Sarai Ray’s Christmas drawing was a labor of love: A scene she created using only her imagination and one of her favorite, oldest, Christmas memories.

That memory, she said, was from a book her mother had bought her years ago called “The Biggest, Best Snowman,” by Margery Cuyler. In a drawing that she worked on during breaks in school and at home, Sarai drew a winter scene inspired by the books and things in her life.

The basic concept was similar to the story in the book. The protagonist, Nell, is a small girl with two big sisters. Nell is told she’s too little help, but with the assistance of some forest animals builds a giant snowman.

Sarai, who is 13, has been drawing for years said her mother Cindy Ray.

Originally Sarai had been planning to submit her drawing for a Christmas card contest, but the family accidentally missed the deadline for submissions.

“Seeing this scene of people working together to make something loving and beautiful,” Cindy said, “I’d hate for people to not see it.”

Although Sarai was inspired by the book, she also added a few of her own touches. She drew a fox holding a scarf for the snowman, and said she was inspired by a wolf mix her landlord owns.

“Our landlord has a quarter wolf named Ringo and he’s kind of tawny like a fox,” Sarai said.

The family considers Ringo a part of the family, she said, along with their four ducks, one rooster, two cats and three dogs.

A moose and a deer in the photo are inspired by a time she saw a buck while driving with her father, and a time that her mother Cindy saw a moose.

The blue jay was from a day she saw a blue jay last year, Sarai said.

Cindy said an artistic streak runs in the family, but Sarai has a special gift when it comes to coming up with ideas.

“I can’t draw like she does, she just draws from imagination,” Cindy said. “I just hope that when people do actually see it … I just really hope it’ll bring some joy, even just for a moment.”