When I was younger I would come up with a Christmas art-type project to fill up the free time away from school on Christmas vacation. I was always totally hyped about Christmas and loved everything to do with it, including the special cartoons and books. Often my project would be a Christmas book of my own...which tended to involve drawing up a cover and character sketches and then not getting to actually finish the story as my enthusiasm waned.

One particular project I recently unearthed, is most notable to me because I did actually finish it in time for Christmas. As a twelve year old, I completed my own version of the classic The Night Before Christmas, beginning December 1st and finishing on Christmas Eve. It turned into a completely stressful ordeal, the thought of not finishing my book in time literally haunting my sleep. Each page featured a full colour illustration, and as the book goes on, they become more and more obscure as I rushed to get it done.

By far my biggest mistake was to write each page's text in alternating red green typewriter serif. Perhaps a little too ambitious. I still remember this project being my first introduction to the serif typeface though...and it actually helped me to memorize all the letter forms...still ingrained twenty years later