If your family is anything like mine, there comes a moment when buying gifts for one another moves from cheery festive challenge to simply being a chore.

No longer is there much surprise to the unwrapping—since everyone shared their list of desired gifts ahead of time. So, if you are celebrating without little ones this year, instead of buying presents, may I recommend that you write each other poems?

Yes—write each other poems!

The Dutch festival of Sinterklaas shows us how.

Millions of Dutch families gathered this week to write and read aloud poems to each other. To be clear—we’re not talking Mary Oliver poetry here. The goal is to thoroughly and lovingly roast one another. Each poem is ‘written from Sinterklaas’, who’s omniscience is striking…so families are able to vent about dad’s aversion to nail clippings in the bathroom or a a sister’s perpetual lateness.

What matters is that they touch on something true, and that they rhyme.

It is quite common to find a commuter train in Holland full of passengers scribbling away or hunched over a thesaurus. The poems may not be good—but they are personal: and that’s what matters! I love how everyone’s imagination can live in this celebration. Aside from last month’s NaNoWriMo, when else do we find such a cultural mass moment of creative writing?!

(Though I love this particular ritual, it is important to note that Sinterklaas also has a deeply troubling history of using Blackface. Thanks to activist leadership, this has radically been reduced over the last decade.)

This week, I sat around my parental kitchen table and was duly ribbed by each of my family members. There were plenty of knowing guffaws and, of course, much laughter. Maybe this is why the Dutch are known for their direct communication..?‍

Here’s how you might celebrate this season with poetry, too:

1. Once all the poems are written, print them, fold them up, and write the recipient’s name on each folded sheet of paper.
2. Put all the poems on a tray or in the middle of the table.
3. Take out the first poem and pass to its recipient.
4. Once received, you must read the poem out loud immediately—no looking ahead!
5. After you’ve finished reading aloud and thanked Sinterklaas for the wisdom contained within, pick the next poem, and continue until there no poems left.

Of course, you don’t need Sinterklaas be a part of a poetic celebration. Perhaps it is Santa or the Winter Queen or someone from your family’s lore… just make sure to have a shared character from whom each of the poems can be written :)

And, ideally, there’s a nice meal or tea and cake to enjoy as you gather together.

Finally—if writing just isn’t your thing, I’ve also heard of families crafting winter crowns for one another, creating paper lanterns, or even writing a collaborative play to be acted out together! There are so many wonderful ways to celebrate the festive season. I hope you find the right one for you.