Christmas Gift Guide for Animal Lovers: Thoughtful Gifts Inspired by Wildlife
There’s always someone on the Christmas list who is easier to describe by the animals they love than by anything else.
The person who stops mid-conversation when a robin appears in the garden. The friend who has never quite grown out of their love of penguins. The wildlife enthusiast who would choose a windswept coastline and a pair of binoculars over a busy shopping street any day.
And then there are those people who simply seem to have everything already.
Finding the right Christmas present for them doesn’t have to mean buying another generic gift. Sometimes the most memorable presents are the ones that say:
“I saw this and thought of you.”
If you're searching for a thoughtful Christmas gift for an animal lover this year, I've gathered together some of my favourite ideas from the Lily Clare collection.
Every one begins with my original artwork, so whether you choose a small stocking filler, a piece for the home or an original painting, you're giving something with a story behind it.
Christmas gifts for penguin lovers
Penguins have become rather important characters at Lily Clare.
Perhaps it's because their expressions and relationships can feel surprisingly familiar. They can be affectionate, determined, confident — and occasionally appear to have absolutely no idea what they're doing.
Penguin Duet has become a particular favourite, with two penguins standing side by side and holding flippers. It's a simple image of companionship that has found its way onto art prints and gifts.
Then there's the purposeful On a Mission, the confidently striding Stepping Out, and my more contemplative newcomer, Lost in Thought.
Together, they're a small collection of penguins with rather a lot of personality.
For a penguin lover, you could choose a fine art print for something lasting, or one of the artist-designed gifts featuring the artwork for a smaller Christmas present.
Gifts for bird and British wildlife lovers
You don't always have to travel somewhere extraordinary to find inspiration.
Some of my favourite subjects are the familiar characters we encounter closer to home.
The robin, in particular, has a special place at Christmas. Its familiar red breast and association with winter make robin artwork a lovely choice for someone who enjoys British wildlife and the natural world.
You'll find Lily Clare wildlife artwork reproduced across a selection of gifts as well as original artwork and prints, making it possible to give something inspired by nature at a range of price points.
For the person who always notices what's visiting the bird table, these can make especially thoughtful presents.
[Explore British Wildlife Art & Gifts →]
Coastal gifts for people who would rather be by the sea
Some people are simply happiest near the coast.
My coastal collection takes inspiration from the shapes, colours and small treasures associated with the shoreline, from seabirds such as puffins to delicate shells and nautilus studies.
These designs have found their way from my original artwork onto fine art prints and a selection of useful, beautiful gifts for everyday life.
A coastal-inspired gift can be particularly meaningful for someone with a favourite stretch of coastline, a love of seabirds or simply a home filled with reminders of the sea.
[Discover Coastal Art & Gifts →]
Gifts for elephant and wildlife lovers
There is something endlessly expressive about elephants.
My recent paintings Little Steps and Big Ears, Brave Heart explore two of the things I find most interesting about painting animals: their character and their ability to remind us of ourselves.
Little Steps is about beginnings — those small first steps into a much bigger world.
Big Ears, Brave Heart is a gentle piece about courage, growing up and facing forwards even when you might be feeling a little unsure.
For someone special, artwork with a meaning behind it can become much more than a picture of a favourite animal. It can mark a new beginning, celebrate a milestone or simply convey something that can be difficult to put into words.
Small Christmas gifts under £15
A meaningful present doesn't have to be a large one.
Sometimes it's the little things chosen because they remind you of someone that are remembered most.
For smaller presents, stocking fillers, Secret Santa gifts or thoughtful additions to a larger gift, the Lily Clare collection includes artist-designed pieces featuring some of my most popular animal characters.
This Christmas I've also created a collection of ceramic Christmas decorations, featuring Penguin Duet, On a Mission, Puffin Prance, Robin and the wonderfully inquisitive Well Hello! goose.
Each decoration is presented in a gift box and designed to be brought out and enjoyed again each Christmas.
They're little pieces of art for the tree — and lovely gifts for people whose favourite animal you happen to know rather well.
Thoughtful gifts under £25
If you're looking for something a little more substantial while keeping to a Christmas budget, there are plenty of art-inspired gifts under £25 too.
Bone china mugs, artist-designed homeware, stationery and other pieces allow original Lily Clare artwork to become part of everyday life.
I love the idea that art doesn't always have to hang on a wall.
It can be the mug someone reaches for every morning, a notebook kept on a desk, or something in the home that quietly makes them smile.
Limited edition art prints for a gift that lasts
For something particularly special, a limited edition fine art print bridges the gap between an everyday gift and an original artwork.
My giclée prints are created from my original paintings and drawings, allowing the detail and character of the original artwork to be enjoyed as a collectible piece of art.
Choosing a subject that has a particular connection to the person receiving it makes the gift even more personal.
Perhaps it's a penguin for someone who has always loved them, an elephant to mark a new beginning, or a piece of coastal art for someone whose favourite place is beside the sea.
[Explore Limited Edition Fine Art Prints →]
An original artwork: one painting, one owner
And then there are gifts that truly cannot be repeated.
An original Lily Clare painting or drawing exists only once. The washes, pencil marks, texture and tiny variations belong to that individual piece.
There is something rather special about giving someone the only one in existence.
For a milestone Christmas, an important person or simply someone for whom you want to choose something extraordinary, an original artwork becomes a gift they can live with for years to come.
One painting. One owner. Made once, yours for keeps.
A personal gift for someone who loves their pet
For some of us, the animal that matters most isn't wild at all.
A bespoke pet portrait can turn a favourite photograph into a completely personal piece of artwork, created especially for its recipient.
It might celebrate a much-loved companion, capture a particular expression or preserve a memory in a way that feels far more personal than an off-the-shelf present.
Because commissioned artwork takes time to create, it's worth ordering well ahead of Christmas and checking current availability before relying on a portrait for a particular date.
[Discover Pet Portrait Commissions →]
Give something that feels like them
The best Christmas gifts aren't necessarily the biggest or the most expensive.
They're the ones that make someone wonder:
“How did you know I'd love this?”
Perhaps that's why animals make such wonderful inspiration for gifts. They remind us of places, memories and relationships. Sometimes we even recognise a little of ourselves — or someone we know — in their expressions and personalities.
So whether you're shopping for a penguin devotee, a wildlife watcher, a coastal wanderer or someone whose dog is unquestionably the most important member of the family, choose something that feels as though it could only have been for them.
“I saw this and thought of you.”
[Explore Christmas Gifts for Animal Lovers →]
Every Lily Clare purchase also helps support a wildlife charity — a small way for the art inspired by animals to give something back.