As a Botanical Artist, I love creating art that reflects the seasons. Winter and the festive period are especially inspiring, giving me a chance to blend botanicals with holiday themes. These designs make beautiful cards and keepsakes, and shares the nostalgia of Christmas.

Today, I’m sharing my top five festive designs. I hope they inspire you to create your own holiday artwork!

1. The Christmas Train

This idea came to me while visiting a garden centre. A little tree ornament with classic snowy fir trees perfectly captured the idea of Christmas spirit to me.

Fir trees are a beautiful symbol of winter life. Many of us celebrate with carefully decorated Christmas trees at home.

Sharing this artwork as a gift with my followers was special, and it was exciting to see so many people create their own versions. You can access the free tutorial here.

2. Christmas Bell and Holly

Holly is the ultimate Christmas botanical. Winter brings it to life, whether hung in homes or used in wreaths.

Adding a bell gave the holly a playful, festive touch. This piece is especially meaningful to me, and features as the December design in my 2026 calendar.

3. Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are divisive, you either love them or hate them! I admit that I avoid them at Christmas dinner, but they are a classic winter vegetable, enjoyed since Victorian times.

Painting sprouts was a playful way to connect the winter harvest to my art. Studying them from different angles helped me capture their unique shapes.

One day, I hope to paint a full stalk of sprouts to expand this fun series.

4. Christmas Cookies

This tutorial is for those with a sweet tooth. I loved painting gingerbread men and heart-shaped cookies.

Recreating the delicate icing made the cookies feel almost three-dimensional. This artwork feels comforting, reminding us of family baking traditions and the sweet smells of the season.

5. The Nutcracker

Nutcrackers may not be strictly botanical, but they deserve a place on this list. With German roots and associations with luck, they are a classic holiday decoration.

I added gold watercolour to make this piece shine. A gel pen would also highlight the fine details beautifully.

These artworks capture the playfulness and joy of the festive season. Are you ready to try some seasonal painting yourself?

Explore my full festive tutorial library on Patreon and start creating your own holiday masterpieces.