When Karen Hong thinks about the holidays, she thinks about warmth and love from family and friends.

So when the 13-year-old from Simi Valley decided to enter the annual Pier 1 Imports/Weekly Reader Greeting Card Contest to benefit UNICEF, that's what she tried to show in her acrylic painting.

The judges must have agreed because the eighth-grader from Sinaloa Middle School was one of two entrants chosen from more than 2,200 nationally to have her art featured in a Christmas greeting card.

"I drew it because when I think of the holidays I think about the family and friends who come together, and I think about the warmth and love, and I wanted to make a present of warmth and love," she said.

Last week, with her family present, the teen was honored at a special ceremony in New York City and was given back her original painting, framed. She made an appearance on a local morning television show, had an article in November's edition of Traditional Home magazine featuring her design and was given a VIP tour of the United Nations.

The painting she submitted shows a bright red Santa Claus hat sitting on a warm yellow heart surrounded by a blue globe. There is a green striped bow on top of the globe.

Misty Otto, spokeswoman for Pier 1, said the judges — made up of staff from Pier 1, Weekly Reader and UNICEF (the United Nations Children's Fund) — knew right away that Karen's entry was special.

"It really stood out and looked so vibrant," Otto said. "It was so heartwarming. Everyone here really liked it. We knew it would be really popular."

Karen's father, Ki Hong, said he took her to the Pier 1 shop in Thousand Oaks last week to see her cards on the shelf.

"When we told the store that she's the one, they were pretty excited," he said.

"I just felt awesome that my card was sitting there in the actual store," Karen said.

Ki Hong's hope is that Karen's efforts will help bring more attention to UNICEF.

"I think this UNICEF, I think we really take it for granted," he said.

"They're doing a great job. We're not really doing anything to help them out. I hope this gives Karen the opportunity to help other people."

It's Karen's wish too that her art will help in some way. She hopes one day to make a living from her art, maybe as a graphic designer, she said.

"I feel really honored that I can be part of this big program for kids," she said.

Pier 1 started selling greeting cards and donating money to UNICEF in 1985. In 1992, the home furnishings store began a contest for children 13 and under to submit artwork to be turned into holiday cards.

Since the program's inception, the national retailer has given more than $25 million to UNICEF, an international children's aid organization.

Three years ago, Weekly Reader, an educational magazine published by Reader's Digest magazine and distributed to schoolchildren throughout the country, became a co-sponsor for the event.

— Jake Finch's e-mail address is alljake@hotmail.com.