Dreaming Of Miracles (December 2024 Wallpapers Edition) — Smashing Magazine

Winter Wallpaper Collection for December 2024

With the final month of the year approaching, the pressure of deadlines and end-of-year duties often takes over. To provide a visual break, our monthly wallpaper series continues with a fresh selection of free desktop designs crafted by artists worldwide. The collection aims to bring a touch of the season to your screens, whether you celebrate the holidays or simply appreciate the winter aesthetic.

Now in its thirteenth year, the series remains a platform for creative exploration. Contributing artists are given full freedom over their themes. This month's offerings are no exception, ranging from festive scenes to more personal expressions.

All wallpapers are available in multiple resolutions, with and without a calendar for the month. Clicking each preview image will show a larger version. If you are an artist interested in participating in future editions, submissions are always welcome for our upcoming posts.

Paws-itively Festive!

Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia, this whimsical creation imagines a cat taking a prime spot atop the Christmas tree. The design intends to add a little fun to the holiday decor, inviting a sense of joy and surprise to the month ahead.

• Preview: view larger preview
• Available with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
• Available without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Merry Christmmm…

Ricardo Gimenes from Spain adds a playful holiday twist with "Merry Christmmm…", a December wallpaper that pairs seasonal cheer with a lighthearted visual pun.

Download options:

• Preview
• With calendar: available in sizes from 640x480 up to 3840x2160, including 1366x768, 1440x900, 1920x1080, and more.
• Without calendar: same range of resolutions, from 640x480 to 3840x2160.

Dung Beetle

Also from Ricardo Gimenes, "Dung Beetle" offers a whimsical nature-themed design that works as a conversation starter for any desktop.

Download options:

• Preview
• With calendar: resolutions span 640x480 to 3840x2160, covering common formats like 1280x800, 1600x1200, and 2560x1440.
• Without calendar: the full set of resolutions from 640x480 to 3840x2160 is provided as well.

Holiday Illustrations: Community Wallpaper Roundup

As the year closes, designers from around the world have shared winter-themed artwork for desktop and mobile. The selections below showcase a range of styles, from playful seasonal scenes to quiet natural and architectural portraits.

The artists' descriptions offer insight into their creative process, and all wallpapers are available in multiple resolutions, with or without a calendar overlay for the month.

Festive Night Skies

Vlad Gerasimov, based in Georgia, contributed a piece that imagines a cheerful, moonlit holiday greeting. His design is well-suited for a bright and whimsical desktop.Dear Moon, Merry Christmas

Gyaneshwari Dave from the United States draws on local winter wildlife for Cardinals In Snowfall. The artist notes that the bright red of the cardinals against white snow and dark twigs inspired a hand-illustrated pattern, a symbol of warmth in the cold, colorless days of the season.

Scenes of Serenity

PopArt Studio from Serbia titled their piece The House On The River Drina. The image finds inspiration in a quiet, isolated dwelling on the Drina River in Bajina Bašta, playing on the idea of a peaceful, solitary workspace away from neighbors and noise.

Ana Masnikosa from Belgrade created an Enchanted Blizzard, presenting a frosty, seemingly forgotten landscape where architecture and nature meet under a glaze of winter.

A Cozy Slice of Winter

For those who see winter as a season of warmth rather than chill, this set brings the feeling of a crackling fire, baked treats, and quiet snowfall into view. Each design captures an element of seasonal comfort, from the kitchen to the living room.

Christmas Cookies

Maria Keller from Mexico approaches the season from the perspective of sharing and care: “Christmas is coming and a great way to share our love is by baking cookies.” Her design is a visual nod to that tradition of homemade gifting.

• preview
• without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 640x1136, 750x1334, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1242x2208, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 2880x1800

Sweet Snowy Tenderness

The team at PopArt Studio from Serbia captured a quiet midday emotion: “You know that warm feeling when you get to spend cold winter days in a snug, homey, relaxed atmosphere.” Their artwork is meant for “all of us who adore watching the snowfall from our windows.”

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• without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Getting Hygge

From The Hannon Group in Washington D.C. comes an ode to the fireplace: “There’s no more special time for a fire than in the winter. Cozy blankets, warm beverages, and good company can make all the difference when the sun goes down.” The design encourages you to “snuggle up and make some memories.”

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• without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x960, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

A Playful Winter Guest

Some winter scenes favor light humor over deep sentiment. Ricardo Gimenes from Spain contributes a minimal, slightly cheeky portrait of a woodland visitor to close out this batch.

Anonymoose

Gimenes’ Anonymoose brings a smile without losing the winter spirit, giving your desktop a seasonal mascot.

• preview
• 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 With a Calendar Attached

When the holiday rush makes it hard to keep track of the days, a wallpaper with a built-in December calendar can be a small but welcome convenience. Each of the designs below is available in two flavors — with and without the calendar grid — so you can pick the look that fits your screen best.

Joy to the World

The classic holiday tune gets a visual companion in this wallpaper from Morgan Newnham of Boulder, Colorado. It comes with a preview link and calendar-free downloads that run from small mobile resolutions up to desktop sizes.

To grab a version without the calendar overlay, the download set includes 20 resolutions. Just look for the nocal files, which range from 320x480 up to 2560x1440.

