Creativity for Christmas

Prompts, vision boards, and more — plus my word for 2026

This post is a a collage of ideas, which is fitting for two reasons: 1. it reflects the chaos that is my mind this time of year and 2. one of the items I’ll share is my 2026 vision board, which is literally a collage.

This week, I’ve seen creativity in many forms shared by some of my favorite writers. Their creations were a welcome reprieve from the flood of last-minute sale and “Final day to order for Christmas delivery!” emails and push notifications.

I’m sharing below for those in need of inspiration.

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1. Holiday poetry prompts

If you haven’t already, I strongly recommend checking out Lyndsay Rush’s “8 Days of Promptmas,” a challenge to create poetry each day based on a popular holiday movie quote. I’ve loved reading everyone’s beautiful and clever poems.

Photo: Lyndsay’s Instagram account, @maryoliversdrunkcousin

2. “Best Books” lists

I read countless “Best books of 2025” lists. The nosy part of me loves to see what people are reading. Some of my favorites:

• My Top 10 Books of 2025, Literary Merit — A mix of popular favorites and some that flew under the radar this year

• Our Top Books of 2025, Becca Freeman — A curated list from more than one thousand reader votes

• My Top Reads of 2025, Emma Straub — I will read anything Emma writes. She’s one of my favorite authors, so I trust all her recommendations.

In addition to growing my endless TBR list with these recommendations, I was inspired to compile my own at Bookshop.org. The list consists of books published this year as well as some backlist titles that blew me away.

Check out my list on Bookshop.org

3. Vision boards for the new year

Laura Rennie shared how many of the images on her 2025 vision board came to life, so to speak, throughout the year, which inspired me to create one, too.

The images are a mix of activities I want to do more often and be fully present for — writing, reading, learning watercolor painting, and attending live performances — as well as the everyday beauty I want to soak in:

• the golden magic of a sunrise and sunset,

• the creamy foam topping a latte,

• the sparkling blue water in my pool,

• the soft glow created when light and rain come together, and

• the certainty that God exists when a halo of sun emerges from the dark.

The word amazed is front and center, reminding me to be present, to notice, to find myself in awe daily.

My word of the year

I landed on amazed as my word for 2026 just a couple weeks ago, after deciding I don’t want to be amazing anymore. In giving myself permission to say no, establish boundaries, and stop striving, I hope to free up both calendar and mental space so I can more present in the moments that matter. I want to be more amazed by no longer being amazing.

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Friends, I hope you’re amazed this holiday season. I’m taking the next couple of weeks to soak it all in, and will be back in January. Wishing you all happy holidays and a sparkling New Year.