How To Keep Your Creativity Alive During the Holidays

As the Halloween festivities come to an end, the chill in the air and the questions about what you’re doing for the holidays roll in. While the holidays typically bring joy for many people, sometimes they can dig up old feelings or experiences that are less than pleasant. Combining that with being away from your creative safe space for a few days or weeks while you visit family and friends can create an environment that stunts your creativity. In an effort to keep your imagination alive this holiday season, we’ve compiled a few tips and tricks that you can use to finish out the year on a creative note!

Take Some Time Off

• While this may sound redundant considering we just suggested that going home for the holidays may stunt your creativity, giving yourself a break from time to time is also important. Whether you decide to take a few days for yourself before traveling for Thanksgiving, or if you go on some solo walks while you’re staying with friends or family, getting your mind off of your latest project can be beneficial. Stepping back from a project and returning to it with a fresh mind and fresh eyes will allow you to notice things you may have missed before.

Keep Your Hands Busy

• The hand-brain connection is essential for our health; doctors and scientists claim that occupying your hands through work or creative activities can engage our brains and improve our cognitive abilities. Whether your grandmother asks you to do a puzzle with her when you’re home for Christmas, or if you schedule a class at a local pottery shop, keeping your hands busy this holiday season will benefit your creativity in the long run.

Brainstorm For Future Projects

• When the holidays hit and you finally have a chance to relax, there’s no doubt that you’ll be consuming more media than usual. If you’re rewatching your favorite Christmas movie for the umpteenth time, try and find a new motif or symbolism to inspire an upcoming project. The holidays also give us time to reconnect with loved ones, so sit down with a grandparent, cousin, or mom and ask them about a pivotal moment in their life; as the saying goes, “life imitates art.”

Explore Nature

• Obviously it gets very cold during the holiday season so going outside may not be ideal for some, but breathing in fresh air can do wonders for your brain and creativity. If you’re staying in Virginia for the holidays, try going to Shenandoah National Park or Great Falls for some creative inspiration. Realigning yourself with nature can open up your mind to the abundant inspiration that surrounds you.

Plan Out Your Holiday Outfits

• The holidays stir up a few things: gratitude, drama, love, and parties. Chances are, your parents or friends are hosting Thanksgiving dinner, a holiday party, or Christmas brunch, and you’re going to need an outfit for each of these. If you’re a creative in the fashion industry, playing around in your closet and working with what you have is a great way to spark creativity. Try to challenge yourself and wear something you may have forgotten about in the back of your wardrobe to this year's Christmas party!

Keep A Journal

• Writing is a fantastic way to express your feelings and jot down any thoughts that come to mind. Whether you’re detailing your day-to-day life or fulfilling a prompt given to you, journaling can be a great way to keep your creativity flowing this holiday season. You’ll also be able to reference your journal in the future if you need inspiration for a project.