There’s something uniquely comforting about opening a fresh sketchbook in December. The evenings get slower, the lights get warmer, and suddenly spending a little time drawing, doodling, lettering or planning creative projects feels like the perfect way to unwind. If you’re looking for an A4 sketchbook that sparks that festive feeling from the moment you pick it up, the Artgecko Flashy sketchbook really does fit the bill.

With its colourful hardback covers and high-quality 150gsm cartridge paper, Flashy isn’t just another drawing book. It’s a bright, joyful space to play, experiment and gather ideas and there’s no better time to do that than during the Christmas break.

Why December Is the Ideal Time for a Creative Sketchbook Habit?

If you’ve ever kept a sketchbook through winter, you’ll know how grounding it is. A few minutes a day with your pencils or markers can turn even the busiest festive season into something calmer and more intentional. With all the inspiration December throws at us (textures, colours, cosy scenes, winter walks) it’s almost impossible to not feel creative.

A sketchbook becomes a little December companion: a place for notes, doodles, gift ideas, patterns, colour palettes, and quiet reflections. You don’t need to “make art”. You just need to show up to the page.

Festive Sketchbook Ideas to Try This Christmas

Here are ten cosy, simple, and truly inspiring creative prompts to try in your A4 sketchbook during the Christmas break. They’re perfect for beginners, hobbyists and experienced artists alike.

- A “12 Days of Doodles” challenge

Winter plants, mugs of cocoa, tiny ornaments, candles. One prompt a day, zero pressure.

- Hand-lettering festive words

Use brush pens or fineliners to practises lettering for gift tags, cards or handmade presents.

- Winter texture studies

Draw knitted fabrics, pine needles, frost patterns, candlelight or tree bark. Great for 150gsm cartridge paper.

- Seasonal colour palette pages

Create swatches inspired by Christmas décor such as berry reds, icy blues, golds, pine greens.

- Handmade gift planning

Use your sketchbook to create bookmarks, prints, stickers, or wrapping paper patterns. You can also draw simple illustrations to give as thoughtful gifts.

- Cosy home scenes

Blankets, fairy lights, steaming mugs, pets asleep by the tree. The “everyday magic” pages often become favourites.

- Winter walk sketches

Quick line drawings of rooftops, trees, streetlights and winter skies. Perfect for an A4 sketchbook you can slip into a bag.

- Mini pattern collections

With snowflakes, stars, holly, baubles all around, why not try turning them into repeating designs.

- A reflective December journal

Write a sentence on one page, sketch on the next. Simple, calming and meaningful.

- January project planning

Whether its media tests, colour swatches or layout experiments, a sketchbook is the best place to start fresh.

These prompts work well on many types of media. They are especially great on sturdy 150gsm sketchbook paper. This paper can easily handle layering, pens, markers, and light watercolour washes.

Why Flashy Is the Perfect Sketchbook for Christmas Creativity?

Let’s be honest: if you’re going to spend December sketching, journaling, doodling or designing handmade gifts, you want a good quality sketchbook that looks just as bright and colourful as the season itself.

That’s why the Artgecko Flashy stands out from other A4 sketchbooks.

Unlike the classic black covers found on much of the Artgecko range, Flashy comes in four bold, vibrant hardback colours:

🔵 Mint
🟡 Yellow
🟣 Lilac
🔴 Raspberry

These colourful sketchbook covers make the whole drawing experience feel instantly more playful and festive. We made this book to be the kind of sketchbook you’re excited to pick up every day.

Inside, Flashy gives you all the quality you’d expect from an artist-friendly A4 portrait sketchbook:

• 40 sheets of 150gsm premium white cartridge paper
• A smooth medium surface ideal for pencils, inks, markers and light watercolour
• Twin wire binding that lets the sketchbook lay flat
• Hardback covers for drawing anywhere, whether that's the sofa, studio, café, train
• A removable green textured sheet for protecting pages when working with layered media
• Made in the UK with consistent, reliable quality

You can use Flashy as a drawing book, journal, sketchbook, or design planner. It can handle almost anything you need.

A Sketchbook That Makes You Want to Create

The right sketchbook can genuinely change your creative routine. When a sketchbook feels good in your hands, looks great on your desk, and works well with your materials, you want to use it over and over. That’s exactly why the Flashy 150gsm sketchbook works so well for Christmas art projects. It’s sturdy, bright, colourful, and creatively energising, the perfect mix of fun and function.

Flashy is a great place for your ideas. You can use it for cosy winter scenes. You can also plan gifts and try out festive colours. It’s perfect for doodling by the Christmas tree.

The Takeaway

If you want to be creative this Christmas, consider the Artgecko Flashy A4 sketchbook. It’s a great option to start the new year with a full sketchbook.

It’s bright.
It’s durable.
It’s a joy to draw in.

In a season full of colour and creativity, it’s a great time to treat yourself or someone you love. Get a sketchbook that matches your bright ideas.