I am fortunate to live in a climate where each season is different. The unique characteristics of the four seasons give each one a special quality to be celebrated through winter journaling prompts.
As a child, winter was hands-down my favorite season. Tobogganing, skating, building snowmen and forts, having snowball fights - there were so many things to love about the winter!
Winter also contains the favorite holiday of many children, Christmas!
As an adult, I still love winter. I don’t go sledding as often as I used to, but
I still love to skate, and going for long winter walks among snow-covered trees brings me great joy.
The blanketed silence and white, pristine beauty of the season is something I treasure.
While summer journaling means sitting in an adirondack chair by the lake at the cottage, feeling the warmth of the sun’s rays, winter journaling means snuggling up in a warm blanket in front of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate and a beautifully scented candle.
In this article, I look at journal prompts associated with winter. You’ll find warm and cozy prompts as well as inspiration to get out and enjoy winter, and lots of inspiration for creative writing.
Come along with me and explore the wonder and the beauty of winter through journaling.
Journaling Prompts To Spend Quality Time
Winter, in many ways, is a season of contrasts. You have the cold outside and the warmth inside a home. You have extravagant gifts and food at Christmas, and the want that is keenly felt among those in need at this time.
Winter presents opportunities to make a positive impact in your own life and in the life of others.
Opportunities abound to get involved in charitable organizations. Have you ever thought about lending some time to work in a soup kitchen or wanted to give time to an organization that provides warm clothes to those in need?
When we participate in activities that help others, we experience positive feelings. We do something good for others and we also do something good for ourselves.
Not only do we feel good about helping those less fortunate than ourselves, but we also have the chance to work alongside others which gives us the joy of camaraderie.
The following prompts focus on this:
What can you do to cultivate more compassion for yourself and others during the winter season?
What is something you can do to make a positive impact on your community during the winter season?
Winter can also be a tough season for people who have mobility issues, or for those who are alone.
Depression climbs during the cold months of winter. It is important at this time to reflect on what you can do to develop a positive mindset.
If you find is challenging to maintain a positive outlook in the winter, then thinking about the following prompt could be helpful:
What can you do to bring more joy into your life during the winter season?
Check out all the wonderful prompts in this list, and make your winter season bright and happy!
33 Journal Prompts To Spend Quality Time
1. "Describe a time when you felt empowered during the winter season."
2. "What can you do to cultivate more compassion for yourself and others during the winter season?"
3. "How has the winter season influenced your sense of creativity and self-expression?"
4. "Write about a winter experience that has made you more resilient."
5. "How has the winter season influenced your sense of identity?"
6. "What is the coziest thing you own, and how does it help you feel warm and comfortable during the winter months?"
7. "What is your favorite winter drink, and how does it help you get through the colder months?"
8. "What can you do to cultivate more presence and mindfulness in your daily life during the winter season?"
9. "What is your favorite winter scent, and what memories or emotions does it evoke for you?"
10. "What can you do to cultivate more self-awareness and self-discovery during the winter season?"
11. "What is something you can do to make a positive impact on your community during the winter season?"
12. "Write about a winter experience that taught you the importance of letting go of control."
13. "Describe a winter experience that challenged your assumptions or beliefs."
14. "What can you do to bring more joy into your life during the winter season?"
15. "What is your favorite thing about winter, and how do you savor and enjoy it to the fullest?"
16. "Describe your ideal winter day, from start to finish. What activities would you do, and who would you spend it with?"
17. "Describe a winter activity that helps you to connect with the natural rhythms of the earth."
18. "Write about a time when you tried a new winter activity. How did it challenge you, and what did you learn from the experience?"
19. "What is been your biggest challenge during the winter season, and how do/will you overcome it?"
20. "Describe a winter activity that helps you feel more connected to others."
21. "List the things that motivate you during the winter, from staying active to pursuing creative projects. What drives you to stay productive?"
22. "Describe a winter activity that helps you to connect with your intuition and inner guidance."
23. "Describe a time when you felt a sense of awe at the power of nature during the winter season."
24. "How has the winter season influenced your sense of community and belonging?"
25. "How has the winter season impacted your relationships with others?"
26. "What can you do to find meaning and purpose in the darkness and cold of the winter season?"
27. "What emotions does the winter season evoke in you, and how do you cope with them?"
28. "Describe a winter activity that helps you to connect with your inner child."
29. "Describe a winter activity that helps you to find peace."
30. "What practices can you cultivate to help you find inner stillness during this season?"
31. "Make a list of winter memories that you treasure. Why do these experiences stand out in your mind?"
32. "What can you do to cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude during the winter season?"
33. "Write about a winter experience that helped you to gain a deeper appreciation for the power of transformation."
Creative Writing Journal Prompts For Winter
Winter is the ideal season for writing. It brings calm and quiet and invites reflection, thought and putting pen to paper.
