caught in the act!

Write someone who lost a loved one in 2017, or who remembers the loss of a loved one during the month of December. Losing a loved one at any time of the year is difficult. But when this happens at a time when everyone else is giddy over the new season of Hallmark movies, it can be especially painful. A card that reminds them they’re not alone is a gift that requires only a stamp for wrapping.

Is there one gift in particular that you sense God leading you to try this holiday season? 

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Creative #Christmas gifts only a writer can give - @CathySBaker on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Writers have the unique ability to give special gifts at #Christmas - ideas from @CathySBaker (Click to Tweet)

Cathy Baker is an award-winning writer and author of Pauses for the Vacationing Soul: A Sensory-Based Devotional Guide for the Beach as well as Pauses for the Vacationing Soul: A Sensory-Based Devotional Guide for the Mountains. As a twenty-five year veteran Bible instructor, she's led hundreds of studies and workshops. She's also contributed to numerous anthologies and publications, including Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Upper Room, and Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family. In addition, her poetry can be found in several popular anthologies. She and her husband, Brian, live in the foothills of the Carolinas where she one day hopes to have her very own Goldendoodle.