Festive Sweets
A spread of sweet treats enjoyed during winter holidays around the world.
This series of spot illustrations gave me an opportunity to combine two of my passions: food + discovery of cultures. I enjoyed learning about different traditions, symbols, and desserts. I explored new artistic styles and techniques for each spot. It was a delicious learning experience for me, and hopefully for you too!
"Festive Sweets"
Foods and Holidays:
Sufganiyot, Hanukkah
Tāng Yuán, Chinese Dōngzhì Festival
Milk and Cookies, Christmas
Kagami Mochi, Japanese New Year
Peach Cobbler, Kwanzaa
Sketch
B&W Tests
Chosen B&W Test + Notes To Self
Close Up Details
Sufganiyot
(soof-gaa-nee-owt)
Sufganiyot ("sufganiyah" for singular) are traditional jelly-filled doughnuts that are eaten during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah (or more traditionally spelled, Chanukah). The doughnuts are deep-friend in oil to symbolize the oil lamps that burned for eight nights in the Holy Temple. Similarly, the chanukiah holds eight candles plus a ninth central candle. The ninth candle is known as the Shamash (“helper” or “servant” candle) and is used to light the other eight candles. The light of the chanukiah symbolizes an eternal flame. In 2021, Hanukkah was celebrated from November 28 - December 6.
汤圆 Tāng Yuán
(tang yoo-ann)
Tang yuan is a desert consisting of sweet dumplings made from rice flour and water. The mixture is often dyed pink or yellow with food coloring (or left plain white) and shaped into balls. Then they’re boiled or deep-fried, and eaten with broth or syrup made from water, ginger, sugar, and padan leaves. Tang yuan is commonly eaten during the Dōngzhì Festival (the Chinese Winter Solstice Festival, literally meaning “the extreme of winter”), symbolizing togetherness and reunion going into the new year. Tāng yuán also sounds similar to tuán yuán, which means “reunion.” In 2021, it was celebrated on December 21.
Milk and Cookies
Warm chocolate chip cookies and a cold glass of milk. It's a Christmas tradition to leave cookies and milk for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, so that he’ll leave presents under your Christmas tree. Christmas is always celebrated on December 25.
Kagami Mochi
(kah-gah-mee mow-chee)
Kagami mochi is a traditional Japanese New Year decoration made of mochi. Kagami means “mirror” and mochi is a Japanese rice cake, so it literally means “mirror rice cake.” Similar to a Christmas tree, it is displayed at the end of the year until January 11th. This day is known as kagami biraki (“opening the mirror” or “breaking of the mirror”), in which the kagami mochi is broken with a wooden mallet (never scissors, because it is considered severing one’s bonds), and the mochi inside of the hard outer shell is eaten. Today, many people buy a plastic sculpture and peel off a plastic seal at the bottom to keep the mochi fresh. The mochi is often prepared with a savory soup. The kagami mochi itself symbolizes yin and yang, family, and tradition.
One of my favorite things I learned about kagami mochi was that it’s often topped with a daidai (a Japanese bitter orange). Dai also means “generation,” so daidai is a play-on-words for “generation to generation.”
Peach Cobbler
Kwanzaa is a seven day long celebration of African American and Black culture, tradition, community, determination, and success. It is always celebrated from December 26 - January 1. One candle is lit per day to represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa. The candle holder is called a kinara, and the cup is called a unity cup. The holiday also represents the first fruits of harvest (Kwanzaa literally means “first”). While deciding on a food to represent Kwanzaa, my friend suggested peach cobbler because it reminded them of how their grandmother always made peach cobbler around the holidays.
Printed Postcards
Happy Holidays!