🎄 Christmas Eatings: Behind the Illustration

Quick Summary: I created a holiday-themed illustration inspired by classic Christmas foods like mince pies, gingerbread, and mulled wine. In this post, I’m sharing what inspired the idea, how I made it, and where you can find the final artwork in my shop. Christmas has always meant more than decorations and presents — it’s a season full of familiar traditions, comfort, and food that only appears once a year. When the holidays start approaching, I find myself paying more attention to festive treats, winter markets, and holiday recipes. That’s what inspired my illustration Christmas Eatings. ✨ What Inspired This Artwork Every year around November, I start noticing the return of seasonal foods: mince pies, gingerbread biscuits, mulled wine, candied oranges, and Christmas pudding. Even the dishes people have mixed feelings about — like brussels sprouts — become part of the holiday mood. Those small seasonal moments sparked the idea for this illustration. I wanted to capture the fun, familiar food traditions that make the holidays feel special. 🎨 The Illustration Process I created this artwork digitally using a gouache-style brush. The goal was to make the piece feel hand-painted and textured — almost like a vintage holiday cookbook page. I started with simple sketches of different treats: gingerbread men, candy canes, pie slices, mulled wine glasses, a Christmas pudding, and a golden roast dinner. As I refined the shapes and added colour, the illustration slowly turned into a full, cheerful food-themed pattern. Some icons came together quickly; others took more experimenting. The final touches — stars, bows, and decorative sprinkles — helped everything look festive and lively. 🍪 Why Food Plays a Big Role in Christmas For many people, food is one of the strongest parts of holiday memories. It’s the family recipes we only make once a year, the first mug of hot chocolate after decorating the tree, or the way the whole house smells while something is baking. Food traditions make the holiday season feel familiar, comforting, and shared — which is what I wanted this design to represent. 🎁 Where You Can Find This Artwork This illustration will be available as: Art prints Greeting cards Wall art And a few additional holiday products It’s perfect for kitchens, cozy corners, or anyone who loves holiday traditions. 💬 I’d Love to Hear From You What food reminds you most of Christmas? Mince pies? Gingerbread? A classic roast? Something passed down in your family? Feel free to share it — I love hearing personal traditions. Thank you for reading and for supporting my work. Wishing you a season full of creativity, warmth, and festive treats. 🎄✨