8 December 2009
by 
Yay! It’s DECEMBER!
*starts singing* “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” I love December and the holiday season. I’m wrapped in the excitement and community spirit of Christmas. Despite the queues at the store, the impatient bustle of traffic, and a sudden dip in my bank account balance, there is something magical about December.
Did you know, however, that almost all of the fresh, new content that fills the world this month was written months ago? The advert for those holiday sales, the gift catalogs of your favorite stores, and the press releases announcing this party and that holiday event were put together at least several weeks past, usually around August/September.
Guess what that means for seasonal writers? You should be working on content for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s, and even Easter. The only people who get to write about December in December are bloggers (ok, I guess the “breaking news” journalists do too, sometimes). Which is another awesome reason to blog don’t you think? We can write about the holidays when we’re fired with the passion and excitement of the moment. Or, if you’re fired in the moment, consider writing in advance of next year’s holiday season.
What are you writing about this December? And how do you prepare in advance for seasonal writing?
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What’s funny is that models go through this, too. In the swimsuit spreads they likely froze their Po Po’s off! LOL.
Anyway, this is something that I have a hard time getting used to. On Valentine’s Day, THAT’S what I’m thinking about, not Christmas. But now that I am making the move to write for print, this is something I need to be mindful of for sure.
This is something I’ve never considered. It would be odd having to think up Valentine’s day cards while humming the words to “Silent Night”.
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Hi Rebecca:
I try to remain noncommittal at any time of year because my readers are all around the world, in varying climates and of differing religious persuasions.
Anyway, it is difficult for an agnostic mystic in SoCal to get enthusiastic about December and Christmas. It was almost 80 degrees here today … no snow, ever!
@Katherine: That’s true! At least writers have the opportunity to be comfortable in their own homes or offices even when they’re writing about ice or drought.
I think, because we’re so tied to the emotions in the moment, it is easier to write “when it’s happening”. I know when I write about Christmas at this time of year it is more full of heart than if I try to write about it in June. That is why it’s never too early to get a jump on seasonal topics for NEXT year. Write magazine content that you can submit in six to nine months ready for next year’s Christmas readers.
@Web-Betty: One advantage of Christmas to Valentine’s is that at least Christmas is a time where we can consider love and joy. But it could be a good way to get very confused about the meaning of each holiday. “Deck the halls” oh wait! It’s EASTER I’m writing for.
@Georganna: One of the great things about writing online is that we have a global audience and can write “in the moment” or at least on a shorter editorial calendar. Some of the eProducts I manage are on a monthly editorial calendar, and others, like WRA presently can be down to the day.
Many freelance writers who work for magazines and in print find the editorial calendars are set in advance. News journalists however are down to the hour, if news breaks just as the paper is going to print the editor may want immediate copy for breaking news.
I can relate to your steaming December. I’ve never known a cold, white, or even wet Christmas. The sun is shining on a hot and dry Australian summer and Christmas Day almost always charges up the thermostat into the high 30s and low 40s Celsius. But the idea of a white Christmas is beautiful.
Maybe one year I’ll take myself and my kids to the snow for the holidays.
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