Christmas gifts under £30 that look like you spent more

Thirty pounds is the magic Christmas number, and it goes a lot further with a real artist than in a shopping centre. It's the "I've thought about this" budget for friends, siblings, in-laws and the colleague you actually like. The problem is that most £30 presents look like £30 presents: a gift set, a candle, a mug with a slogan.

I'm Luis. I paint art in Covent Garden, and almost everything on my stall is under £30. Here's how to make that budget feel generous.

The under-£30 menu

£12: notebooks

Spiral-bound, with my artwork on the cover. Pair one with a nice pen and you've got a £15 present that looks thoughtful. The full guide is in stocking fillers.

£20: art prints (the best value in the shop)

A print of one of my hand-painted originals, on A4 paper with the artwork at about A5 and a white border, ready for a frame.

Pick by personality: - Fashion lover: Born Again Christian Dior, I Have Champagne Taste. - Hopeful one: The Best Is Yet to Come. - Reluctant host: Please Leave by 9pm. - Party animal: Please Don't Do Cocaine in the Bathroom.

£25: tote bags

The cheapest designer bag they'll ever own, and the funniest. Made to order and shipped in 7 to 10 days, so order these early in December.

£25: one of a kind antique images

This is my secret weapon for people who are hard to buy for. I take portraits from antique art books and paint over them by hand: new colours, new attitude, a line they would never have said. Every single one is unique, so you're giving a real original for £25.

How to make £20 look like £100

1. Frame it. A plain black, white or oak frame from the high street, with a mount, turns a print into a gallery piece. My guide: how to frame art prints.
2. Wrap it properly. Thick paper, ribbon, a handwritten tag. I'll wrap by hand if you ask.
3. Tell the story. "It's hand-painted by an artist in Covent Garden" adds value no price tag can.
4. Pair it. A print plus a £12 notebook for £32 is a little set that feels considered.

What to avoid at this budget

• Gift sets with plastic packaging that costs more than the contents.
• Novelty mugs and socks. Funny for a minute, forgotten by January.
• Anything "personalised" with just a printed name. It feels generic, because it is.
• Last-minute supermarket panic buys. Plan one afternoon, buy the lot in one order, and you're done.

A £20 print by a real artist does what none of those can: it goes on a wall and stays there. Every time they walk past it, they think of you.

Buying several? Save on postage

UK delivery is £1.75 a print and free once your basket passes £80. That's four prints, or two prints and two totes. Buying for the whole family in one order is the cheapest way to do it. On orders of £75 or more, you can also spread the cost with Klarna or Clearpay at checkout.

Join the Private View at the bottom of any page for 10% off your first order.

Under-£30 gifts by person

• Mum: You Are the Work of Art (£20). More in Christmas gifts for mum.
• Dad: It Is What It Is (£20).
• Best friend: Hey Queen (£20). More in gifts for your best friend.
• Sister: a This Is Not a Chanel tote (£25).
• Brother: I Just Farted antique image (£25).
• Colleague: Ha Ha Ha No (£20).
• Teenager: Random Crap Notebook (£12).

Christmas timing

Plan it in one sitting: list everyone, match each person to a line above, and order the lot together so delivery is free and nothing arrives late. Prints and antique images are in stock. Totes and notebooks are made to order (7 to 10 days). In London? Collect from my stall at Jubilee Market Hall, Covent Garden, any Saturday or Sunday, and skip postage altogether.

Christmas gifts under £30 questions