December Wallpapers: Holiday Cheer in an Unusual Year
As 2020 draws to a close, the December wallpapers collection has arrived, offering a much-needed dose of holiday spirit. Artists and designers from around the world have contributed their work, creating festive imagery that acknowledges the unique challenges of this year while celebrating the season. All wallpapers are available for free download in versions with and without a December calendar.
Each wallpaper in the collection reflects the individual artist's vision and creativity. The themes were not influenced externally, but rather designed from scratch by the contributors themselves. Every image can be clicked to view the full preview, and download options span a wide range of screen resolutions from mobile devices up to 2560x1440.
The collection serves as both a visual treat and a practical resource for desktop theming. With the holiday season looking different for many people this year, these designs aim to bring some light and warmth to daily screens.
Holiday Season by LibraFire
The first featured wallpaper in this month's roundup comes from the LibraFire team in Serbia. The design captures the essence of the holiday season with a message of resilience:
As the holiday season is coming, let's not let this situation that has befallen us all spoil the most beautiful moments with our loved ones. The LibraFire team wishes you a lot of love, health and understanding in the new year!
This artwork, along with the other submissions, is available in two formats: with a calendar overlay for tracking December, or without for a cleaner look. Resolution options cover common screen sizes including 1920x1080, 2560x1440, and portrait formats like 1024x1024.
Past December Favorites
In addition to new submissions, the archive holds a wealth of designs from previous years' December challenges. For those looking to revisit or discover older artwork, a best-of compilation from past editions has been included at the end of the full post on Smashing Magazine.
Submit Your Own Design
Artists interested in participating in future wallpaper roundups are encouraged to submit their work. Ideas for January wallpapers are currently being accepted. Contributors who have their designs selected will be featured in upcoming posts alongside other creative talent from the community.
Warmth at Home
PopArt Studio from Serbia based their December calendar on the season’s central contrast: the warm interior of a home against the brisk weather outdoors. Their illustration leans into a feeling of isolation that can still feel intimate, emphasizing that sense of refuge from the cold.
- preview
- with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
- without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
Season’s Greetings
Ricardo Gimenes, a designer based in Sweden, contributes a wallpaper that simply says “Happy Holidays” with a festive, illustrative design.
- preview
- with calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160
- without calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160
Seasonal Cheer in Two Flavors
December’s wallpaper collection rounds out with a pair of festive designs, each as bright and cheerful as the holiday itself. One leans into the classic iconography of the season, while the other plays with the cold-weather poetry that December always brings.
The first is It’s Christmas, by Divya (DimpuSuchi) of Malaysia, who describes it as a time to “deck the halls, bring out the figgy pudding and embrace all things merry and bright.” The result is a visual celebration of the holiday’s most recognizable traditions.
Next up is Happy Xmas 2020, designed by Lilac Infotech from India, with a quote to match the mood: “Welcome, December! Chill December brings the sleet; Blazing fire; and Christmas to treat.” The piece focuses on the coziness of the season and its promise of warmth and good tidings.
Each design is free to download in a range of common screen resolutions. For both wallpapers, a version with a calendar for December 2020 is available alongside a version without, if you’d rather keep the artwork unobstructed. Format options span from 320x480 for older phones all the way up to 2560x1440 for high-resolution displays, with standard laptop and desktop sizes like 1920x1080 and 1680x1050 in between.
- It’s Christmas — preview and downloads
- Happy Xmas 2020 — preview and downloads
Links to all individual calendar and no-calendar sizes for each design can be found in the original article.
A Quiet Winter Scene
Morgane Van Achter of Belgium offers a calming winter landscape wallpaper.
- Preview: dec-20-winter-landscape-preview.png
- With calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
- Without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
Gifting Porcupine
Divya (DimpuSuchi) from Malaysia adds a whimsical touch with her piece, which she describes as “porcupine gifting watercolor flowers.”
- Preview: dec-20-porcupine-christmas-preview.jpg
- With calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1440x1050, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
- Without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1440x1050, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
From the Archive: December Designs That Stand the Test of Time
Every year, the community turns December into a canvas for everything from snowy landscapes to pop culture homages. Below is a selection of standout wallpaper designs from our archives that still capture the spirit of the season. Note that these older files do not include a calendar overlay.
The Warm & Cozy Side of Winter
While some regions brace for blizzards, others lean into the comfort of the season — a theme these designers captured beautifully.
MasterBundles (United States) channeled the feeling of the holidays with “Christmas Mood.”
The Hannon Group (Washington D.C.) created “Getting Hygge,” a reminder of the cozy power of winter fires, warm blankets, and good company.
On a lighter note, Danny Gugger (Madison, Wisconsin) poked fun at a family member’s design jargon with “Have a Minimal Christmas,” which started as a poster.
Holiday Cheer With a Twist
Some designers found inspiration in familiar faces and unexpected perspectives.
Evita Bourmpakis (Greece) wished us all a happy holiday Yoda-style, complete with a candy-cane walking stick and a festive hat, in “A Merry Christmas You Will Have.”
Jonathan Shears (Connecticut) celebrated the nectar of the season with “’Tis The Season (To Drink Eggnog).”
Sofie Keirsmaekers (Belgium) went for a more straightforward festive look with “Christmas Time!,” and Elise Vanoorbeek (Belgium) suggested a stealthier route for gift delivery with “Ninja Santa.”
Nature’s Winter Palette
The natural world, from backyards to far-off rivers, provided a rich source of inspiration.
Gyaneshwari Dave (United States) hand-illustrated “Cardinals In Snowfall,” drawing from the striking contrast of bright red birds against white flurries and dark twigs.
Ian De Lantsheer (Belgium) created two snowflake buddies, “Snow & Flake,” to represent the joy of companionship during the winter months.
Finding a peaceful workspace away from it all was the dream behind “The House On The River Drina,” inspired by the famous landmark in Bajina Bašta, Serbia, as designed by PopArt Studio. The creators admitted they weren't sure about the Internet connection, though.
Whimsy and Observation
From the South Pole to the bathtub, other designs took a more playful route.
Michaela Schuett (United States) proved that the magic of December isn't just for the North Pole with “A South Pole Christmas.”
Jonas Vanhamme (Belgium) used the lesser-known December 5th holiday as a prompt for a bit of absurdist fun with “Bathtub Party Day.”
Anca Varsandan (Romania) took a photographic approach for “Ice Flowers,” documenting a particularly frosty week before the holidays.
Other notable selections from our archives include Vlad Gerasimov‘s (Russia) whimsical “Dear Moon, Merry Christmas,” Jo Smets’s (Belgium) look at how December differs across hemispheres in “December Through Different Eyes,” and Ana Masnikosa’s (Serbia) moody “Enchanted Blizzard.” For those seeking a bit of inspiration rather than holiday imagery, Shawna Armstrong’s (United States) motivational “Don’t Stop” serves as a reminder to keep pushing to the end of the year. A few more, including “Christmas Owl” by Suman Sil (India) and “Joy To The World” by Morgan Newnham (Boulder, Colorado), round out the collection.