This is a great time to explore and develop creative writing skills. You don’t need to be a budding author.
Journaling provides a non-intimidating way to try out some creative writing and express yourself in a way that can lead to not only the development of writing skills but also the exploration of your creative side.
What I love about these creative writing journal prompts is the chance to think about things in a different way.
I tend to be a more linear than creative thinker, but responding to some of these prompts has made me realize that I can tap into a creative part of me as well.
It’s liberating to write about, for example:
Imagine you've won a trip to the Arctic. What sights do you want to see? What do you want to do there? Describe your ideal trip.
Or
How do you make the best hot chocolate in the world?
Too often we don't make use of all of our senses. The following prompt gets me doing just that:
Describe a "winter wonderland" scene with your five senses.
Take a look at the full list of prompts and see what inspires you to channel your inner writer!
14 Creative Writing Journal Prompts For Winter
34. "If you could live anywhere in the world during one winter season, where would you live?"
35. "Write an instruction manual for how to build a snowman, step-by-step, for a kid who has never done this activity."
36. "How do you make the best hot chocolate in the world?"
37. "Describe a "winter wonderland" scene with your five senses."
38. "Do you live in a place that gets snow in the wintertime? If so, what are your favorite activities to do in the snow? If not, what would be the first thing you'd do if it snowed in your hometown for one day?"
39. "Have you ever tried to ice skate? What was it like to ice skate for the first time? If you've never been before, would you want to try it out? Why or why not?"
40. "Imagine you live in an igloo. Describe what your home looks like on the outside and the inside."
41. "Imagine you've won a trip to the Arctic. What sights do you want to see? What do you want to do there? Describe your ideal trip."
42. "What is your favorite athletic competition to watch in the Winter Olympics? If you could be an athlete in any Winter Olympic sport, which would you choose and why?"
43. "How do you warm up when you come inside from the cold?"
44. "Describe your family's best winter tradition."
45. "What is your favorite movie that takes place in winter or has a winter scene? Explain why."
46. "Do you prefer to play indoors or outdoors in the wintertime? Explain why."
47. "Write a poem about winter that includes the words frost, snow, snowflakes, ice, and frozen."
Creative Warm And Cozy Winter Journal Prompts
Few words sound better to me than ‘warm’ and ‘cozy’.
These words give rise to thoughts of hot chocolate, a warm fire, a fir tree-scented candle, and a great book - like my journal!
Surrounded by these things, my senses are alive, and I reach for my journal to put my feelings and thoughts into words.
I love winter so I choose prompts that focus on the positives of the season like:
What does winter sound like? What sounds do you associate with winter?
What do you like to do in the winter season?
If winter is not a season you enjoy, then responding to a prompt like the following might be more your taste:
Do you have any fears about winter? Does the winter make your life more difficult in any way? How can you overcome this?
Through journaling, you might just find some positives about winter and change your approach to this season making it less a season to dread and one to enjoy.
30 Creative Warm & Cozy Winter Journal Prompts
48. "What do you want to take with you into the new year?"
49. "How can you make this coming winter better than last winter?"
50. "What does winter sound like? What sounds do you associate with winter?"
51. "What do you like to do in the winter season?"
52. "What do you want to let go of this coming year?"
53. "What is the best thing about winter?"
54. "What is your least favourite memory of winter?"
55. "Write about the first snowflake you remember seeing."
56. "Did you enjoy snow days when you were younger. Write about your favourite snow day."
57. "What is your favourite holiday tradition and why?"
58. "Write about a time you went sledding."
59. "What has been your favourite memory of this past year?"
60. "What do you think about when you think about winter? What’s the first the first thing that comes to mind."
61. "Who do you want to be in the next year of your life?"
62. "What are some of your favourite holiday memories?"
63. "What are some of the things that made you happy this year?"
64. "What are you dreading this winter?"
65. "What does winter taste like? What are your favourite foods to eat at winter? What do you love to cook?"
66. "What does winter smell like? What do you smell when you step outside on a cold winters day? What does your house smell of at Christmas?"
67. "Do you have any fears about winter? Does the winter make you life more difficult in any way? How can you overcome this?"
68. "What does winter feel like? What textures and sensations do you associate with winter?"
69. "What are you looking forward to this winter?"
70. "What lessons did you learn this year?"
71. "What is your favourite memory of winter?"
72. "What are made you sad this year and how did you cope with them?"
73. "What is the worst thing about winter?"
74. "What does winter look like to you? What colours remind you of winter?"
75. "Write about what it feels like to be cold."
76. "Who do you want to spend your time with this winter?"
77. "What would you like to accomplish in the coming year? What are your goals?"
Winter-Themed Journal Prompts
Of all of the lists of seasonal journaling prompts that I work with, this list is one of my favorites.
