Christmas Pet Portraits

Why a pet portrait makes a good Christmas gift

Many people are hard to buy for, but almost anyone who shares their home with an animal would be pleased to receive a portrait of them. It feels personal without being sentimental, and it lasts well beyond the festive season. A Christmas portrait suits a parent whose dog has become their constant companion, a friend celebrating a new puppy's first Christmas, or grandparents who ask after the cat on every phone call.

You could also make it a family tradition: a new portrait every December, with the earlier years brought out alongside the decorations as a small record of how everyone has changed.

What the Christmas artwork looks like

The Christmas portrait style is warm and traditional. Your pet sits in a red Santa hat beside a decorated tree hung with baubles and lights, with a fireplace glowing behind. Wrapped presents gather at the foot of the tree, and through the window a light snow is falling. The colours are rich reds, deep greens and golden firelight.

Names, years and greetings

Add your pet's name, the year or a short line such as "Merry Christmas from Rolo" in the text step. Our software typesets the words after the image is created, so they are spelled exactly as you type them, and the live preview lets you compare fonts first.

More than one pet

If the whole household should be in the picture, check the Christmas style page to see how many animals the scene can hold, and upload a separate photo of each. For a group sitting without the festive props, the multi-pet family portrait brings together up to three pets.

Cards, gifts and lock screens

• Christmas cards: print the file on card at home, or send it as an e-card to friends abroad.
• A framed gift: have a framed print posted straight to the recipient's address.
• Phone wallpaper: a festive lock screen for the whole of December.
• A family post: share it on Christmas morning with everyone who could not be there.

When to order for Christmas

Digital portraits are created after payment. Most portraits are ready within an hour of payment. Busy periods or complex scenes can take longer. That makes the download a reliable choice even late in December, and you can print it on card at home to give on the day. Printed products are different. Our print partner produces each one after you approve the proof, and December is the busiest month of the year for carriers, so order prints, canvases and framed pieces as early as you can. Delivery options and times are shown at checkout, and the delivery page explains how orders reach UK and US addresses.

Other styles that work at Christmas

The Christmas design is one of the themed looks in our holidays and celebrations collection. For different festive outfits, such as a knitted jumper or reindeer antlers, see the seasonal and holiday style. A classic oil painting or a soft watercolour also makes a lovely present, because a good portrait does not need tinsel.