December Drawing Challenge

Two sets of 31 prompts, one for each December day: long nights, or gifts and gatherings.

December Drawing Challenge

  1. A bus with steamed-up windows at four in the afternoonDay 1. Already dark outside. Draw faces as smudges behind the glass, the headlights on.
  2. A candle that has burned down to a puddleDay 2. Wax spread over the saucer, one small flame still standing in the middle.
  3. A cat watching snow through a window, tail twitchingDay 3. Draw the cat from behind, the window framing flakes it will never catch.
  4. A chimney breathing smoke into a still nightDay 4. The smoke rises straight up in a thin line. Stars above, roof below.
  5. A dog in a knitted coat that it clearly hatesDay 5. Stiff legs, a flat stare and a coat two sizes too big.
  6. A flashlight beam full of falling snowDay 6. Only the snow inside the beam shows. Everything else is dark.
  7. A frozen pond with a football stuck in the iceDay 7. Half the ball above the ice, a crack running from it. No one dares fetch it.
  8. A hot water bottle with a faceDay 8. A knitted cover, two button eyes and a very contented expression.
  9. A house with one room lit on the longest nightDay 9. December holds the winter solstice in the north, the night with the least daylight. One window glows.
  10. A lighthouse beam sweeping over a winter seaDay 10. Draw the beam as a pale wedge of light crossing black water.
  11. A mouse carrying a crumb home through snowDay 11. Tiny footprints behind it, the crumb held high like a prize.
  12. A narcissus flowering on a windowsill in winterDay 12. The narcissus is December's birth flower. Tall stems, small white flowers, frost on the glass.
  13. A pair of ice skates left on a benchDay 13. The laces knotted together, the blades catching the light of a streetlamp.
  14. A power cut, drawn by candlelightDay 14. One candle, a table and everything beyond it lost in shadow. Use only dark tones.
  15. A snow globe shaken by someone inside itDay 15. Draw the globe with a tiny figure pushing on the glass from inside.
  16. A street of houses where every door has a different wreathDay 16. Draw four front doors in a row. Make each wreath a different shape or material.
  17. A tanzanite stone under a lampDay 17. Tanzanite is one of December's birthstones. Draw a cut stone, blue turning violet at the edges.
  18. A town at night drawn only in lightsDay 18. Black paper or dark wash. Draw windows, streetlamps and car lights, nothing else.
  19. A train window at night with your reflection in itDay 19. The landscape outside is dark. Draw the faint face on the glass instead.
  20. A turquoise ring on a snowy gloveDay 20. Turquoise is one of December's birthstones. Blue-green stone with dark veins against white wool.
  21. A winter moon caught in bare branchesDay 21. The moon low and big, the branches crossing it like a net.
  22. A wolf howling at streetlights instead of the moonDay 22. Put it in a city car park. Draw the lights as three small moons.
  23. An owl asleep in the daytime while everyone rushes pastDay 23. The owl still in a tree above a busy pavement. Shoppers blur below.
  24. Boots, scarf and hat hung on hooks, still drippingDay 24. Three hooks in a row. Add the puddles forming on the floor below.
  25. Breath clouds of two people talking at a bus stopDay 25. Two bundled figures, the clouds from their mouths meeting in the middle.
  26. Fog around a streetlamp like a haloDay 26. Draw a round glow with soft edges, then the pole fading into grey.
  27. Frozen washing on a line, stiff as boardsDay 27. A shirt standing out sideways, socks pointing at the ground.
  28. Headlights coming round a bend on a snowy roadDay 28. Two bright shapes and long beams across the snow. The car itself stays hidden.
  29. Icicles hanging from a gutter like teethDay 29. Draw the edge of a roof with a row of icicles of different lengths.
  30. The last page of a calendar with the year almost used upDay 30. December's name comes from the Latin for ten: it was once the tenth month. Draw the page almost all crossed off.
  31. Your window at the darkest point of the eveningDay 31. Draw what you actually see from it, lights and all, with the room faintly reflected.

