Of Peppermint Pigs and Promises

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16 years ago I learned about a 134-year-old tradition. The giant husband and I were dining with friends over the Christmas holiday when someone produced a small satchel. From the pouch fell a little hard candy, pink pig. It was explained that the candy pig was broken into sharable pieces for good luck in the new year. She told me breaking a Peppermint Pig was a longtime tradition. I was quite amazed that a Christmas enthusiast such as myself had never heard of a Peppermint Pig. The following year I learned about the Christmas Pickle…
Here’s a link to The New York Times article, if you’d like to read about the Peppermint Pig’s sweet history.
Peppermint PigsNow there’s another reason for this post. A few weeks back I promised a wonderful friend I’d show her how to draw a pig. So Deb, as promised, please see sketch below. It’s all about seeing the basic shapes and once you can see the shapes you will become a pig master 🙂
How to Pig

16 thoughts on “Of Peppermint Pigs and Promises”

  1. Your Peppermint Pigs are absolutely adorable! And I have a Christmas Pickle in my collection of ornaments (along with a lovely collection of Christmas frogs). I love Christmas ornaments! – Fawn

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    • Thank you, Fawn.
      When I researched P Pigs for this post, I was especially amazed to know the tradition dates back to the 1880’s. And the pickles I learned about a while back. Pickle ornaments are funkily endearing. I can most definitely picture you having a magical ornament collection. How did you come by collecting Christmas Frogs?
      AnnMarie 🙂
      I hope all is well there on the West Coast. There were a few articles here re: mudslides and deluges…
      Sounded like you just got a small piece of the storm system.
      Happy Monday 🙂

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  2. Oh, AnnMarie, THANK YOU!!! If you could only see the smile on my face as I’m reading your post right now tonight, 🙂 This is like receiving an early Christmas present — an art lesson for drawing a pig — I love it! I can’t wait to get my pencil and paper out tomorrow and start practicing. Yes, I do see the basic shapes, and I see how they “become” the pig — amazing! This will definitely help me to “see” things differently — shapes, shapes, shapes, 🙂 And, I must say, lovely, LOVELY artwork — those pigs are so adorable I’d adopt them in a nano-second (what’s four more cuties?!). I’ve heard of the peppermint pigs, and maybe once, long ago, I might have even eaten a piece of the candy (and I do really like the tradition/reason behind it, too — I read the NYT article link).

    Thank you again, my dear blogging friend! You’ve certainly kept your promise, 🙂 Deb

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    • 🙂
      Good morning, Deb.
      I’m so glad you like the piggy post. I said I’d draw a pig for you and I’d written a reminder note (as I tell my kiddies, “if you don’t write it down and in the calendar – it ain’t happenin'”). That note was on my studio table along with other “post-concept” notes and I kept reminding myself – “you told Deb, pig post.” So I started drawing pigs. Then I remembered Peppermint Pigs and thought, yippy, I can make it a Christmas post too – perfect! So you practice those pigs, Missy 😉 There’s actually a fellow up the road from me (I think he’s moving though) that has a black potbelly pig. Everyday during the summer, the little pig was outside like a cute, weird puppy :-). Real pigs are so very fleshy colored, so I was only to happy to make them much more cheesy pink! And then, me and my Christmas mush, had to add silly hats.
      AM 🙂
      How’s Sophie(a?) doing with the rest of the gang?

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      • I’m so glad you started drawing pigs, AM, because you’re so darn good at drawing them (this artwork and the pig in the shell are solid evidence of that)! I’m in a coffee shop right now, but as soon as I get home I’m going to town on drawing pigs, so yes, I’ll will practice ’til I’m (almost) perfect! 🙂 Wish I had a potbelly pig in my neighborhood I could look at for inspiration! LOL I’m a Post-it person, too. They’re the only way I get anything accomplished.

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      • I generally don’t draw pigs, in fact, can’t recall the last time I drew one, but they’re mighty fun. And I do love the movie, Babe. I wish I’d invented Post-its, now that entrepreneur doesn’t have to worry about being out of work 😉
        So, am I to expect pigfect sketches from you in the near future? (sorry, couldn’t resist a little ham humor)
        AM 🙂

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  3. Love the artwork and the story. You’ve inspired me to get back into art. I ordered myself a Darice ArtyFacts Portable Art Studio, 131-Piece Deluxe Art Set With Wood Case for under $20 and a Large Premium Drawing Pad 9″ X 12″ (Sketchbook, Sketch book) (Studio) for $5.99 from Amazon.com the other day. With my Prime account I get free 2 day shipping on anything so it should be here tomorrow. I’m excited! Where do I begin? It’s been 35+ years since I’ve actually drawn anything! LOL I’ll post my first efforts and dedicate them to you Ann. 🙂

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    • Bravo, Bob! You pick up those pencils and get drawing. I’m guessing with your talented eye, your renderings are going to be spectacular, once you get warmed up. And I love 9″ x 12″. I do all my post art on that very size. 8″ x 10″ is just a bit too small and if I went any larger than 9″ x 12″ I wouldn’t be able to get as many pieces done. I’m constantly trying to improve my drawing and painting… I love Prime – it’s wonderful. So in 2 days time, the next Rembrandt will materialize 🙂 Enjoy ‘arting’ again! – AnnMarie 🙂

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  4. Dang it! I wasn’t finished with my comment!!! As I was about to say: Don’t apologize for your Christmas spirit — it’s infectious (sp.?), and that’s the best kind of “infection” to pass along! 🙂 And as for Sophia (she and I are on formal names at this point), she’s doing fine, although she likes to hiss, and Charlie — who heads up the Welcoming Committee — has officially had his feelings hurt. But today we’re letting her out of her room so she can “mix it up” with the others — we just have to be ready to pounce and separate them because Sophie still has her front claws (an unfair advantage), 🙂 Again, thank you so much AM for your beautiful post (and my free art lesson — I “owe” ya!). 🙂

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    • I know Sophia will fit in. I hope the full-home integration goes well… who knows, maybe you’ll become the “Cat Whisperer.”
      There’s no better lesson than a free one I always say!
      It gave me an opportunity to flex my ham hocks (ah, more ham humor) 🙂

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      • Miss, you are on a roll tonight! Let me just say, my sketches will probably never be ‘pigfect,’ and with them I’ll never ‘bring home the bacon’ (ha!), but I did go out to B&N today and bought myself a $2.95 sketchbook … so I’m going to draw shapes until I’m blue (or rather pink) in the face. 🙂

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      • lol!!!
        Your graphics could “bring home bacon” and feed your house of critters 🙂
        Now sketch away until you’re pigfect and “pink in the face” (love it!) 😉
        As I often tell my young art students, all you need to worry about art is, “enjoy the journey don’t worry about the destination.”
        AM 🙂

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