Holidays can be stressful, but writing doesn’t have to be. Sometimes during the holidays, writers forget, or don’t have time, or simply neglect one of their favorite pastimes, although not without good reasons.

Spending time with friends and family is necessary to making memories around this time of year. Many families have parts of the family all around the country, and even around the world who aren’t seen at other parts of the year.

These family interactions can be used as inspiration. For example, a quirky, real-life aunt’s characteristics could be used in a story. A cousin’s crazy adventures could be helpful to a plot. The setting of a Christmas party could work well in a holiday story in the future.

Writing possibilities are endless when it comes to familial inspiration, because everyone has some sort of weird family setup, whether they realize it or not. Most likely they’ve accepted it as their own without thinking twice.

Sitting in a Christmas or other holiday party, you as a writer can come up with so many details that could be an addition to a story, poem, or article later on in your writing career. Even post-party, you can look back and pick out details that stood out in your mind because if you vividly remember something from a gathering, it must be something important to your life and a good detail for a future story.

Don't think that a detail or story is too small to tell! If you have that mentality, you will miss out on interesting content, and cheat yourself on your true writing potential.

As always, have faith in your own writing, and the places it can go. Even if you’re not feeling confident with a piece, remember that everything you write (yes, really everything) makes you a better writer in the end because you learn from things that worked and you know subjects that you enjoy. Things you enjoy become easier to write, and things that you may not like as much become a challenge that may be daunting, but it still feels great when you finish a tough piece to write and publish it or share it with its intended audience.

Write, write, write! Even when you’re busy, when you don’t feel like it, when you have “more important” things to do. You won’t regret it later.

You’ll really regret not writing when you look back on the holidays. You’ll think about the time you spent with your family, and wonder why you didn’t write in the free time you had.

Write always, and remember forever. I write partly to remember more vividly. Use this talent of writing to help yourself remember moments better too.

Good luck with writing around various holidays and family gatherings (and always), and happy writing to you as well!