Christmas gifts for mum (that she'll actually hang)

Mums are the hardest people in the world to buy for. They say "I don't want anything", then look quietly disappointed when they get nothing. They already own every scented candle in the Midlands. And they will keep whatever you give them forever, so it had better be good.

I'm Luis. I paint funny, kind and occasionally filthy statements on antique book pages at my stall in Covent Garden, and every December a queue of people asks me the same thing: "What would my mum like?" Here's what I tell them.

First, work out which mum you've got

Every mum is different, but most fall into one of these. Be honest.

For the sentimental mum

These are the prints people buy when they want to say something they'd never say out loud at the dinner table.

You Are the Work of Art is the one I recommend most for mums. It's a compliment she'll read every morning. More Joy is for the mum who deserves more of it. This Is So the Happy Place belongs by her front door, especially if her house is where everyone ends up at Christmas.

For the glamorous mum

If your mum has a handbag for every occasion and an opinion about everyone else's, go fashion.

Born to Wear Chanel in pink is the bestseller here. I Have Champagne Taste suits the mum who orders the second-most expensive bottle so she doesn't look greedy. The This Is Not a Chanel tote is £25, which makes it the only Chanel bag anyone's buying this year, and it's made to order, so order early in December.

For the mum who's had a year

Some years are harder than others. A gift that says "I see you, and it gets better" means more than anything practical.

The Best Is Yet to Come is soft colours, big hope. Women Are Not Afraid is for the mum who held everything together. Write a few words on the card about why you chose it. Trust me, that's the bit she'll keep.

The "wow" present: something one of a kind

If you want to give her something nobody else in the world has, give her an original. Mine are hand-painted on antique book pages, signed, and start at £55. Or give her one of my antique images: an old portrait from an antique art book that I've painted over by hand. They're £25 and every one is unique.

Cheers to Life is a toast in paint. Queen for a Day, a hand-painted Queen Anne, is perfect for the mum who has always run the house like a monarch.

Want it to be truly hers? A commission lets you choose the words: her motto, a family saying, the thing she shouts up the stairs. Ask early, because December books up.

How to make it feel special

1. Frame it. A simple white or wooden frame turns a print into a finished present. See how to frame art prints.
2. Write the reason on the card. "This is you" beats "Merry Christmas" every time.
3. Ask me to wrap it. I wrap by hand on request. Message me after you order.
4. Offer to hang it. On Boxing Day, with a level and a pencil. It's a second present.
5. Bring her to the stall. If she lives near London, a trip to Covent Garden to choose together is a lovely Christmas outing in itself.

Christmas timing

Prints, antique images and originals are in stock. Totes and sweatshirts are made to order and take 7 to 10 days, so order them in early December. UK delivery is £1.75 a print and free over £80, and you can send it straight to her door. In London? Collect from my stall at Jubilee Market Hall on a Saturday or Sunday.

Shopping for the whole family? See Christmas gifts for him and her, stocking fillers and the full Christmas gifts collection.

Gifts for mum questions