Oh, it's cold, but the sky is bright and I have left my skis at home because there isn't enough snow. I'm out early; it's my Wednesday morning writing group day and I must print the writing prompt I wrote before walking that we'll write from this morning. Writing our weekly prompt is one of my favorite creative things to do. What inspires me is knowing how deep the writers in my group will go with this, how spontaneously and authentically and originally and vulnerably they will reach inside their creative spirits and find their truth and beauty, write it, share it. How different each response will be, and yet, how universally recognizable. I know talking about gift giving and receiving will evoke both light and shadow, anxiety and trust, longing and gratitude, inadequacy and generosity. . . Ahhh, December, you bring such intriguing challenges into our hearts and minds. 

GIFT LISTS WRITING PROMPT

Think back over your lifetime of Christmas/ Hanukkah/solstice celebrations & gifts, both GIVEN & RECEIVED. Define “gift” any way you please.

LIST THE FIVE BEST GIFTS YOU RECEIVED

LIST THE FIVE WORST GIFTS YOU RECEIVED

LIST THE FIVE BEST GIFTS YOU’VE GIVEN

LIST THE FIVE WORST GIFTS YOU’VE GIVEN

LIST THE FIVE BEST GIFTS YOU HOPE TO RECEIVE THIS YEAR

LIST THE FIVE BEST GIFTS YOU HOPE WILL BE WELL RECEIVED THIS YEAR

Now, scramble up your lists in any way you please to compose a new list as a poem. You can be straightforward, silly, irreverent, vulnerable, hopeful, cranky, spiritual, secular, quiet, loud, grateful or miserly. Feel free to play, feel free to be authentically expressive. It’s your list. Do what you like with it!

Give your poem/list a title!

All photos and text copyright Kelly DuMar 2017