Gingerbread men with rosy cheeks and tiny bow ties share the table with a snow-roofed gingerbread house, iced sage green trees, snowflake cookies and striped candy canes. Big velvet bows in cranberry and blush pink spill across the scene, and pine sprigs, holly berries, cinnamon sticks and star anise fill every gap.

The icing is painted as if piped, with thick palette-knife ridges, tiny gold dots and fine stitched-looking lines that catch a soft, warm light. The palette stays dusty and muted, toasted browns and buttercream ivory against cranberry, powdery pink and sage, for a cozy, nostalgic holiday feeling.