Have you ever thought about how you can incorporate your love of poetry into your Christmas season? I’ve got some great ideas for you! Poetry is an old-fashioned art, and one of my favorite ways to pass the time as a writer. I love poetry, and during the Christmas season it’s delightful to read poems, short stories, and books themed around the holidays and the Christmas season.

I started writing poetry a few years ago after acquiring a beautifully inspiring notebook. It looked like a book on the outside—hardcover and sturdy with a walnut shade, and containing pretty ivory blank pages on the inside. My new notebook beckoned me to fill its pages with loving words and heartfelt verses.

I began spending hours in the evenings filling my new notebook with my own poetry, something I had never done before. A great teacher once told me, “Read the works you most want to emulate.” So, I bought multiple anthologies containing various styles and voices and read poetry that inspired my heart. Collections like “The Best Loved Poems of the American People” selected by Hazel Felleman, “The Best Poems of the English Language” selected by Harold Bloom, and “Poetry 180” selected by Billy Collins inspired my writing and my heart. I began scribbling down verses in the middle of the day, just because. The cadence of a poem read each morning shaped my words and perspective, and I felt a bit old fashioned and wonderful.

Next, I began writing poetry for family members to give them as birthday presents or holiday gifts. The poems were always about them, our relationship, or about memories shared. Every gift was an effort to convey to them how much I love them, and how deeply important they are to me.

Writing and giving poetry to loved ones is an old-school art. Honestly, I don’t know anyone else who does this! But I’d love for it to be brought back into our culture again. I feel a bit like Jo March from “Little Women,” using her writing to convey to others her feelings for them.

Poetry is a great medium for times of triumph joy, as well as times of tragedy and heartbreak. When a close family friend tragically lost his daughter to breast cancer, I wrote him a poem. It was the only thing I could think to do. It was the only way I could say what couldn’t truly be said.

On our birthday, I wrote my twin sister a poem. There was no other medium I could find to better express the love I feel for her in my heart.

On a trip to New York, a certain feeling came over me that was nearly indescribable, one of peace and adventure. After we returned home from our trip, I picked up my notebook and strung lines together on a page, trying desperately to find the words that could encapsulate that feeling forever—before the feeling was gone for good and I forgot what being twenty-nine in Central Park felt like on that sunny day with family and friends.

Poetry does what few mediums can, capturing memories and emotions, love and grief, joy and hope, in just a few lines. It’s a wonderful way to capture the day and hold on to it forever.

This Christmas, you can incorporate your love of poetry into your Christmas season! Whether you are already a lover of poetry or simply a newbie, there’s a way for you to enjoy this old-fashioned art and make your Christmas more meaningful. Here are 10 ways to enjoy poetry this Christmas season, and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas along the way!

10 Ways to Incorporate Poetry into Your Christmas Season

#1 Read a Collection of Poems Centered around the Christmas Season

Did you know there are collections of poems about Christmas? For decades and centuries, British and American writers have written memorable and beautiful poetry about Christmas, the Christmas season, and the birth of Christ. Some memorable options include:

• “Christmas Poems (Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets Series” Edited by John Hollander
• “A Timeless Christmas: A Giftable Collection of Classic Christmas Stories and Seasonal Poetry” by Lousia May Alcott
• “A Poem for Every Day of Christmas (A Poem for Every Day and Night of Christmas” by Allie Esiri
• “Favorite Poems for Christmas: A Child’s Collective” by Bushel & Peck Books
• “A Christmas Treasure of Yuletide Stories and Poems” Edited by James Charlton
• “Twas the Night: The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem” by Pamela McColl

2. Read Poetry Aloud on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day

Picture this: It’s Christmas Eve at your home. Candles are lit, the Christmas tree is lit up from top to bottom, and family are gathered around together. Someone stands and a hush falls on the room. The person standing shares a beloved classic Christmas poem from their favorite author, or perhaps even an original poem, for family and friends. Afterwards, listeners pause to reflect on the meaning of the poem and the joys of the true meaning of Christmas. This could be you!

Reading poetry aloud on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day can be a fun and memorable moment that becomes a lasting tradition. Whether your poem is religious in tone or about Santa for the little ones, reading a classic Christmas poem or an original poem aloud is a wonderful way to bring people together and cherish the joys of the Christmas season.

