The Holiday Season in Three Acts

Having you ever noticed that going through the holiday season is a lot like writing a novel?

Most writers of fiction are familiar with the three-act structure. While there are other models that can be used to construct a book, the three-act structure offers a handy method for building a plot. It works especially well for mysteries. It works like this:

Act 1–The Setup. In this act you introduce your Main Character, and then promptly make something happen that knocks your MC out of their comfort zone. Maybe they receive a mysterious letter, or a dead body shows up on their doorstep, or their kid is accused of a crime. This is called the inciting incident, and it creates a problem to solve, a challenge to meet, or an opportunity to take advantage of. The MC now has a goal.

Act 2–The Development. So the MC sets out to reach the goal, but it’s not easy. A lot of roadblocks, conflicts, and barriers are encountered along the way. The villain is elusive, red herrings steer the MC in the wrong direction, and a lot of questions evade answers. The plot twists and turns, tension tightens, and the suspense becomes unbearable. Will the MC succeed or fail? For a time, all seems to be lost.

Act 3–The Resolution. The big moment arrives. Everything has been building to this point. Now the MC’s ultimate success or failure will be determined. The villain will (hopefully) be vanquished, and all the questions will be answered. Reaching The End, the reader closes the book with a sigh of satisfaction and begins looking forward to the author’s next wonderful novel.

Right now you’re probably saying, “Sounds like a great story. I’d read that. But what does it have to with the holidays?”

Well, it occurred to me recently that the holiday season also unfolds in three acts.

Act 1–The Anticipation. We become aware that the holiday season is approaching. Or maybe it sneaks up on us; most years, that’s what happens to me.

This act can be fun, filled with hope and eagerness. This year, the holidays will go great. We make plans. We make lists. We ask questions: Will we celebrate at home or travel to visit loved ones? Who’s going to host the big dinner? What gift will please the picky nephew? What photo will we choose for the Christmas card? What do I want Santa to bring me? When will we find the time to accomplish everything on our to-do list?

Act 2–The Frenzy. Did I mention time? In this act, time becomes the villain. Too much to do, too little time. Now we’re in a frantic race to get it all done—shopping, decorating, wrapping, addressing, baking, searching for the missing gift tags, dashing from errands to parties to more errands. And all the while we have to keep up everything that makes up our daily lives during the other eleven months of the year. Our goal is to get it all accomplished in time to let us enjoy the rapidly approaching holiday. Will our juggling act succeed or fail?

Act 3–The Celebration. The big day arrives, or maybe it’s a stretch of big days. The frenzy of Act 2 is behind us. We can kick back, pour a cup or glass of our favorite festive beverage, and enjoy the twinkling lights and the smiling faces around us. It’s a joyous occasion, and just as we do when we finish a good book, we give a sigh of satisfaction.

Three acts to a book, three acts to a holiday season.

Whatever holiday you celebrate at this time of the year, may it be filled with joy, peace, and happiness for you and yours.