Christmas Writing Activities: Fun, Festive Ideas for December

December is one of the most festive (and sometimes chaotic) months both in the classroom  and at home. Kids are excited for winter break, schedules get shuffled around, and we as teachers and parents need simple, engaging activities to keep our young learners on track.

That’s why I’m always looking for Christmas writing activities that don’t feel like “work,” but still help kids practice essential writing skills.

Here are some of our favorite writing ideas that work well both in the classroom and at home. I’ve also linked a few of our ready-to-use Christmas writing resources if you want something you can print and use right away!

1. Christmas Writing Choice Board 

A writing choice board is the perfect December activity for kids who love the freedom to choose their tasks. It encourages independence and allows students to explore different genres, all while working on writing projects that feel fresh and fun!

Some favorite activities from our Christmas Writing Choice Board include:

• Elf Job Application (students apply to work at the North Pole!)

• Snow Globe Story

• Holiday “Recipe Card”

• Acrostic Poem

• Create-a-Snowman

The board includes narrative, informational, opinion, poetry, and craft-based writing options, so there's something for everyone. Students can complete one activity a day or work through several over the course of a week or two!

If you’d like a ready-to-go version with templates, student instructions, rubrics, and support pages, don’t forget to check out our Holiday Writing Choice Board. 

2. Christmas Sentence Combining Activity

Practicing sentence combining is a great way to help kids improve overall writing quality, but kids often enjoy it more when it’s in the form of a hands-on activity. Sentence strips with a Christmas theme work wonders here!

You can give students simple, choppy sentences like:

• Santa packed the sleigh.

• The elves waved goodbye.

• The air was cold.

• It was snowing.

  
  

Then challenge them to create one strong, smooth sentence using a conjunction to connect the two shorter ones. This works well as a warm-up, writing center, or partner challenge.

If you want a low-prep option, we created a Christmas Combining Sentences Activity that includes 42 seasonal sentences ready to mix and match. It’s simple, yet very effective!

3. Christmas Revising Activity (Add, Move, Remove Sentences)

Revision can be a tough skill for students. Adding details, rearranging sentences, and removing parts that don’t fit is an important part of becoming a strong writer, but practicing this can be tricky!

A hands-on revision activity helps make this process more “real” and engaging.

In this type of task, students:

• Rearrange mixed-up sentences to fix the order of a Christmas-themed paragraph

• Add new details to improve the writing

• Remove sentences that don’t belong

  
  

For example, you might give them a paragraph about decorating a Christmas tree or waking up to fresh snow. Then students analyze the sentences and revise it into a polished piece!

If you'd like a print-and-go version, our Christmas Revising Activity walks students through add, move, remove with clear, kid-friendly directions.

4. Christmas Creative Writing Prompts

Creative writing is always a hit in December, especially when you give students prompts that spark imagination and laughter. These are perfect for morning work, writing journals, and early finisher bins.

Here are a few prompt ideas to get you started:

• What would happen if Santa’s sleigh broke down in your neighborhood?

• Describe the coziest winter morning you can imagine.

• Write about a gingerbread cookie who comes to life and escapes the kitchen.

• Create a new holiday tradition for your family. What do you do and why?

• Imagine you discover a tiny village of elves living in your Christmas tree.

If you’d like a full set, we have a collection of Christmas Creative Writing Prompts that includes ready-to-print pages and kid-friendly formatting!

5. More Fun Christmas Writing Activities

Here are some more simple, festive writing tasks you can add to centers, mini-lessons, or morning work! They require little to no prep and work great with mixed writing levels:

• How-To Writing: Holiday Edition

Try topics for writing exercises like:

• How to Wrap the Perfect Present

• How to Build a Snowman

• How to Decorate a Holiday Cookie

  
  

• Christmas Opinion Writing

A few favorites to add to writing journals:

• What is the best winter treat?

• Should we have extra recess during December?

• What’s the best Christmas tradition?

  
  

• Partner Story Swap

Students write the beginning of a holiday story, then trade papers and let a partner finish it.

Keep Christmas Writing Meaningful and Fun

Christmas writing activities are the perfect way to keep kids learning and practicing important writing skills while making each writing block feel like a celebration of the season!

If you're looking for ready-to-use resources to save time this December, here are the Christmas writing tools mentioned in this post:

• Holiday Writing Choice Board (12 engaging activities + templates)

• Christmas Sentence Combining Activity

• Christmas Revising Activity

• Christmas Creative Writing Prompts

  
  

Wishing you a joyful and stress-free December, and lots of festive writing ahead!