Xmas

Merry Xmas, ya filthy animal. And a Happy New Year.

It's true. Not only have I covered Valentine's Day for this year's A to Z Blogging Challenge, we're having Xmas too. There are so many things associated with Xmas that can be used throughout the year: family, gifts, excessive partying, bad singing... the list goes on. At least talking about it in April lessens the risk of festive overkill (which occurs from 1st November onwards, usually).

X for Xmas.

1. You receive a Xmas card in the post, but you don't recognise the writing on the envelope addressed to you. Inside the card, there's a confession from someone you've never met, but who's done something terrible to you. Delve further...

2. Sketch a mind-map using the key word as the nucleus, then branch out in whatever direction you please. You might find yourself going in completely unrelated paths (which I personally prefer). Do a five-minute freewrite incorporating as many (or few) branch words as you like. Here is my mind map (created using the SimpleMind app on my phone).

3. Choose one of the following sentence starts and freewrite for a few minutes, letting the words tumble out without a second thought:

• This would be our first Xmas without...
• I desperately wish I hadn't gone to the office Xmas party last night...
• He handed me the gift: it was a large box, carefully wrapped. Inside was...

I find it best not to read my freewrites for at least a few days. Why not stuff them in a drawer and surprise yourself? It's blatant evidence that our minds work in mysterious ways. Plus, I defy you not to find an array of story seeds amongst your work.

Do you have any writing warm-ups you'd like to share?

Take care,

Catherine x

Note: All photo prompts in my A to Z Challenge 2013 are my own. Feel free to use/copy/share to your hearts content. Help yourself. :)  

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Xmas