The best Christmas gifts for him and her, 2026 edition

Every December the same thing happens. Everyone panics, buys a gift set from a supermarket, and gives the same bath bombs to four different people. This year, let's do better. I'm Luis, I sell art and gifts from my stall in Covent Garden, and December is my busiest month for a reason: art makes a great present.

Before you shop: the Christmas timing bit

Boring but important.

• Prints, antique images and originals are in stock and post quickly. UK delivery is £1.75 a print and free over £80.
• Apparel, totes and notebooks are made to order and take 7 to 10 days, so order those in early December, not on the 20th.
• Commissions need time. If you want a personalised piece for Christmas, message me in November.
• Royal Mail publishes its last recommended posting dates each year, and they fall in the week before Christmas. Order well before then to be safe.
• In London? Come to the stall on a December weekend and take it home the same day. Or order online and collect from the stall.

Christmas gifts for her

• The fashion one: Born to Wear Chanel, I Speak Fluent Louis Vuitton or Jesus Wants Me to Have a Birkin. £20 each.
• The one who carries everything: a This Is Not a Louis Vuitton tote. The only designer bag that costs £25.
• The best friend: Hey Queen. Because she is.
• The one who's had a year: The Best Is Yet to Come. Soft, hopeful and very true.
• The party girl: Please Don't Do Cocaine in the Bathroom. Every house needs rules.

Christmas gifts for him

• The one who's always late: a Don't Rush Me sweatshirt, in black or heather grey. £39.
• The laid-back one: It Is What It Is. A complete philosophy for £20.
• The chaos merchant: There Is No Plan, as a print or a sweatshirt.
• The one who swears at football: Harden the Fuck Up. Frame it for the man cave.
• The Londoner: London or Nowhere.

Of course, none of these are really "for him" or "for her". Buy for the person, not the label. My most fashion-obsessed customers are definitely not all women.

Stocking fillers under £15

Notebooks are £12 with my art on the cover. The Random Crap Notebook is the most honest present you'll give this year. More ideas in stocking fillers that aren't plastic tat.

Secret Santa under £25

• A £20 print. Choose a clean funny one for the office: Ha Ha Ha No, I'm a Drama Queen or Not Today Satan.
• A £25 tote or antique image if the budget stretches.

The full list, sorted by office-safe and properly rude, is in Secret Santa gifts under £20.

Gifts for the host of every Christmas party

You know the one. Their house, their rules, their very expensive glasses. Please Leave by 9pm is the perfect gift for the person who loves hosting but loves their bed more. Press for Champagne belongs next to their doorbell. No Touching in the Champagne Room is for the friend whose New Year's Eve parties are legendary for the wrong reasons. Bring one instead of a bottle of wine and you'll be invited back.

Something special: originals and commissions

For a partner, a parent or a big milestone, give an original. Mine are hand-painted on antique book pages and signed, from £55. And for the most personal present possible, a commission with their own words, painted by me. Ask early, as December books up.

Christmas gift tips

1. Gift wrap: I wrap by hand on request. Message me after you order.
2. Send it direct: add their address at checkout.
3. Pay later: Klarna and Clearpay are available on orders over £75.
4. 10% off: join the Private View at the bottom of any page for 10% off your first order.
5. Unsure of their taste? A print plus a framing voucher is a safe and lovely combination.

Shop everything in one place in the Christmas gifts collection. More ideas: art gift ideas UK, best gifts for art lovers and funny art prints UK.

Visiting Covent Garden at Christmas

Covent Garden at Christmas is properly magical: decorations in the Piazza, the market halls lit up and theatres everywhere. It's busy, so come in the morning. I'm at Jubilee Market Hall every Saturday and Sunday. Here's my guide to Christmas shopping in Covent Garden to plan the day.

Christmas gift questions