December Writing Prompts: Holidays Around the World

December is a busy time of year in the classroom, but it’s also the perfect time to introduce students to holiday traditions from around the world. A December-themed writing center can bring some holiday magic into your curriculum. Plus, it will help strengthen writing skills and encourage creativity in young students. Whether working with kindergarten, 1st grade, or even 2nd grade, holiday writing prompts make a fantastic addition to your December lesson plans. Let’s explore how to create an engaging December writing center that celebrates winter holidays from different cultures and traditions and fits seamlessly into whole class lessons, small group instruction, literacy centers, and more.

Setting Up Your December Holidays Around the World Writing Center

In this December writing center, young students can practice their writing process with holiday-themed activities that spark their creativity. One of the easiest ways to set up this center is to laminate holiday picture cards (think Christmas trees, Santa Claus, gingerbread men, and symbols from other winter holidays). Punch a hole in each card, then hang them on a binder ring in your writing area. Students can grab a writing ring, select a picture card, and use the prompts. Then they are off to write sentences, create short stories, or share their opinions.

Students will love writing about their favorite holiday traditions, New Year’s resolutions, and maybe even a few fun December traditions, like decorating a Christmas tree or building a gingerbread house. Themed writing prompts and opinion writing pages make it easy for kids to write about their holiday season experiences. Adding a few “This or That” opinion writing pages for extra engagement is perfect for a fast-fisher activity or morning work.

How and When to Incorporate These December Writing Prompts

There are many ways to incorporate these December writing prompts into your daily lesson plans. Here’s a look at when you can use them to maximize student engagement:

Whole Class Lessons: Start your day with a holiday-themed writing prompt that gets the entire class thinking about different cultures’ holiday traditions. For example, “If you visited the North Pole, what would you do there?” or “What’s your favorite holiday story?” This is a great way to kick off lessons in December.
Small Group Instruction: Small group instruction is the perfect time to work on different writing skills and scaffold learning. Use picture prompts and sentence starters to help students develop stronger writing abilities, focusing on spelling and grammar.
Literacy Centers: This writing center can be part of a literacy rotation, allowing students to practice writing independently while they work with other groups. It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to write about Santa’s sleigh, hot chocolate, or even National Cookie Day, all while reinforcing writing skills.
December Fun: Sometimes, you only need a little extra holiday spirit. For “just-for-fun” time, let kids pick a fun December writing prompt from a free December writing prompts calendar. You might include prompts like “What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?” or “If you could spend Christmas Day anywhere, where would it be?”

More Ways to Incorporate Writing Prompts

Writing Centers & Workshops: Set up a dedicated writing workshop station where students can work on a December journal or use daily writing prompts. For younger students, a daily journal is an excellent tool for practicing writing consistently.
Independent Practice: December writing prompts are great for independent work. Let students pick their own prompt pages and go through different stages of the writing process, from brainstorming ideas to writing sentences or stories. The writing center is ideal for daily journal entries or simple prompts that give students creative freedom.
Fast Finishers: Need an activity for students who finish early? This writing center is a great place for fast finishers. Let them work on a “This or That” page or a journal response about their favorite holiday story. It’s engaging, fun, and meaningful.
Substitute Teachers: This writing center is a lifesaver for days when you have a substitute. The prompts and activities are easy for a substitute teacher to manage, so students can keep learning even when you’re out. They can choose from various writing prompts without needing extensive instructions.

Don’t forget to grab your FREE December Writing Rings!

Activities Included in Your December Writing Center

This December Holidays Around the World writing center has plenty of activities to keep young writers busy and engaged. Plus it will improve their skills. Here are a few activities you can include:

Writing Pages and Picture Cards: Each picture card corresponds to holiday themes, like candy canes, snow days, or Santa Claus. Students can use these cards as picture prompts, writing about what they see, describing their favorite holiday tradition, or even creating a short story about a snow day adventure.

Sentence Starters and This or That Pages: The sentence starters provide an easy way for younger students to get going. The “This or That” opinion writing pages are especially popular with elementary students. They get to choose between two fun options (like “hot chocolate or candy cane?”) and explain why they chose it. Opinion writing is a valuable skill, and this activity makes it enjoyable.

Acrostic Poems and Reflective Essays: As part of their holiday writing prompts, students can try acrostic poems for words like “SNOW” or “PEACE.” Reflective essays are also a great way for students to consider the past year and set goals for next year.

Writing Process Practice with Different Types of Prompts: The writing center includes various writing activities to support students at different stages of learning. From simple prompt pages for younger students to daily writing prompts that challenge them to think critically. Some days, they might complete a diary entry. Then other days they’ll tackle a fun December writing prompt or a holiday-themed short story.

The Benefits of a December Writing Center

Adding December writing prompts to your writing center is not just about having fu. It’s also about fostering emotional intelligence and building foundational writing skills. Whether your students are writing about their favorite book, best holiday memory, or a reflective essay on the best things they’ve learned. This center provides the structure for meaningful, fun activities during the holiday season. Plus, activities like these allow students to develop creativity, time management, and writing fluencyfestively and engaginglyy.

So this holiday season, give your young writers a writing center they’ll love. It’s the best way to bring holiday cheer to your class while meeting academic goals. Plus, these activities are flexible enough to be used next year. So once you’ve set up your December writing prompts, you’re all set to create memorable learning moments for years to come.