Next step More cold-weather subjects to draw

All 62 prompts

Set 1: long nights 31

  • A bus with steamed-up windows at four in the afternoon Day 1. Already dark outside. Draw faces as smudges behind the glass, the headlights on.
  • A candle that has burned down to a puddle Day 2. Wax spread over the saucer, one small flame still standing in the middle.
  • A cat watching snow through a window, tail twitching Day 3. Draw the cat from behind, the window framing flakes it will never catch.
  • A chimney breathing smoke into a still night Day 4. The smoke rises straight up in a thin line. Stars above, roof below.
  • A dog in a knitted coat that it clearly hates Day 5. Stiff legs, a flat stare and a coat two sizes too big.
  • A flashlight beam full of falling snow Day 6. Only the snow inside the beam shows. Everything else is dark.
  • A frozen pond with a football stuck in the ice Day 7. Half the ball above the ice, a crack running from it. No one dares fetch it.
  • A hot water bottle with a face Day 8. A knitted cover, two button eyes and a very contented expression.
Show all 62 prompts (54 more)

Set 1: long nights, continued

  • A house with one room lit on the longest night Day 9. December holds the winter solstice in the north, the night with the least daylight. One window glows.
  • A lighthouse beam sweeping over a winter sea Day 10. Draw the beam as a pale wedge of light crossing black water.
  • A mouse carrying a crumb home through snow Day 11. Tiny footprints behind it, the crumb held high like a prize.
  • A narcissus flowering on a windowsill in winter Day 12. The narcissus is December's birth flower. Tall stems, small white flowers, frost on the glass.
  • A pair of ice skates left on a bench Day 13. The laces knotted together, the blades catching the light of a streetlamp.
  • A power cut, drawn by candlelight Day 14. One candle, a table and everything beyond it lost in shadow. Use only dark tones.
  • A snow globe shaken by someone inside it Day 15. Draw the globe with a tiny figure pushing on the glass from inside.
  • A street of houses where every door has a different wreath Day 16. Draw four front doors in a row. Make each wreath a different shape or material.
  • A tanzanite stone under a lamp Day 17. Tanzanite is one of December's birthstones. Draw a cut stone, blue turning violet at the edges.
  • A town at night drawn only in lights Day 18. Black paper or dark wash. Draw windows, streetlamps and car lights, nothing else.
  • A train window at night with your reflection in it Day 19. The landscape outside is dark. Draw the faint face on the glass instead.
  • A turquoise ring on a snowy glove Day 20. Turquoise is one of December's birthstones. Blue-green stone with dark veins against white wool.
  • A winter moon caught in bare branches Day 21. The moon low and big, the branches crossing it like a net.
  • A wolf howling at streetlights instead of the moon Day 22. Put it in a city car park. Draw the lights as three small moons.
  • An owl asleep in the daytime while everyone rushes past Day 23. The owl still in a tree above a busy pavement. Shoppers blur below.
  • Boots, scarf and hat hung on hooks, still dripping Day 24. Three hooks in a row. Add the puddles forming on the floor below.
  • Breath clouds of two people talking at a bus stop Day 25. Two bundled figures, the clouds from their mouths meeting in the middle.
  • Fog around a streetlamp like a halo Day 26. Draw a round glow with soft edges, then the pole fading into grey.
  • Frozen washing on a line, stiff as boards Day 27. A shirt standing out sideways, socks pointing at the ground.
  • Headlights coming round a bend on a snowy road Day 28. Two bright shapes and long beams across the snow. The car itself stays hidden.
  • Icicles hanging from a gutter like teeth Day 29. Draw the edge of a roof with a row of icicles of different lengths.
  • The last page of a calendar with the year almost used up Day 30. December's name comes from the Latin for ten: it was once the tenth month. Draw the page almost all crossed off.
  • Your window at the darkest point of the evening Day 31. Draw what you actually see from it, lights and all, with the room faintly reflected.

