Writing a Holiday Story: Creating Fiction That Captures the Spirit of the Season

As always, I blog about things I’m learning, and writing a holiday novella is on my bucket list for 2025. In 2024, I wrote a short story, The Case of the Missing Reindeer, that lit the fire inside me to create a longer holiday story.

The holiday season is a time filled with warmth, tradition, and reflection. It can also be a time of grieving, and I think it’s important not to forget that. A holiday story that is about family, love, and the “magic” of the holidays resonates deeply with readers. It has a unique ability to capture the essence of the season, lightening our spirits and offering hope.

But writing holiday-themed stories that feel fresh, engaging, and emotionally true can be a challenge. How do you create a holiday story that reflects the magic of the season without falling into the trap of clichés?

Here are some tips for writing holiday fiction that evoke the feelings of the season while keeping readers engaged and inspired, ensuring your story captures the true spirit of the holidays.

Focus on the universal themes in a holiday story

At its core, a holiday story often explores universal themes: family, togetherness, generosity, nostalgia, and change. The holidays offer a perfect backdrop for stories about transformation and personal growth. For example, a character may learn the importance of kindness, rediscover the value of spending time with loved ones, or experience a profound moment of self-reflection.

While these themes are common, we want to approach them in a way that feels authentic. What do I mean? Avoid turning your story into a “lesson” or “moral of the story.” Instead, show how the holiday season prompts characters to reconsider their lives or relationships in a more subtle, natural way.

A lighter, feel-good holiday story focuses on themes like the joy of giving, unexpected friendships, or the beauty of traditions. And a more poignant story dives into themes of loneliness, loss, and the need for healing or reconciliation.

Avoid cliches

It’s easy in any kind of writing to fall into the cliche trap. When you’re writing holiday fiction, it’s even easier to slip into a predictable and overused formula. There’s nothing wrong with familiar traditions—Christmas trees, a big holiday dinner, or a magical moment under the mistletoe— but as a writer, we need to aim for fresh ideas. Our readers will appreciate it!

So throw that kink in the holiday dinner, or show your Scrooge-inspired character! Readers will relate! By giving a twist to familiar elements, we make our holiday fiction feel more authentic and less contrived.

Create meaningful characters and relationships

A big focus during the holidays is connecting with others. This theme should come through in your characters and their relationships. Focus on how your characters interact with one another, whether they’re family, friends, or even strangers who cross paths during the season. The dynamics between characters can reflect the larger themes of your story—whether it’s a reunion, reconciliation, or the discovery of new connections.

Developing authentic relationships—whether they’re romantic, familial, or platonic—helps to ground your holiday story in real emotions and makes your readers more likely to connect with it. If characters are given depth and complexity, their holiday experiences will feel more meaningful.

A holiday story must capture the senses and the atmosphere

One of the best things about a holiday story is the setting: the lights, the decorations, the music, and the smells. Use sensory elements to create a rich atmosphere that immerses your readers. Don’t overdo it, but a few well-placed details can make a huge difference.

Some senses to use:

• the smell of pine from a freshly cut Christmas tree
• the sound of carolers singing in the street
• the feel of crisp, cold air on a snowy evening

The setting of your story can also reflect the emotional tone. A snowy, quiet night could symbolize peace and introspection, while a bustling holiday market might evoke feelings of excitement or chaos. Use the environment to complement the emotions your characters are experiencing.

Incorporate traditions and rituals

Traditions are a key part of many holiday celebrations. Whether it’s cooking a special dish, lighting candles, exchanging gifts, or singing specific songs, traditions ground people in their personal history and cultural identity. In your holiday story, you can use these rituals to reveal more about your characters and their backgrounds.

Dig a little deeper to show how these rituals impact the characters emotionally. Maybe a character dreads family gatherings because they’re filled with tension, or maybe they cherish the holidays because they’ve always been a time of love and connection. You can also invent new traditions for your characters to engage with, adding a sense of personal touch to the story.

A holiday story taps into the “magic” of the season

Holiday fiction taps into the emotions that come with the season. Whether it’s the joy of togetherness, the comfort of tradition, or the hope for personal growth, these stories speak to the human experience.

By focusing on universal themes, avoiding clichés, creating compelling characters, and infusing sensory details, you can craft holiday fiction that resonates with your audience and captures the true spirit of the season. So, let’s embrace the season’s “magic” and show the warmth and wonder in your story.

Read Creative Exercises to Spark Inspiration and Improve Your Writing, and then follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to my newsletter to keep up with news about my book and any special offers! Be sure you grab your FREE 10-step checklist to plan your novel when you subscribe!

Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married for over 38 years, have 5 amazing kids and 3 adorable grandkids. I homeschooled our three youngest children and used to blog about homeschooling. I also taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! My first cozy mystery, Birds Alive!, released Feb. 27, 2024! The second in the series releases on Feb. 25, 2025!

When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)