A personalised gift is easy to get right and easy to get wrong. The difference is usually not the product — it is whether the photo works, and whether you ordered early enough. This guide covers what we make, what each thing costs, who it suits, and how long it takes.
Ordering for Christmas: the last date for standard UK delivery is 18 December. More detail below.
Personalised Christmas gifts at a glance
| Gift | From | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Photo print | £9.99 | A small, thoughtful gift or a stocking filler |
| Watercolour portrait (pet, couple or family) | £17.95 | The person who is hard to buy for |
| Song lyrics or vinyl record print | £17.95 | A couple, or a music obsessive |
| Diamond Dust glitter print | £17.99 | Someone who likes a bit of sparkle |
| Diamond Dust glitter canvas | £24.99 | A statement piece for a main wall |
| Photo collage canvas | £26.99 | A whole year, or a whole family, in one frame |
| Photo canvas print | £27.99 | A single photo, large |
For someone who is hard to buy for
A hand-drawn portrait is the usual answer, because it is not something they can buy themselves and not something they already own. Send a photo and one of our own artists draws it — pets, couples, families or a memorial piece. Styles run from soft watercolour to pencil sketch to the more theatrical royal portraits. From £17.95.
Pet portraits · Couple and family portraits
For a pet owner
Pet portraits are the most-ordered thing we make, and at Christmas they are usually bought by somebody else in the household. Two practical notes: get the photo from their camera roll rather than asking them for one if you want it to stay a surprise, and order early — a portrait is drawn to order, not pulled off a shelf.
If the pet has died, our memorial prints are made for exactly that, and you can add a name, dates or a paw print.
For a couple, or for parents and grandparents
A couple or family portrait works where a photo frame would feel like a token gift. For grandparents, a photo collage tends to land better than a single image, because it covers more of the family at once. Collage canvases from £26.99.
For a music lover
A song lyrics print, or a vinyl record design with a code that plays the track when scanned. Good for a couple with a song, and good for the person who is impossible to buy for but has strong opinions about an album. From £17.95. More on personalised music gifts.
By budget
Under £20
Photo prints from £9.99, watercolour portraits and song prints from £17.95, glitter prints from £17.99. An unframed print is the cheapest route to a good gift — the artwork is identical to the framed version, and most people already have a frame or would rather choose their own.
£20 to £40
Glitter canvases from £24.99, collage canvases from £26.99, photo canvases from £27.99. This is also where framed portraits sit, which arrive ready to hang and need no further thought from the recipient.
Over £40
Larger canvases and framed portraits, and the multi-photo collage pieces. Worth it when the gift is the main present rather than an addition to one.
Christmas ordering deadline
Order by 18 December for standard UK delivery in time for Christmas.
Everything is made to order in our Twickenham studio, so that date covers making the item, not just posting it. Standard UK delivery is 4-6 working days, Express 2-4, and Next Day 1-2, with free standard delivery on orders over £30. Those are working days, and they start the day you order if you order before 5pm.
Two things add time. Asking for a preview means we wait for your approval before printing, which is usually worth it but is not instant — if you want a preview, order well before the 18th rather than on it. And December is our busiest month. If you are working to a deadline, tell us when you order and we will say honestly whether it can be done. Full detail is on our delivery page.
Getting the photo right
This matters more than which product you pick. The single most common problem is a screenshot or an image saved from social media, both of which throw away most of the detail. Send the original file from the camera roll.
- Good light, ideally daylight, and the subject in focus.
- Close enough that the face fills a decent part of the frame.
- For pets, crouch to their eye level rather than shooting down at them.
- Dark fur and dark hair need more light than you would think.
If your only photo is not ideal, send it and ask us first — we will tell you honestly whether it will work. Our full photo guide goes into more detail.
Common questions
What is the last day to order for Christmas?
18 December for standard UK delivery. If you want a preview of the artwork before it prints, order earlier than that, because we wait for your approval before printing.
Can I see it before it is printed?
Yes. Add “Preview requested” in the Special Requests box and we will email the artwork before printing, and adjust it if you want changes.
Can you combine photos, or take someone out of a picture?
Usually. Combining separate photos into one portrait is common, as is changing or removing a background. Describe what you need in Special Requests.
What if it arrives and it is wrong?
Tell us. If it is damaged, faulty or not what was agreed, we will replace it or refund you.
Browse personalised Christmas gifts, or ask us if you want a second opinion before you order.
2 comments
Order no 11932 you have let me down badly lost count how many times I have emailed you not received print missed party deadline so want a full refund really disappointing customer service
I have not received my order this is the second time as you said the first was lost by delivery company I want a refund