As the days grow shorter and the year begins to wind down, we often find ourselves swept up in the energy of the holidays. There are gatherings to attend, gifts to wrap, meals to prepare, and an endless to-do list that can make the creative spirit feel like it’s been tucked away until January. Yet this season, with its rich colors and emotion, can be one of the most fertile times for creative renewal if we approach it with intention.
At The Painted Moth, we believe creativity isn’t just about making art. It’s a way of seeing, feeling, and connecting to the world. Here are a few gentle rituals to help you nurture your creative spark through the holiday season.
1. Create Space for Stillness
Amid the flurry of activity, stillness becomes sacred. Try starting off your day with a new ritual. I found that instead of waking up and immediately thinking about my to-do list or dreading the busy day ahead, which only made me want to roll over and go back to sleep, it helped to take a couple of slow inhalations and focus on something simple to appreciate: the warmth of my bed, clear air filling my lungs, a safe roof over my head, or even the opportunity to go to work. Upon rising, I wash my face with a nice smelling cleanser. It’s a small sensory pleasure that I highly recommend investing in. Then I make myself a hot cup of lemon honey water or cacao and take a moment to savor it. I breathe in the aroma, feel the warmth in my hands, and use that quiet time to read or journal. This simple ritual takes just 15 to 20 minutes, but it transforms the start of my day. It’s a reminder that even small, intentional moments of care can shift your entire mindset. Often, our most creative ideas come when we make space for silence.
2. Honor the Season Through the Senses
The holidays overflow with sensory richness like spices warming in the kitchen, fresh pine in the air, twinkling lights, and all of the fun, festive colors. Let your senses lead you into creativity. Maybe you mix up herbal tea blends inspired by the season, decorate holiday cookies, or paint using a palette of deep winter tones.
3. Keep a Winter Journal
This is my favorite. Instead of rushing through the season, document it. Purchase a blank journal and write down snippets of conversations, draw tiny vignettes of daily life, or press a sprig of cedar between your pages. You could also cut out small pieces of wrapping paper or holiday napkins that you really like and put them together as a collage. A winter journal becomes a creative ritual of reflection of those moments that you enjoy most about the season.
4. Embrace Imperfect Making
Holiday perfectionism can stifle creativity. Give yourself permission to make without expectation. Try a craft project with your family, paint cards by hand, or decorate cookies without needing to be perfect (they taste the same regardless). These acts of creation remind us that beauty often lives in imperfection.
5. Connect with Your Creative Community
Gathering with others who value creativity can rekindle your own. Attend a local workshop, visit a holiday art market, or throw a craft night with your friends to make handmade gifts. When we surround ourselves with creative energy, we remember that inspiration is a shared experience and not a solitary one.
A Season to Reconnect
This time of year can feel busy, but it also invites us to reconnect with ourselves, our loved ones, and our creative spirit. As the world outside is hectic and busy, allow your creative rituals to be a grounding force, reminding you of the beauty that lives in the present moment. Finding a creative project, whether baking, crafting, decorating, or attending a workshop, helps us to slow down. Remember, your project should not be something you have to do, it is something you get to do. So enjoy the process of it.
In the spirit of the season, I will be posting my own daily gratitude list of three things on our social stories. I invite you to do the same. Gratitude helps us to focus on the things we have in our life, rather than what we do not. It slowly fills our heart with happiness rather than that constant strife of lack. I will also be sharing the pages of my winter journal. Hopefully this will give you inspiration to start your own and share with the Painted Moth community.
Creatively yours,
Katy Casillas-Gray
Mixed Media Artist | Co-founder The Painted Moth