Set 2: gifts and gatherings 31

  • A cake that nearly made it to the table Day 1. One slice missing, a finger mark in the icing and a knife left beside it.
  • A card sent from a pet to its owner Day 2. Draw the front of the card, clearly made by paws. Wobbly letters welcome.
  • A cookie that has escaped the tin Day 3. A gingerbread-shaped biscuit running across the counter, crumbs flying.
  • A gift shaped like something it clearly is Day 4. A wrapped bicycle, a wrapped guitar or a wrapped cat. Nobody is fooled.
  • A gift tag with the wrong name crossed out Day 5. Draw the tag close up, one name struck through and another squeezed in.
  • A kitchen table covered in wrapping chaos Day 6. Paper offcuts, a lost roll of tape and scissors nobody can find.
  • A knitted jumper with a mistake in the pattern Day 7. Rows of neat shapes, then one that went wrong and was knitted in anyway.
  • A letter posted with far too many stamps Day 8. The envelope covered edge to edge in stamps, the address squeezed in.
  • A pan of roasted chestnuts on a street stall Day 9. Draw the stall, the steam and a paper cone waiting to be filled.
  • A parcel on a doorstep, being watched by a cat Day 10. The box, a bit of snow on it, and one cat sitting beside it like a guard.
  • A party hat that has had a very long night Day 11. Squashed, tilted and hanging from a lampshade.
  • A pile of coats on a bed during a party Day 12. Draw the heap from above. One sleeve is moving: something is under there.
  • A plate of biscuits left out, with one bite taken from each Day 13. Draw the plate close, every biscuit with the same neat bite missing.
  • A present that is still being wrapped at midnight Day 14. A clock on the wall, a half-wrapped box and a tired pair of hands.
  • A queue outside a bakery on a cold morning Day 15. Hats, scarves and breath clouds. The shop window glows at the front.
  • A ribbon that has tied itself into a knot nobody can undo Day 16. Draw a box with a loop of ribbon twisted into an impossible shape.
  • A row of mugs, each one belonging to a different guest Day 17. Six mugs in a line. Make each one say something about who drinks from it.
  • A sledge used to carry shopping home Day 18. Bags and boxes tied on, a person pulling it along a pavement.
  • A table set for guests before anyone arrives Day 19. Every chair empty, candles unlit, the napkins folded. Draw the quiet.
  • A tin of chocolates with only the least liked ones left Day 20. Draw the tin from above, many empty wrappers and three lonely sweets.
  • A toy that has come alive inside its box Day 21. Draw the box with a window. The toy inside has turned its head to look out.
  • A wrapped box that is far too small for its bow Day 22. The bow bigger than the parcel. Make the parcel look worried.
  • An envelope of cards that fell out of a postbag Day 23. Cards scattered on wet ground, each one a different colour.
  • An oven window with something rising inside Day 24. Draw the oven door, the light on and a loaf or a cake growing.
  • Board games piled up after a long evening Day 25. Boxes stacked crooked, a lost dice on the carpet and one card under the sofa.
  • Fairy lights tangled into one big ball Day 26. Draw the ball and one bulb still glowing in the middle of it.
  • Handwritten cards lined up on a mantelpiece Day 27. A row of standing cards, one fallen flat. Draw the handwriting as squiggles.
  • Paper chains made by a very small person Day 28. Uneven loops, too much glue and a chain that stops halfway across the room.
  • Snowflakes cut from paper and taped to a window Day 29. Draw six flakes, each folded and cut differently. Light shines through the holes.
  • Two people carrying one enormous parcel Day 30. One at each end, the parcel sagging, both of them laughing or arguing.
  • Your favourite December food, drawn as a portrait Day 31. Give it a proper portrait: a frame, a plain background and good lighting.

How this list was compiled: Original prompts written for Draw This Next on 2026-09-23: two sets of 31, one prompt for each day of December. Every prompt and hint is our own work. Day numbers follow A to Z order inside each set, so the full list reads day 1 to day 31. The few facts in the hints (December has 31 days; its name comes from the Latin decem, ten, because it was the tenth month of the oldest Roman calendar; it holds the winter solstice, the day with the fewest daylight hours, in the Northern Hemisphere and the summer solstice in the Southern; its birth flower is the narcissus and its birthstones are turquoise, zircon and tanzanite) were checked on 2026-09-23 against Wikipedia: December (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December). No prompt is taken from any published December challenge list. Licence: own work

How it works

December has 31 days, so each set holds 31 December drawing prompts. Set 1 is long nights: lamps, frost and windows. Set 2 is gifts and gatherings: wrapping, cards and crowded tables. Each prompt has a small twist.

Read the full guide

Pick a set for your month

Long nights suits a quiet month of ink and dark paper; gifts and gatherings suits a busy one full of people and food. Each hint starts with its day number, and the list below runs day 1 to day 31 in each set. The order is A to Z and carries no meaning, so swap days as you like. Day 31 always starts with Your.

Small drawings for a busy month

December fills up fast, so keep each drawing small: a card-sized box, ten minutes, one pen. A finished thumbnail every day beats three big pages and a gap. Keep the last week light, when guests and travel take over.

  • Draw Set 1 on dark paper with a white gel pen: most prompts are about light in the dark.
  • In the south December is summer, so Set 2, mostly indoors with people, fits better.

Questions and answers

Is this a Christmas list?

No. The prompts stay with the month: cold evenings, cards, parcels and food. There is no tree, Santa or nativity here. For those, open the Christmas drawing ideas list, which keeps to the holiday.

Can I use these as December art prompts without a daily challenge?

Yes. Draw any row on its own, in any order; the menu changes set.

Are there drawing challenges for December with rules?

Organised challenges set their own rules and lists. These 62 prompts are our own and belong to none of them, so use any material and share the list with a class, a club or friends.

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