How to Rise Above the Noise with Holiday Storytelling

Quick, name the holiday-themed sources of these famous first lines:

• ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house …
• All the Whos down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot …
• Ah, there it is. My house …
• I owe everything to George Bailey …

(Scroll down to see the answers.)

I’d be willing to bet that you correctly identified at least one or two. You may have even been able to complete the lines. Why? Because the holidays and storytelling go together like egg nog and nutmeg.

So why is it that, at this time of year, so many content marketers forget about our calling as storytellers? We get so wrapped up in making our content hip, clever, and (heavens forefend) “viral” that we neglect the one thing our followers crave: a good story, well told.

As you peruse what’s left of your 2016 content marketing calendar, look for opportunities to weave in some beautiful storytelling between now and December 31. Gather your team and start collaborating on ideas; here are a few to get you started:

• Have some of your employees contribute to a blog post on “My Worst Holiday Travel Experience.”
• Share inspiring stories from a charity you’re supporting as part of your holiday giving-back campaign.
• Invite your followers to share their memories “the best toy Santa ever brought.”
• Remember that storytelling doesn’t have to be verbal. Share candid photos from your office’s holiday shenanigans and invite your followers to “caption this.”
• Share beloved stories from religions and traditions around the world.
• Poll some thought leaders from around your industry and invite them to contribute to a social media series on “My Greatest Wish for 2017.”
• Come up with a mascot — a stuffed animal or even a real animal (check with the boss first) — and share photos and videos depicting his or her holiday adventures around the office.
• Invite followers to share their favorite family holiday recipes — and the stories behind them.

OK, your turn: What did your team come up with? Please share it with us in the comments — we’d love to hear from you!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, here are the answers to our little quiz:

• “‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house …” is the first line of the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore.
• “All the Whos down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot …” opens How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss.
• “Ah, there it is. My house …” is the opening line of the movie A Christmas Story.
• “I owe everything to George Bailey …” kicks off the film It’s a Wonderful Life.