My parents were always difficult to shop for. (My mom, bless her, still is.) 

One year, on being pressed about what they wanted, my father answered “Socks.” And Mom? “A few rocks for the fountain.”

Socks and rocks—about the least inspiring gift ideas ever. 

So, I dutifully got them sock and rocks—and then wrote a small, Dr. Seuss-inspired poem to accompany the gift. (The rhyme scheme was right there.)

They claimed to be delighted with the poem. As my parents, their critical judgment might be suspect. But taking them at their word, there’s a lesson here. Writing can be a gift.

Write to connect with one person

How often do you take the time to write something meaningful for another person? I’m not talking about the simple transactional email. (“What should I bring to dinner?”) I refer to writing that requires more thought about the recipient.

What if you treat the act of writing as a gift to share with people you care about — a way to strengthen a connection with words?

In that spirit are three writing assignments for December: pick one or more to do.

Write a short poem, just for fun

Write a short rhyme to accompany a gift or to serve as a gift itself. You might write a simple, Dr. Seuss-like rhyme or a full-on sonnet if you have the time.

(If you’re stuck getting started, try giving a detailed description of the subject and your recipient to a generative AI model like ChatGPT and see what it spits out. Be creative in the request, and use the result as a starting point.)

Share a story from the past

Craft a recollection from the past to share with a friend, family member, or colleague. Try this formula:

Do you remember when …

It stays with me because …

Write a sincere acknowledgement of thanks

Thank someone in your life for the impact they have had on you. It could be for something small (encouraging me when I was down) or large (modeling healthy behavior). Here are a few starting points:

You may not realize the impact you’ve had on me...

I don’t say it enough, so thanks for always being there…

These gifts rebound to you

Of course, we do this for the recipient, and yet we feel the benefits as well.

• Focusing on gratitude is good for our mental health.
• Writing something as a gift feels good, and helps us embody our identities as writers.
• These little acts may unleash your Muse in new directions. (My little poem to my parents started a poetry-writing phase in my life, to which I may return some day.)

Extra Credit: Write a review of a book that you love or found useful. You will make some author’s day.

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