Matt Lichtenwalner

Winter Holiday Coloring Book Matt Lichtenwalner 11/6 '25

A black and white line art drawing of a group of creatures and characters related to the winter holidays.

For those who haven't seen it elsewhere:

I want to make a winter holiday themed coloring book, and I could really use your help!

Specifically, what are some of your favorite (fantasy) winter holiday creatures and/or characters? Let me know below, and they might just be in the coloring book (which will be free / PWYW)!

I'm not looking for any religious themes / characters.
Fantasy / High Fantasy for bonus points.

ETA (unrelated):

Still working on #Gobtober because I'm determined to finish, despite having not done so 'in time'. Today I did Day24 - dragon - and had a lot of fun with it, so I thought I would share the YouTube Short for it:

11/6 20 Comments

From the “Festive Traditions” collection:

Gävle Goat, Badalisc, Mari Lwyd, Kallikantzaros, Nalujuit, Lutzelfrau, Olentzero, Wangkarnal Crow

nerdsholmferret

Thank you for this! *rushes off to do some 'Google Homework'*

Matt Lichtenwalner

Mari Lwyd or Llwyd is my favorite. I want to make a cardboard version.

Lindsay Harris Friel

I've had it recommended elsewhere, too. I'm definitely going to need to learn more.

Matt Lichtenwalner

Early Welsh Mummer.

Lindsay Harris Friel

Jólaköttur!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule_cat

Lindsay Harris Friel

Done!

Matt Lichtenwalner

This is a stretch but could be fun for a coloring book: Panquetzaliztli is the Aztec festival of Huitzilopochtl. It’s the lead-up to the Winter Solstice and Huitzilopichtl is the Aztec sun god.

And yes, there’s a lot of sacrifice involved so maybe not?

Lindsay Harris Friel

Lemme check it out. I LOVE that it's not 'the usual suspects' and from a different culture.

Matt Lichtenwalner

Belsnickel! (Though I have him much creepier and enchanting and wizardy in my head than he is normally depicted)

Shannie

Nice! I'll have to talk to you about a description... :)

Matt Lichtenwalner

Squeeeeee!

Shannie

I had no fantasy creatures to suggest, and I was sad. Then I met a man who had no fantasy life at all.

Anne Mollo

Awww. Don't be sad. You do so much creative work with your storytelling!

I do kinda feel bad for that man, though.

Matt Lichtenwalner

He's not still alive, is he?

Lindsay Harris Friel

Uh, it's just a mis-quote of a mis-quote, "I was sad because I had no cheese grater. Then I met a man who had no cheese." I have no idea what the original quote is or who said it.

Anne Mollo

I mean, _I_ would be very sad if I didn't have any cheese.

Matt Lichtenwalner

AUTHOR:

Sadi (1184–1291)

QUOTATION:

I never complained of the vicissitudes of fortune, nor suffered my face to be overcast at the revolution of the heavens, except once, when my feet were bare, and I had not the means of obtaining shoes. I came to the chief of Kfah in a state of much dejection, and saw there a man who had no feet. I returned thanks to God and acknowledged his mercies, and endured my want of shoes with patience, and exclaimed,

“Roast fowl to him that’s sated will seem less

Upon the board than leaves of garden cress.

While, in the sight of helpless poverty,

Boiled turnip will a roasted pullet be.”

ATTRIBUTION:

SADI, The Gulistn, or Rose Garden, trans. Edward B. Eastwick, chapter 3, story 19, p. 129 (1880).

A modern version, often cited as an old Arabian proverb, is: “I thought I was abused because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.”—J. M. Braude, Speaker’s Encyclopedia of Stories, Quotations and Anecdotes, p. 338, no. 2320 (1955).

nerdsholmferret

At least that's one attribution. When I subtracted 1184 from 1291 to get 107, I double-checked https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saadi_Shirazi and found 1209/10 - 1291/92. Variations of the quote are attributed to several other people.

nerdsholmferret

No no no. That was Jerri Blank. “I was sad because I had no shoes, but then I met a man who had no feet; and I laughed, and laughed, and laughed.”

Lindsay Harris Friel

Bigger, Better Coloring Book of My Stuff! Matt Lichtenwalner 12/19 '22

Yes, we get it. You made an ebook.

Sorry - I know you've probably seen me posting about it elsewhere. Thing is, you can have it for free, if you like, and I want as many people to have access to it as possible.

Didn't get anything for your neice for the holidays? Bingo. Grandson's into fantasy / D&D? Sold. They can print the pages out and color them as many times as they like.

I won't tell if you're there coloring alongside them. ;)

Anyway, if you haven't picked up a copy yet, it's available on my site / Gumroad here:

If you do download / gift / check it out, I would love to hear what you liked or disliked about it! (I'm planning to do more like this in the future, so all feedback helps.)

12/19 '22