Finding Your Holiday Voice

By Nancy Churnin 

One of the first rules for authors is to check to see if there are already books that cover the subject we’re writing about. That rule does not apply to holiday stories. Now you don’t want to duplicate a story someone else has written. But there is a boundless appetite for new holiday stories – provided you have a fresh spin.

One approach is to draw from personal experience. That’s what Lisa Amstutz did with two heartwarming books that have become seasonal favorites. Applesauce Day, illustrated by Talitha Shipman (Albert Whitman, 2023) celebrates her family tradition of making applesauce each fall. 

Finding a Dove for Gramps, illustrated by Maria Luisa di Gravio (Albert Whitman, 2018) is based on Lisa’s childhood memory of participating in a Christmas Bird Count with her dad. In addition to the focus on family bonding, the book winningly “dovetails” with a citizen science project that takes place each year at the end of December/beginning of January.

Another way to go is to give a fresh twist to a familiar tale. That’s what Susie Holt did with her playful take on a beloved Christmas song. In Twelve Cowboys Ropin’, which she also illustrated (Pelican Publishing, 2015), Susie reimagines the traditional “Twelve Days of Christmas” with Lone Star charm as a fun way to teach Texas kids about Texas symbols. Instead of pear trees and French hens, Susie’s twelve days feature mockingbirds, pecan trees, armadillos, prickly pears, and other Texas treasures. Her goal, she says, was that “the familiar rhythm cumulative structure would draw children into the read-aloud, while the Texas-themed surprises would make the book memorable.”

You can also take a non-fiction approach as I did with some of my holiday-themed books, shining light on little-known stories of the origins of Halloween and Christmas traditions. Lila and the Jack-o’-Lantern, Halloween Comes to America, illustrated by Anneli Bray (Albert Whitman, 2023) is historical fiction about the Irish immigrants who brought their Halloween customs to America. 

The Queen and the First Christmas Tree, Queen Charlotte’s Gift to England, illustrated by Luia Uribe (Albert Whitman, 2018) is the story of the kind queen who introduced the first Christmas tree to England in 1800 to delight a party of 100 children.

Holiday stories can be contemporary. My newest book, The Miracle Menorah of Mariupol, illustrated by Marissa Moss (Creston Books, September 2026) pulls a tale of hope from recent headlines as a synagogue’s beloved menorah is found miraculously unharmed t in the rubble of war-torn Ukraine in time to be lit for Hanukkah.

And if you’re wondering if it is really possible to have your own fresh take on a holiday or season that’s been written about innumerable times, check out the stories in the middle-grade anthology, The Festival of Lights, edited by Henry Herz (Albert Whitman, 2024). This anthology of 16 Hanukkah stories, each by a different author, including me, shows how wildly different the styles, settings, and themes can be in writing about the same holiday.

So, dig deep, think about what makes the holidays meaningful to you – a family tradition, a favorite song, a nugget of inspiration from the past or present – and you may find your own story to celebrate.