December in NYC: Unforgettable Feelings + Free Creative Intention Guide for the New Year!

Welcome to The Creativity Digest, a monthly newsletter series from Akin! We’re bringing you some of the most interesting creative classes, workshops, events, and pop-ups around New York City every month so that you can find your creative community. It’s time to turn your local neighborhood into your creative playground!

Monthly Musings by “S”, a New Pen Pal

Hard to admit, but people love a good remake. No one complains about a remake if it “captures the essence” of the original with a twist. The unforgettable feelings of the original gets people obsessed over recreating that experience in a new form.

Lately, entertainment does this for many films and tv shows, but the inspiration comes from what we do every day as humans. We have a habit of experiencing a feeling and wanting to remake it into another version.

Things like: You feel excited nerves and capture the flutter in a guitar riff; You feel an itch for thrill and search for a tricky-to-solve coding project; You feel an epiphany of patience and mold its practice into pottery.

You want to mimic whatever you feel into that hobby: to understand it, to release it, to exchange it, to feel it more deeply, or to give it a purpose. Your own remake.

Wait, we got friendly so fast I almost forgot to introduce myself.

Hi, I’m Esse (said like the letter “S”), and I’m basically your new penpal from Akin. I’m very much a hobby-centric creative and build my remakes from hobbies like dance, writing, and crochet. You’ll find musings from me about creativity, making time to explore your interests, and the like.

During this year, I continually morphed what I was feeling into my hobbies. Dependable creative outlets kept my year rerouting in a positive direction, which seems very important to me for living a fuller life. Somehow, the chance to observe feelings in a different version makes them easier to process.

We fill our year with capturing these unforgettable feelings and inspirations to grow as people. While this develops, you naturally give way to the healthier, kinder, and wiser version of yourself. Your own remake.

Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash

🧭 Creative Compass for the New Year

🎇 Happy New Year To All Creative Souls!

We’ve crafted something special for you….. a Creative Intention Setting Guide designed to help you reclaim time for what lights you up. Whether you’re diving into a film marathon of your favorite remakes, finally starting that crochet project, or exploring something entirely new, this guide is your companion for making it happen. Nurturing your creativity isn’t indulgent: it’s essential for your mental health and joy.

Explore the guide here → and share your creative intentions with us! Drop a DM at @discoverakin or email us at info@discoverakin.com. We’d love to hear what you’re looking forward to creatively exploring!

🎉 Celebrating Our First Micro-Grant!

We have incredible news: Akin has received its first few hundred dollars of funding!

This milestone means everything to us, and it’s only possible because of you. Your support, your belief in our mission, and your engagement have brought us here. This funding helps us expand our reach and deepen our impact as we work toward building a more connected, creative community.

Want to be part of our journey? Buy us a coffee ☕ → and help us grow our footprint together. Your donation will go far and whether it’s a one-time payment or recurring donations, our small yet mighty team will make every dollar count. Here’s to 2026, a year of intention, creativity, and collective impact!

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Holiday Creative Happenings

December 17th: Charmed Holiday Ornament Making — Come join us for a cozy evening making charmed ornaments! We’ll have everything you need to personalize your piece to bring home and brighten your space. 📍 Williamsburg 🕐 6-8:30pm. RSVP. Hosted by Craft Nook

December 18th: Mahjong Night + Holiday Cardmaking Workshop — The last Mahjong Night of 2025 is here! Join us for a festive evening with two activities in one - play mahjong and create recycled holiday cards. Attendees can participate in either or both activities. Sign up here (Suggested donation: $5)📍Gowanus 🕐 7-10pm. Hosted by Heretosunday in collaboration with @needsaiii

December 18th: Pillowtalk Workshop Round 2 — Learn to design, cut, and stitch your own sculptural pillow! Due to popular demand, we’re adding one more session before the holiday break. 📍 East Williamsburg 🕐 6:30-9:30pm. Sign up via Luma. Hosted by Kiki & Bouba Craft Lab

December 19th: Open Mic Night — Join us at Cafe Bloom for the last Open Mic Night of 2025! This is your final chance this year to take the stage or enjoy some amazing local talent—singers, comedians, poets, and more. Let’s make this a night to remember! 📍 Washington Heights 🕐 5-8 pm. Sign up on this Google Form. (FREE) Hosted by Cafe Bloom

December 20th: Christmas Bento Cake Decorating — Decorate your own Christmas-themed bento cake in this cozy workshop. Learn simple aesthetic techniques, enjoy festive snacks and warm drinks, and take home your cake in a gift box. Dress code: Cozy Christmas Sweaters! Perfect for a solo date, sweet outing with a friend, or festive pre-Christmas activity. 📍 Midtown Manhattan 🕐 12-2 pm. (Buy tickets here: $92) Hosted by Ptashka Agency and Ruslana.

December 28th: Reflect & Reset Year-End Reflections & New Year Intentions Virtual Journaling Class — Let’s get together one last time in 2025 from the comfort of our own spaces for an evening of reflection and intention. In my opinion, you can reset and get intentional any day or time, but the end of the year feels like such a natural season for thoughtful reflection and deeper dives. We’ll gather virtually to look back on the year that’s passed and take some expansive looks at what’s ahead.📍Virtual 🕐 7-9 pm. (Buy tickets: $35) Hosted by Journaling Sessions.

December 29th: Reading Rhythms Williamsburg — It’s not a book club, it’s a reading party! Join us for reading and crafting with Recess Grove. 📍Recess Grove, Williamsburg 🕐 7pm (Buy tickets here: $20) Hosted by Becka and Recess Grove.

December 30th: Gaia Collective One-Day Choir Sessions — We’ve got some end-of-year magic coming your way! We’d love to sing Pinocchio with you this holiday season!📍Greenpoint, Brooklyn 🕐 7pm - 11 pm (Suggested donation: $25). RSVP here. Hosted by Gaia Collective.

December 31st: New Year’s Eve House Party at Recess Grove — Whether you’re looking for a creative way to celebrate or the best place to gather your people before a big night out, we’ve got the crafts and cozy vibes to help you genuinely unwind this New Year’s Eve. Join us for a house party to reflect on 2025 highlights and vision board for 2026 while mingling and creating a collaborative mural on the studio walls. RSVP here📍 Recess Grove, Williamsburg 🕐 7pm - 11 pm ($39). Hosted by Recess Grove.

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Follow us on Instagram & Tiktok @discoverakin for the most up to date news & exclusive content. Tag us whenever you do something creative to be featured on our page! Email us at info@discoverakin.com for questions or comments.

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Until next time,

Your Creativity Guides 👨‍🎨