That is because it contains prompts that provide the beginning of reflections which you pick up and continue writing about.
Many are written like the beginning of a story. Read through the list and see which prompts you connect with.
If you find it difficult to think of something to write, you might want to choose a different prompt.
I find it useful to just jot ideas down as they come into my mind. This strategy is called brainstorming and it can be very helpful when you are stuck.
It’s also helpful to approach this journaling with a sense of fun rather than placing expectations on yourself to write a magnum opus.
What are you waiting for? Read the list and have fun!
31 Winter Themed Journal Prompts
78. "Night fell earlier now, and the inky darkness surrounded the cabin as the snow started falling more heavily…"
79. "He had trained hard for many years, and finally he’d made it to the Winter Games. The luge was set to go, it had all come down to this one moment…"
80. "Father and daughter climbed up well above the resort. Climbing into the sled she was giggling with excitement…"
81. "Her snowboard flew off the edge of the jump, and she flipped through the air over and over, before stomping her landing. The crowd went crazy…"
82. "The snowboard cut through the powder in an sweeping turn…"
83. "The campervan sat next to the grove of snowbound trees, itself heaped with fresh powder. It was warm enough now, she hoped it would stay that way for the next month she would call this home…"
84. "The kids rushed outside, and stopped in amazement. Everywhere they looked in the wintery street were snowmen, some towering above nearby parked cars…"
85. "Through the hole in the ice, he could still the dark water of the lake, bitterly cold and starting to crust over with icy slush. His fishing line suddenly moved without warning…"
86. "The ice skates fit tight to her feet and ankles, as she glided out onto the frozen lake, hearing it crack beneath her…"
87. "The property out in the woods was now completely cut off by the heavy snowfall, even for their offroader. Only the animals were stilling moving through the valleys…"
88. "It was time for a winter movie marathon, all the comedies they loved the most…"
89. "The bonfire crackled in the centre of the clearing, as the crisp winter night air crept in with the darkness…"
90. "She got the text message, school was closed and this intense winter storm meant it was likely to be closed for weeks…"
91. "As the car wound it’s way down the mountain road, the tires lost grip every so often, slipping here and there…"
92. "The snowmobile roared into life. She revved the engine, and took off up the snow covered valley. She was on a mission…"
93. "Ice formed jagged tendrils around the mighty old trees branches…"
94. "Every year their winters had been more harsh, and their family hadn’t been able to get outside for 7 weeks at this point, and then it happened…"
95. "The bear stirred in it’s snow covered den, but it was a deep slumber, and it would wait until spring to emerge…"
96. "On the chairlift again, he was exhausted already but the last run on his snowboard was just too much fun to stop now…"
97. "She sank into the hot pool, surface steaming in the cold winters air…"
98. "The mountain bike rolled down the trail, my eyes wide, heart thumping. Every breath out was a winters fog on this cold morning…"
99. "The light individual snow flakes rested on every surface, as she walked through the trees. They fell and started to cover the top of her hood…"
100. "The snowball hit him square in the face, cold breaking into powdery fragments. He fell back stunned…"
101. "The wolf was glad of it’s thick warm winter coat as it ran through the crisp morning fog…"
102. "The night sky had never looked so brilliantly clear, the Milky Way galaxy looked amazingly detailed. The crisp winter’s night surrounded us as we watched the meteor shower begin…"
103. "The leaves had long since gone from the trees, and they starkly stood bare against the sullen sky…"
104. "I’d never seen an ice sculpture as lifelike as this. It was of a giant polar bear rearing up on it’s hind legs, and the ice sculptor had spent days in the bitter cold crafting every last detail…"
105. "He pushed the snow blower through the drifts outside their home, creating a fountain of ice pouring off to one side of the path he was making. He had to hurry…"
106. "The thick canvas material of the tent held the weight of the snow as it started to build up outside, the woodstove crackling and radiating heat into the cozy shelter…"
107. "The dogs ahead were all yipping and pulling at the sled excitedly, though we weren’t moving yet. With a bellowed cry of “onward!” we set off, the dogs pulling the sled faster and faster…"
108. "The night was totally silent, and as I trudged into the remote snowy valley every footstep was muffled…"
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Winter Journaling Prompts?
Winter journaling prompts are thoughtful questions or prompts designed to inspire reflective writing during the winter season. They encourage you to explore your thoughts, experiences, and emotions related to winter.
How Can Winter Journaling Prompts Enhance My Journaling Practice During This Season?
Winter journaling prompts can enhance your practice by providing a seasonal focus. They help you connect with the unique beauty and challenges of winter, fostering deeper self-awareness and mindfulness.
Can Winter Journaling Prompts Help Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Or The Winter Blues?
Winter journaling prompts can be a helpful tool in managing the emotional challenges of winter, such as SAD or the winter blues. They provide an outlet for expressing emotions and finding moments of positivity.
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