December Daily® Storytelling | Special Guest Alexa Gill

Hey Everyone! 

Alexa here. I am so excited to celebrate the season with you via the Daily December project. 

This will be my 7th year participating in December Daily. My style and approach to the project has evolved over the years. I am a big fan of foundation pages as they help to set me up for success to finish the project and to get in the spirit of the season. I like to prep some directed stories in advance which can be a real gift on days in December that I am finding it more difficult to pinpoint a story. I especially like to make at least a couple of pages that can be 'no photo' stories. This eases a bit of pressure during December when I might not feel like taking photos every day. A lot of the stories that I like to tell are based on prompts that could be used any time of the year.

For me, planning for December Daily starts really early. When I see the product previews I often have ideas sparked instantly, so I write them down. I have a little notebook in which I sketch my page ideas down in. I usually have more ideas once I have the product in my hands too. Additionally I jot down ideas for stories when they come to me. I use a calendar to note any plans I might have in December that I know I will want to document. During December I like to use Evernote for note taking & journaling. 

Here are some of the stories that I love to tell in my December Daily project:  

December Stuff 

I always set up a 2x2 page protector for this story. Sometimes I end up cutting the page protector down, depending how much I have to fill the pockets with. Throughout the month I gather paper products which I cut into 2x2 squares and pop into the page protector. Sometimes I even start to gather things before December. For example I usually plant an Amaryllis in October/November and I like to use the packaging from that.

This is a great 'filler' idea. It requires no photos or words from you yet it still tells a story of your December. Through the years I have had some things that make a regular appearance and some new things materialise.  

'ING words'  

An 'ing word' is any word ending in ing. This is one of my favourite directed story telling ideas and one I like to prepare in advance since I always use stamps for this prompt. These words are a great jumping off point for journaling but you could also just use photos!

Thankful for  

This is another page I like to prepare in advance so that it's ready to go for me to write down things I'm grateful for throughout the month. It helps me to pause and look for the good in a season that can feel very rushed. The first year I moved into my home I picked out things I was grateful for specifically about my flat & I repeated this again a couple of years later once I had made the flat more my own. I love comparing the two pages. 

Loving/Joy  

This prompt helps me to look a little closer at my life to think about what is making me happy in this season. For me this can be anything from snuggles with my cat to a TV show to a scented candle. 

Traditions new & old  

Some of my favourite traditions are: opening an advent calendar, decorating my tree, sending cards, growing an amaryllis, watching Christmas films, doing a Christmas themed puzzle. All worthy of documenting!

I also go to brunch with a couple of my girlfriends every year which has become a great way to celebrate the season together. 

Cinema is a big love of mine and something I document each December. It's fun to look back at what I saw in past years, but it also allows me the opportunity to document what I love about going to the cinema and how important it is to me. 

Including other voices in my project I live on my own with my beloved cat Luna, but I like to include input from my immediate family in my album. How I've done this is to give each family member a tag and asked them to write a few words for me. I will give them a directed prompt to make it easier for them. Prompt's in the past have been 'your favourite memory from this year', 'wishlist' and 'thankful for'. 

Cards  

Giving and receiving cards is a way I love to celebrate the season. I usually have a page set up, wether it be an envelope or a pocket, to include a few cards from friends & family. I have to be selective so it's not too bulky. But these are a real treasure to look back on.

Some years I've photographed the cards I'm sending. And one year I took a picture of myself writing my cards out. My journaling was about why I love the process of sending cards and how it connects me to others. 

I hope this has given you some inspiration for stories to tell during December. Thank you so much for joining me today! Find me on Instagram here.