Color by Numbers as a Christmas Gift: Two Gifts in One
Color by numbers is a Christmas gift you give twice: first the quiet hours of coloring, then the finished painting that stays on the wall. Every set in our color-by-numbers collection holds two canvases that share one color palette, from €59.95, while single canvases — the Old Masters designs and Custom Photo – Color by Numbers — start at €49.95. You work with numbered markers instead of paint, so it can live on the dining table right through the holiday week without a single splash.
In short
- Two gifts in one: relaxed evenings now, and a painting for the wall afterwards.
- One set is two canvases sharing a single palette, so one box of markers makes a matching pair.
- Clean at the table: markers, not paint — no water, no brushes, no drying time, and you can stop at any moment.
- Christmas designs are here: we have just added a full festive range — 75 Christmas Paint by Numbers designs, plus 45 more in the December range.
- From €49.95 for a single canvas and from €59.95 for a set, with free worldwide shipping and no minimum order.
Why it works as a Christmas gift
Christmas gifts have a habit of being either useful or memorable, rarely both. Color by numbers manages both, because it is really two things in one box. The first gift is time: evenings where someone fills one numbered area after another and stops thinking about the to-do list. The second arrives weeks later, when the canvas is finished and goes up on a wall — made by them, and a reminder of who gave it.
It also suits a very wide range of people, which is exactly what you need in December. Nobody has to be able to draw or paint: the canvas comes pre-printed with numbered areas and the matching markers are included, so a teenager, a parent and a grandparent can all pick it up on the same afternoon. For a feel for how many evenings you are handing over, how long color by numbers takes breaks it down by size and color level.
Perfect for the quiet days between Christmas and New Year
The week after Christmas is the softest week of the year: nobody quite knows what day it is and nothing is urgent. That is the moment a color-by-numbers canvas earns its place. You spread it out on the dining table and people drift in and out of it between meals.
Markers are the reason this works indoors. There is no water to fetch, no brushes to rinse, no drying time to wait out and nothing that can ruin a tablecloth. You cap the markers, slide the canvas aside and pick it up again tomorrow. We explain the practical difference in color by numbers with markers versus paint.
And because every set contains two canvases on one palette, two people can genuinely work side by side on a matching pair. That is the detail that turns a present into a shared afternoon. Our guide to the two-canvas set and choosing a theme helps you pick a pair that looks good hung together.
Choosing a Christmas theme
Good news, and it is new: there is a proper Christmas range now. We have just added 75 Christmas Paint by Numbers designs, with another 45 in the December range — trees, lights, snow and plenty of animals in Santa hats. So you can go unmistakably festive. Or you can pick a theme the recipient will still love in March, when the decorations are back in the loft. Both are good choices, and the table below covers both.
| What you want the gift to say | Theme to choose | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Unmistakably Christmas | Christmas Cats or North Pole Christmas | From the new Christmas collection: festive without being gaudy, and a joy to unwrap in December. |
| Christmas with animals in it | Highland Christmas or Woodland Animals in the Snow | Warm, characterful and a safe bet for almost anyone on your list. |
| Proper winter feeling, without the tinsel | Winter Wonderland | Snow scenes and cool whites carry the season all winter long, not just for one week in December. |
| Something a little spectacular | Northern Lights | Deep night skies with green and violet sweeps — the most striking pair in the collection to hang together. |
| Calm, warm, homely | Cosy Cottages | Soft lit windows and warm tones: the visual equivalent of the week between Christmas and New Year. |
| For a reader or a tea drinker | Book Love or Cosy Café | Interiors that suit a hallway or a home office, and an easy win for someone whose hobbies you already know. |
| A safe choice for almost anyone | Animal Love | Animals land well across ages, which makes this a sensible pick for a gift exchange or a teenager. |
Which size and color level to choose
There are eight sizes, from 30×40 cm up to 60×80 cm, and three color levels: up to 20 colors (Essential), up to 30 colors (Detailed) and up to 40 colors (Premium). More colors means finer detail and smoother transitions; Essential has the largest areas and is the most beginner-friendly. For a Christmas gift to someone who has never done this before, Essential or Detailed is the kind choice. For a hobbyist who loves precision, Premium is a treat.
| 30×40 cm set (two canvases) | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 20 colors (Essential) | €59.95 |
| Up to 30 colors (Detailed) | €72.95 |
| Up to 40 colors (Premium) | €85.95 |
Larger sizes are priced higher and you will see the exact figure on each product page. Single canvases — the Old Masters and Custom Photo — start at €49.95. Still weighing up the general gift question rather than the Christmas one? Our broader color-by-numbers gift ideas covers birthdays, retirements and everything in between.
Make it personal with a photo
If you want the gift to be unmistakably for one person, Custom Photo – Color by Numbers turns their own photograph into a numbered canvas with matching markers, from €49.95. A dog that is no longer around, the summer house, a wedding day, a grandchild — they color the memory in themselves over the holidays.
Pick a sharp, well-lit photo with genuine contrast; busy or dim images do not convert well. The checklist in which photo works for color by numbers tells you what to look for before you upload. Prefer a needle and thread? There are now 52 Christmas cross-stitch kits too, and personalized Christmas cross-stitch gifts and DIY Christmas cross-stitch ornaments take the same idea in a different craft.
Order in good time
Shipping is free and worldwide with no minimum order, and you will see the exact delivery time for your address at checkout. December is the busiest postal month there is, so order earlier than feels necessary.
Take your time over the theme instead. Browse the full color-by-numbers collection or go straight to the Christmas designs, think about the wall it will end up on, and let the rest take care of itself.
Frequently asked questions
Do you sell a Christmas-themed Paint by Numbers set?
Yes. We have just added 75 designs to the Christmas Paint by Numbers collection, with another 45 in the December range — from Christmas Cats to North Pole Christmas. If you would rather give something that stays on the wall all year, a winter or cosy interior theme such as Winter Wonderland or Cosy Cottages works beautifully too.
Is it suitable for someone who has never done this before?
Yes. The canvas arrives pre-printed with numbered areas and the matching numbered markers are included, so no drawing or painting skill is needed. For a first project, choose up to 20 colors (Essential): the areas are largest and a result appears quickly.
Can two people work on it together over Christmas?
That is exactly what a set is for. Every set contains two canvases that share one color palette, so two people can color side by side and end up with a matching pair to hang together as a diptych.
Is it messy on the dining table?
No. You color with numbered markers rather than paint, so there is no water, no brushes and no drying time. You cap the markers, slide the canvas aside and carry on the next day.
What does a color-by-numbers Christmas gift cost?
Two-canvas sets start at €59.95 and single canvases — the Old Masters designs and Custom Photo — start at €49.95. The price rises with size and with the number of colors, and shipping is free worldwide with no minimum order.
Will it arrive before Christmas?
You will see the exact delivery time for your address at checkout. December is the busiest postal month of the year, so order well ahead rather than in the final week — we would rather you had it early than nervously refreshed a tracking page.