Color by Numbers for Secret Santa and Stocking Fillers: Creative Gifts That Land
A color-by-numbers canvas is one of the few Secret Santa gifts that does not vanish into a drawer by January: the person whose name you drew gets a run of screen-free evenings and, at the end of it, a painting for the wall. Single canvases in our color-by-numbers collection start at €49.95 and the two-canvas sets start at €59.95, so it suits a generous office limit, a gift that several colleagues pool together, or the main piece in a Christmas stocking. There is no skill to learn and nothing to spill: you fill pre-printed, numbered areas with numbered markers, and you can stop whenever you like.
In short
- From €49.95 for a single canvas — the Old Masters designs and Custom Photo – Color by Numbers — and from €59.95 for a set of two canvases.
- Be honest about the budget: this is a real gift rather than a novelty trinket, so it lands best when the Secret Santa limit is generous or a few people club together.
- Markers, not paint: no water, no brushes, no drying time and nothing that can spill on an office desk or a sofa.
- Safe for someone you hardly know: no size to guess, no skill required and no strong opinions needed — a calm theme suits almost any home.
- Free worldwide shipping with no minimum order. You will see the exact delivery time at checkout, so order in good time around the holidays.
Why color by numbers lands as a Secret Santa gift
Most Secret Santa presents get opened, laughed at and quietly forgotten. Color by numbers does something different: it gives the person time. They sit down with a numbered canvas, fill one area at a time and let the day fall away — no phone, no instructions to decipher, no pressure to be good at anything. The canvas arrives already printed with numbered areas and comes with the matching numbered markers, so anyone who can hold a pen can do it.
It also behaves itself in an office setting. Because you work with markers rather than acrylics there is nothing to rinse, nothing to dry and nothing that can leak into a bag on the way home. If you want the full comparison between the two, we set it out in color by numbers with markers versus paint.
The budget question, answered honestly
We are not going to pretend this is a five-euro filler. A color-by-numbers canvas is a proper gift, and it belongs in one of these situations.
| Your situation | What to choose | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| A generous individual limit | A single-canvas Old Master from €49.95, such as Sunflowers by Van Gogh or Girl with a Pearl Earring by Vermeer | The most accessible way in: one canvas, and an image almost everyone recognises. |
| Several colleagues pooling together | A two-canvas set from €59.95, for example Cosy Café or Book Love | Splitting the cost between three or four people turns an awkward budget into a gift people remember. |
| The main piece in a Christmas stocking | A 30×40 cm canvas in up to 20 colors (Essential) | The smallest size is the quickest to finish, which keeps it approachable for a first attempt. |
| You barely know the person | A calm, neutral theme such as Mountain Landscapes | Landscapes and soft interiors suit almost any home, so you are not betting on someone's taste. |
What a set actually costs
Every set in the collection contains two canvases that share one color palette, so a single box of markers produces two matching paintings — a diptych for the wall. The Old Masters designs and Custom Photo are single canvases. Price depends on the size and on how many colors you choose:
| 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 |
Sizes run up to 60×80 cm and larger formats cost more; the exact figure is on each product page. Single canvases start at €49.95. Planning your whole gift list by price band? Our cross-stitch gifts by budget guide does the same for the embroidery side of the shop.
Which color level should you pick for someone else?
This is the one choice people worry about, and it is simpler than it looks. Up to 20 colors (Essential) has the largest areas and is the most forgiving — the right call for a colleague who has never done anything like this. Up to 30 colors (Detailed) is the comfortable middle. Up to 40 colors (Premium) gives the smoothest transitions and the most refined result, which a keen hobbyist will love but a complete beginner may find fiddly.
When in doubt, go Essential. Nobody has ever been disappointed by a gift that felt easy to start. The beginner's guide to color by numbers walks through the choice in more detail, and how long color by numbers takes gives you a feel for how many evenings you are handing over.
When you want it to feel personal
Secret Santa is usually anonymous, but a stocking filler for family is not. If you know the person well, Custom Photo – Color by Numbers turns one of their own photographs into a numbered canvas with matching markers, from €49.95. A dog, a wedding day, the house they grew up in — they color the memory in themselves.
Choose a sharp, well-lit photo with real contrast, because not every image converts well. Our checklist on which photo works for color by numbers shows what to look for before you upload, and for the wider picture — birthdays, retirements, Mother's Day — see our general color-by-numbers gift ideas.
Order in good time
December post is December post. Shipping is free and worldwide with no minimum order, and the exact delivery time for your address is shown at checkout — so place the order as soon as the names are drawn rather than in the week of the party. If you are also making something by hand this year, personalized Christmas cross-stitch gifts and DIY Christmas cross-stitch ornaments need even more lead time.
Have a browse through the full color-by-numbers collection — or the 75 Christmas Paint by Numbers designs if you want the season itself in the picture — and pick the theme that suits the name you drew. Whatever you land on, they get the same two things: quiet hours now, and something on the wall long after.
Frequently asked questions
Is color by numbers too expensive for Secret Santa?
It depends on your group's limit. Single canvases — the Old Masters designs and Custom Photo — start at €49.95, and two-canvas sets start at €59.95. That fits a generous limit or a gift that several colleagues pool together. For a very small budget, it honestly is not the right pick.
Does the recipient need to be able to draw or paint?
No. The canvas arrives pre-printed with numbered areas and you fill them in with the matching numbered markers. There is no drawing or painting skill involved at all, which is exactly why it works for someone whose hobbies you do not know.
Which color level is safest as a gift?
Up to 20 colors (Essential). It has the largest areas, is the most forgiving and shows a result quickly. Up to 30 colors (Detailed) is a good middle ground, and up to 40 colors (Premium) is best kept for someone who already enjoys detailed craft work.
Is it messy to open at an office party?
No. You work with numbered markers rather than paint, so there is no water, no brushes and no drying time. Nothing can spill on a desk, and the whole thing packs back into its box between sessions.
Will it arrive in time for the party?
Shipping is free and worldwide with no minimum order, and the exact delivery time for your address is shown at checkout. December is the busiest postal month of the year, so order as soon as you have drawn a name rather than in the final week.
Can I make a Secret Santa gift from a photo?
Yes, with Custom Photo – Color by Numbers, from €49.95. Do bear in mind that a personal photo works best when you actually know the recipient; for an anonymous draw, a ready-made theme is usually the kinder choice.