As part of our yearly Summer Competition, we welcomed current UAL students to create a Christmas card design to be sold in not just a shop online and in store during the festive season.
The brief invited students to design a greetings card that would be recognisably festive, and encouraged all interpretations of winter celebrations- from traditional imagery through to more modern and subversive representations.
Entries were judged by a panel on their originality, public appeal and their fresh approach to the theme of Christmas and ability to capture the spirit of the festive season.
Six winning Christmas card designs were chosen, each depiction representing the quality, creativity and diversity of UAL. Our winning students are Langzhen Luo, Maaham Rizvi, Muyao Ma, Namhee Kong, Salma Yusuf and Samuel Christopher Ng.
Langzhen Luo | Christmas Selfies
Was there a specific event that inspired your Christmas Card design?
The Christmas card is actually Santa’s selfie. Inspired by my Christmas Eve shift at a pub, I edited a Santa hat and beard onto my selfie. It made me realize that while people always paint Santa delivering gifts, maybe he, like us, takes a selfie first after getting dressed up 🙂
If you could send your Christmas card to anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you want them to know?
I would send it to my grandmother. Despite the cold weather, winter always reminds me of the warmth and comfort of family. My grandmother has always been someone who gives so much care and love to her children and grandchildren. I would love to give some of that love back to her, to let her know how much she means to me, and how much I wish she could stay with us forever.
Why are handwritten cards so important to send and receive?
Since moving to London for my studies, I have a friend who still sends me handwritten letters all the way from home. Studying abroad can be exciting, but it can also feel lonely and exhausting at times. Receiving these letters always brightens my day. They remind me that even though I’m far away, I’m not forgotten or left out. More than anything, they make me feel loved and connected to the people I miss.
Maaham Rizvi | Holiday Bird
What made you pick a bird as the theme of your Christmas Card design?
A simple answer would be that I just like drawing birds. When I’m bored and (more rarely) find myself doodling, it’ll often be a duck or a bird wearing a hat. So, of course, the card had to be a bird all wrapped up for the cold, festive season.
What’s the most memorable card you’ve ever received, and what makes it so special?
I’m fortunate enough to say that I have received many, and it would be difficult to pick just one. But the most recent would be a paper collage illustration from my best friend (who I also owe my love for illustration to). I got it by post earlier last year, when I had just moved to London and it came at a time when I felt quite lonely (as one often does in a new city). It was special to feel seen and loved in a way that only your closest friends know how to do.
Muyao Ma | Cat Tower
How did you explore incorporating cats into a festive design for your Christmas Card?
I love cats and have two lovely ones at home. I drew a few cats piled together into a Christmas tree shape. I wanted it to feel festive without being too obviously Christmassy. Mostly, I wanted to make something cute that would make people smile, even outside of the Christmas season.
Will you be sending your Cat Tower Christmas cards to friends or family this year?
I’d send it to my family. I’m having a lovely time in London and there’s always something to do, but I do get homesick. Thinking about my cats helps. I’d want my family to know that I’m happy here, and that I miss them. Please show the card to the cats too. I’d like to hear their thoughts.
What’s the most memorable card you’ve ever received and how did you receive it?
Probably a birthday card from a close friend when we were in Brighton. We were having fun looking around a card shop, and my friend bought it for me without me noticing. It had a gorilla playing an electric guitar on the front. A bit ridiculous, but very cute. I still remember that birthday so clearly. I’d love to feel that cold winter sea breeze again and have another go on the roller coaster by the sea.
Namhee Kong | Merry Christmas Everyone
What meaning does a Christmas tree hold for you, and why did you choose it for your Christmas Card design?
My design was inspired by the Christmas tree, a symbol of celebration and togetherness. It reminds me of decorating a tree with family and the excitement of Christmas as a child. I wanted to capture that festive warmth, bringing back memories and the hopeful feeling that something wonderful is about to happen.
If you could send your Christmas card to anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you want them to know?
I would send it to my grandmother. Despite the cold weather, winter always reminds me of the warmth and comfort of family. My grandmother has always been someone who gives so much care and love to her children and grandchildren. I would love to give some of that love back to her, to let her know how much she means to me, and how much I wish she could stay with us forever.
Why do you think sending and receiving hand-written cards is so important?
Since moving to London for my studies, I have a friend who still sends me handwritten letters all the way from home. Studying abroad can be exciting, but it can also feel lonely and exhausting at times. Receiving these letters always brightens my day. They remind me that even though I’m far away, I’m not forgotten or left out. More than anything, they make me feel loved and connected to the people I miss.
Salma Yusuf | Boxes of Christmas
What was the inspiration behind your Christmas Card and what design elements did you explore?
The combination of fun and colorful wrapping gift papers is something I’m drawn into in every Christmas. I realised that I love to explore something with details, basic shapes, and imperfect strokes – making things that feel human in this hyper-perfection AI age.
If you could send your Christmas card to anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you want them to know?
To people who spend their Christmas far from those they love, who needs to survive for their own life. I would want to hope for them to have the feeling of joy, happiness and fulfillment within themselves.
Tell us about a card that bring you fond memories!
Spring this year I went to Japan and after a year not meeting my aunty, she came to join me there. We spent two weeks together and when she went back, she left a card with a personal note inside. It was very special because we used to live really close and were always together and now we live so far from one other.
Samuel Christopher Ng | Merry Quackmas
Tell us a little bit about the festive scene in your Christmas card design!
Christmas vs geese; gifts and hope on one side, silly chaotic honks on the other. Mashing together two of my favourite things (and completely opposite) felt like a fun idea worth exploring.
Will you be sending your Merry Quackmas Christmas card to anyone, and if so, what are you including in your message to them?
I think I would send a Christmas card to my parents back home in Indonesia. It’s something I haven’t done in a while and I wouldn’t be here and become who I am today without their support. I would like them to know that they can still be proud of me, and that I am surviving here in London!
What greetings card have you received that brought you much happiness and joy?
I think the cards I received on my 6th birthday from friends and relatives in Germany. My family and I had just moved to Indonesia. Seeing the stickers, their handwriting, and doodles resembled them. They somehow made me feel like it was them speaking directly to me.