King of Pop

Spanish designer Ricardo Gimenes contributes this homage to the late Michael Jackson. It fits the festive season with a music-themed twist and offers one of the widest resolution selections in the batch, spanning from 640x480 all the way up to a 4K-class 3840x2160 option.

The wallpaper is available in 21 resolutions for those who prefer a clean look without the calendar. All files are in PNG format, and a preview is available for quick reference.

Christmas Woodland

Mel Armstrong, based in Australia, brings a cozy forest scene to the collection. Like the other entries, it ships in a full range of sizes for desktops and mobile devices, from 320x480 up to 2560x1440.

This entry, too, offers a calendar-free variant across all 21 supported resolutions. The files use the PNG extension throughout, and a preview image is provided.

Catch Your Perfect Snowflake

Canadian designer Igor Izhik takes a more whimsical approach with a snowflake-catching theme. “Let your dreams come true!” is the message behind this one, which swaps PNG for JPG in its download set.

Those who don't need the calendar can find the JPG files in 18 different sizes, including several common laptop and display ratios. The resolution list tops out at 2560x1600, and a preview is available as well.

Trailer Santa

A departure from typical snow-covered holiday scenes, this design presents a mid-century modern Christmas aesthetic. Created by Houndstooth in the United States, the wallpaper is available in multiple resolutions without a calendar.

• preview
• without calendar: 1024x1024, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 2560x1440

Silver Winter

Moldovan designer Violeta Dabija offers a monochromatic winter scene. The wallpaper is downloadable in a range of standard desktop resolutions.

• preview
• without calendar: 1024x768, 1280x800, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1200, 2560x1440

Gifts Lover

Created by Elise Vanoorbeek of Belgium, this design is available in an extensive list of resolutions ranging from 800x480 to 2560x1440.

• preview
• without calendar: 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

On to the Next One

PopArt Studio from Serbia captures the transition from one year to the next. As the designers describe it, the piece reflects on "endings intertwined with new beginnings, challenges we rose to and the ones we weren’t up to, dreams fulfilled and opportunities missed," carrying a bittersweet feeling as we look forward to a new year with optimism.

• preview
• without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

The Matterhorn

Dominic Leonard from the United Kingdom pairs the majesty of the mountains with seasonal magic, producing a wallpaper that blends alpine scenery with the spirit of Christmas.

• preview
• without calendar: 320x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x720, 1400x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Ninja Santa

Another design from Elise Vanoorbeek, this entry reimagines the holiday icon as a stealthy figure. Multiple widescreen and standard resolutions are provided, starting at 1280x1024.

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• without calendar: 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Frost, Festivals, And Furry Friends

December wallpapers often lean heavily into the classic Northern Hemisphere winter tropes, but this collection of downloadable calendar wallpapers rounds out the month with a more diverse selection of visual themes. Ranging from cozy, fire-lit interiors to frosty natural macro shots, the set below offers something for every desktop and display size imaginable.

Warm And Playful Illustrations

It’s In The Little Things by Thaïs Lenglez from Belgium.

Surprise, featuring the quote "Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us," was designed by PlusCharts from India.

There is also a playful Christmas Selfie design by Emanuela Carta from Italy (via Elacarta).

Photographic Winter Scenes

For a more organic aesthetic, Anca Varsandan from Romania captured the chill of the season. The Ice Flowers wallpaper originates from "some photos taken during a very frosty and cold week before Christmas."

Another option on the seasonal mood board is Winter Wonderland, designed by Dipanjan Karmakar from India (via Itobuz), which draws inspiration from a quote by Edith Sitwell about winter being a time for comfort and warmth.

Holiday Cheer Down Under

Finally, for those in the Southern Hemisphere, Tazi Designs from Australia offers a Season’s Greetings From Australia wallpaper, proving that holidays look different depending on where the calendar page turns.

Frozen Fields and Quiet Mornings

Bo Dockx from Belgium captures a wintry landscape in “Winter Morning,” with a caption that evokes a quiet countryside scene: “Early walks in the fields when the owls still sit on the fences and stare funny at you.” The artwork is available in a wide range of display resolutions, from small 320x480 screens up to 2560x1440, with a calendar-free option for each size.

A preview image is available for those who want a closer look before downloading. All files are PNGs and can be accessed directly from Smashing Magazine's wallpaper archive.

A Final Push Toward the New Year

Hong Zi-Qing from Taiwan offers a motivational design for the last month of the year. “Dream What You Want To Do” pairs a hopeful message — "seize the time, cherish yourself, expect next year we will be better!" — with the December calendar. The wallpapers are offered in JPG format and cover a similarly broad array of screen shapes, from 1024x768 to 2560x1440.

Each download link points to a calendar-free build, and a preview file is available for review before downloading.

Season's Greetings in Every Size

Ricardo Gimenes from Spain contributes “Happy Holidays,” a festive design in PNG format. The selection of display resolutions here is extensive, starting at 640x480 and scaling up through common laptop and desktop sizes, all the way to 4K at 3840x2160.

As with the other designs, all variants omit the calendar for a cleaner look, and a preview is provided for each featured wallpaper.