"All this he saw, for one moment breathless and intense, vivid on the morning sky; and still, as he looked, he lived; and still, as he lived, he wondered."

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, my True Love Gave to Me…

On the ninth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Nine Ladies Dancing
Eight Maids a-Milking
Seven Swans a-swimming
Six Geese a-Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

If you’re starting to wonder where are you going to put all these people, just be happy that we’re not following the Starcraft version and we’re not doing the nine battlecruisers. It’s really hard for me to get that version out of my head, so I hope you’re appreciating the effort.

1. Ameluria

Nine ladybugs dancing. Precisely what I needed this Christmas. They’re clearly still drunk from New Year’s Eve.

2. Hester Durkan

Her nine ladies dancing are a celebration of diversity. And if you don’t find them beautiful, you can very festively go fuck yourself.

3. Lisa Westervelt

Lisa’s art revolves around a Little Pig and her 12 days of Christmas all feature him/her doing stuff. For our ninth day, the lady pig dancing is adorable.

4. Nancy and Corrie Bjorkgren

This mother and daughter from West Virginia, owners of the mountainbrook shop, mostly work in wood. They celebrate our ninth day with this charming pendant.

5. Sullyarts

Kate of Sullyarts is a very gifted artist and did all 12 days that you can also buy collected in a poster. Her ladies dancing is definitely my favorite.

I’ve decided to continue showing you beautiful stuff (or at least stuff I think it’s beautiful) even after Christmas, but instead of having monographic articles featuring single illustrators I’ll be grouping them with themes. As a theme I’m picking the Twelve Days of Christmas, a British carol I adore. If you never heard it (you’re clearly not Britsh) I suggest you take a look at this incredible performance.

Spooktober

Spooktober 2026 – That’s a wrap!

…and that’s a wrap! Eighteen classic stories, if my math is correct, 29 posts, and the candle’s waning. It’s almost time. Are you all set up? Who are you celebrating with, and what are you dressed up as? Whether it’s true crime or contemporary politicians

Read More »
books and literature

Bulgakov’s The Fatal Eggs

Mikhail Bulgakov (Kyiv, 1891–1940) was a novelist, playwright, and former physician, whom I’m sure you know for The Master and Margarita, published posthumously. His work blends sharp satire, fantasy, grotesque comedy, and moral seriousness, often targeting Soviet bureaucracy and ideological hypocrisy, but I had no

Read More »
Spooktober

Spooktober 30 – The Black Monk (5)

Conclusion Kovrin received a professorship at the University. The inaugural address was fixed for the second of December, and a notice to that effect was hung up in the corridor at the University. But on the day appointed he informed the students’ inspector, by telegram,

Read More »
Share on LinkedIn
Throw on Reddit
Roll on Tumblr
Mail it
No Comments

Post A Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS

Spooktober 2026 – That’s a wrap!

…and that’s a wrap! Eighteen classic stories, if my math is correct, 29 posts, and the candle’s waning. It’s almost time. Are you all set up? Who are you celebrating with, and what are you dressed up as? Whether it’s true crime or contemporary politicians

Read More

Bulgakov’s The Fatal Eggs

Mikhail Bulgakov (Kyiv, 1891–1940) was a novelist, playwright, and former physician, whom I’m sure you know for The Master and Margarita, published posthumously. His work blends sharp satire, fantasy, grotesque comedy, and moral seriousness, often targeting Soviet bureaucracy and ideological hypocrisy, but I had no

Read More

Spooktober 30 – The Black Monk (5)

Conclusion Kovrin received a professorship at the University. The inaugural address was fixed for the second of December, and a notice to that effect was hung up in the corridor at the University. But on the day appointed he informed the students’ inspector, by telegram,

Read More