We love every moment of the holiday season—parties, shopping, cookie swaps, family time, church programs, decorating inside and out, and more. And we treasure giving Christmas gifts that are meaningful and personal. But sometimes the joy of the season overwhelms us, and suddenly we’re batting zero in the gift department. On Christmas Eve, we have nothing to wrap because we lost sight of using our richest gift—the art of writing. 

Here are 15 ways writers can ensure a perfect Christmas gift for everyone on their list. These ideas are fun, and the time and effort will be long remembered.

1. Create a poem for family and friends. Use a special but readable font. Print on cardstock and frame it. Don’t forget to sign and date this heartfelt gift.

2. Develop a 31-day devotional for January 2025. Have it bound at a local print shop or do it yourself. Print enough copies for all those who enjoy reading Scripture passages, reflections, and prayers in private devotional moments or in a group setting.

3. Original writer-related quotes benefit our writer friends and even family members who support our passion for the craft. Find a creative way to bind your work. You can look for ideas on Pinterest, DaySpring, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Etsy, and other sources that spark your imagination. Consider a flip calendar. Use free online images from sites like Pixabay, or use your own photographs.

4. Life quotes often fly into our minds at serendipitous moments. These can be insightful, humorous, serious, or unique to us. Writers can use their imaginations to design a booklet of life quotes for each person to enjoy. Use an idea from #3 above to bind the project.

5. Host a Zoom or Facebook Live event for followers and readers. Share holiday memories. Perhaps the writer could hold a drawing for books, either their own or those of other writers in the same genre. This shows we care and are relational. Add a little extra fun to the event with a theme like a cookie swap, ugly Christmas sweater contest, or Christmas pajama party. Don’t forget the giveaways!

6. Short stories or fond memories in story format are always a treat to give and receive.

7. Design a mug with your writer’s logo. Add a bag of coffee or hot chocolate, and the recipients will remember the giver every time they drink something warm and delicious.

8. Pen a letter to each person on your list. Make it personal and encouraging, something the recipient will always treasure.

9. Organize and write a Christmas mystery. Invite guests to a dinner party in which they solve the mystery. Request that the guests dress in character. Decorate the party’s setting and have giveaways. This is incredibly fun.

10. Plan for Christmas 2025 with the gift of a spiritual legacy. Purchase a journaling Bible. Personalize it to the recipient. Use the Bible for a year to read and journal what God is showing you for that person and gift it to them in 2025.

11. Host a brunch for your friends. I’ve done this for over 15 years, and the event has become the highlight of the season. Whether you make it a casual or formal occasion, your effort shows through as a memory maker.

12. Design a Christmas card. Make it fun or in the spirit of the first Christmas. 

13. Design your own labels and attach them to homemade goodies. Be creative! Writerly Chocolate Chip Cookies. Novel Cupcakes. Imagination Fudge. Readers Hot Chocolate.

14. Purchase specialty soaps or candles, wrap, and label them with your tagline. Be creative!

15. Order holiday chocolates from your local chocolatier. Have them embossed with your name or tagline, or a To: ___________ with your name beneath it as From _____________.

How can you use your gift of writing to make this Christmas extra special?