Ornaments for Writers

We writers are notorious for letting distractions get in the way of completing our work. We not only need inspiration but we also need reminders to keep focused.

That's why something as small as a trinket that honors you as a writer can be just the reminder you need. After all, what good is it to call yourself a writer if you don't write? Keeping something near your desk to help you focus is good practice. Maybe it may even inspire you a bit.

And at Christmas, putting that reminder on the tree will announce to the world that writing is how you spend your time.

True, you may be saying, but pens and computers are just not warm and fuzzy things. You can't drape them with holly or dress one in a festive holiday sweater!

Though decorating with a typewriter may not light up your eyes the way decorating with a puppy may, who said you can't crown one with a holiday wreath? And it's the inner decoration we are pressing for here. The one that says, yes, congratulations, you are a writer and it makes me proud to know you.

So have good cheer. Your tools of the trade can say a lot about you and putting a symbol of them on the tree is a good idea. You can hang the reminder near your desk all year long.

And if you are looking for a great gift for a friend who likes to write, giving them an ornament that lets them know you appreciate their efforts will be a welcome relief.

Snoopy at Typewriter 2009 Hallmark Ornament

Snoopy is still writing that novel about the Red Baron. Will he ever finish it?

He just may with the encouragement and inspiration of Woodstock, his cute feathered pal.

Zazzle has a line of ornaments which are designed by many talented artists. This typewriter ornament is a clever retro style that you may recognize.

Are you old enough to remember using one of these old manual typewriters? No? Well, some of us do. You needed to really pound those keys to give your document an even tone. Sometimes individual letters would stick and you had pull them off your paper and release the letter's arm to snap it back down into the machine.

If you made a mistake, you had three choices:

1. You could use an ink eraser and more likely than not get a hole in your paper.
2. You could type over the mistake with a strip of correcto-type, a tape-sized strip that would fill in the wrong black letters with white (in theory) and then you could type over the spot again with the proper letters. You could usually read both words by then, as the "white" did not totally neutralize the original letters.
3. Finally, which was a more recent innovation, you could use white-out -- a gooey white liquid you applied in white drops with a tiny brush. White-out was sometimes called "liquid paper" and had to be used sparingly or you could end up with think white lumps that were hard to retype over.

Believe me, despite the comforting sound the old fashioned manual typewriter's keys would make each time they tapped the paper, it was very difficult to get clean copy if you weren't a very good typist. Sometimes people reverted to onion skin typing paper, which was thin and difficult to read, because onion skin paper was erasable. One always had to balance ease of use with ease of readability.

Ornament Central OC-104-FBR Female Computer Figurine

Boy, this writer looks as if she's having fun! Look at that smile!

This ornament comes in both male and female versions. It would be an especially thoughtful gift for someone who writes online at Wizzley or some other site.

It would also be a welcome gift for any writer who uses a computer. (And these days are there any writers who don't?) You can personalize the ornament by writing the recipient's name with a Sharpie on the front of the desk.

You can hang this ornament on your Christmas tree and later you can hang it by your desk where she will spread her glee all year round.

(Do you think she's writing comedy? Wouldn't you love to be able to read her screen?)

Seraphim Classics Roman Ornament Lydia Winged Poet

This angel muse oozes inspiration. Just like the poets of old, you can be inspired by an angel who will hang near your desk, strumming her lyre as you pluck lovely words out of the air.

The Amazon site calls this ornament "Lydia, the Winged Poet."

Willow Tree Angel of Learning Ornament, 26049

Angel with Book

If you're a fan of Willow Tree Angels, this Angel of Learning ornament may tickle your fancy. This angel clutches a book close to her chest. She may be just a lover of reading and study, but I'll make a wager that she spends some of her energy writing as well. This ornament would be a good reminder that all the best writers are voracious readers first.

Well, I hope you enjoyed these writers' Christmas ornaments. If you haven't found something for your favorite writer here, maybe you are looking for something more specific.

Is there a particular author your writer friend really likes? Could you make a little book and write the title of your friend's favorite book on the cover?

Could you find an ornament of some of the book's main characters? (This may be more doable if the book is one of the classics.)

These are just a few suggestions. For more Christmas ornament ideas, check the list of articles below. You may find an ornament that fits the personality of your friend there.

Please leave me a comment below to let me know what you think.