3. Write an Original Poem for a Loved One

This Christmas, you can give a special and memorable gift by writing an original poem to a loved one! One of my greatest delights is to spend hours on a poem and finally print and frame it for someone I care about. I love to watch their face light up with joy when they’re touched and surprised by my homemade gift. It is so much better to give someone a poem you’ve lovingly labored over for hours than give them just another possession that can be thrown away and forgotten forever.

4. Write an Original Poem for Your Christmas Cards

I recently heard of an author who wrote original poems inside Christmas cards and sent them out every year to family and friends. I think this kind of ingenuity is splendid! The comforts of poetry can convey emotions and love like few things can, especially during the Christmas season. Whether your poem is just a few short lines, written in iambic pentameter, or takes up the entire side of a card, adding an original poem into your Christmas card is a fun and memorable way to incorporate the joys of poetry into your Christmas season. Not only that, your family, grandchildren, or loved ones could cherish your card for years to come!

5. Read the Psalms

The Psalms of the Bible are filled with all different types of emotions. From joyful celebrations to emotional lament, the Psalms contain ancient words of powerful poetry that draw us back to God during the season of Advent. Whether you’re feeling excited about the season or are carrying heavy burdens, reading the Psalms during Christmas reminds us that God can handle our greatest emotions and burdens. These encouraging words speak directly to our spirit and remind us that the true meaning of Christmas is not about us but about the birth of Christ.

6. Give Your Favorite Book of Poetry for Christmas

Do you have a favorite book of poetry that has touched your heart? Give it to a loved one for Christmas! Poetry books make wonderful Christmas gifts and harken back to simpler times. If you have an author, collection, or book of poetry you love, gifting this collection to your loved one is a great way to share with them a piece of your heart.

8. Write a Collection of Poems and Gift Them to Your Loved One for Christmas

One year for Christmas, I decided to give my dad an original Christmas gift: a tiny book of original poems written by yours truly about my dad. I wrote about fifteen original poems or so and had them specially printed and bound by a local printer. While this type of printing for him was unusual, this local printer and father was so touched by my little project that he ended up giving me a big discount and told me my poems brought tears to his eyes. It was so sweet!

On Christmas Day, I was so excited to give my dad my gift, and he absolutely loved it. He even read a few of the poems out loud to everyone on Christmas morning. To this day he enjoys taking the little collection of poems out from time to time and reading them again and again.

9. Read a Collection of Poems to Celebrate Advent

Collections of poetry encompass the celebration of Advent, the true meaning of Christmas, and the birth of Christ. To further enjoy Advent and incorporate poetry into your Christmas season, you can read a poem a day that celebrates Christmas. Some ideas and options include:

• “Waiting on the Word: A Poem a Day for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany” by Malcolm Guite
• “One Great Love: An Advent and Christmas Treasure of Readings, Poems, and Prayers” Edited by Paraclete Press
• “Poems for Christmas: Expressions of Joy” by Elizabeth Bonner Kea

9. Enjoy Poetry by the Fireplace

If you’re looking for a meaningful way to slow down this Christmas, you can relax by the fire or even at a outdoor firepit and read poetry about the Christmas season. Whether you’re with friends and family or reading alone, there’s just something about reading poetry by the fire that brings the words on the page to life, connecting us to generations before us who have celebrated Christmas too.

10. Write Poetry to God

Have you ever thought about writing poetry to God? Just like writing song lyrics or worship, writing poetry to God is a wonderful way to express yourself and share your heart with Christ this Christmas season. Writing poetry to God is a beautiful way to express your praise and sorrows, deal with unmet expectations, and invite God into your Advent season.

Grab a tiny journal and carry it with you this Advent season. Or, take quiet moments of rest and renewal alone with a pen and paper. However and wherever you choose, writing poetry to God is a beautiful way to return to an Authentic Christmas filled with mindful practices that help us still our hearts before the Lord.

Christmas Poetry Can Touch the Heart

This year, creatively weaving poetry into your Christmas season can add depth, history, and meaning into your holidays. Whether you read poetry in your introverted time alone, write an original poem in your Christmas cards, read the Psalms, or read poetry in a gathering on Christmas Day, incorporating Christmas into your Advent season is a beautiful mindful practice that helps you slow down at Christmas and celebrate an Authentic Christmas.