The Holiday Gift for People Who Have Everything (2026 Guide)

Consider a hand-painted watercolor and ink portrait for the person on your list who says they don't need anything.

Jul 26, 2026

When Secret Santa Feels Impossible

Oh no! You drew the short straw in the Secret Santa pool this year and now you have to buy a holiday gift for that person who’s impossible to shop for!

The person who says they don’t need anything.

The person who seemingly has it all.

You probably know that feeling of panic. It rolls around like clockwork every year, adding to an already stressful season.

Skip the Wine and the Gift Card

Now you have to rack your brain to think of a unique, thoughtful gift for them.

The usual suspects? A bottle of wine (which will be gone by the weekend) or a gift card (let THEM decide what to buy!). No, no, those won’t do at all.

But if you’re a thoughtful person, you probably want to give a thoughtful gift - not just something impersonal or generic.

That’s where I come in.

A Custom House Portrait, Not Just Another Gift

I paint watercolor and ink portraits of houses, churches, wedding venues, local storefronts, barns, and other buildings that mean something to people.

I paint in a style that’s colorful and whimsical - a little like a storybook. When you look at one of my house portraits, you can see more than just the number of windows or the size of the front porch.

It’s more like looking at a memory, and less like a photograph.

How a Custom Watercolor Portrait Works

If you’ve never commissioned custom art before, you might picture a long process full of back and forth, where you end up playing project manager.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

All I need from you is one good photograph of the structure to use as a reference, and about two weeks later the painting shows up in the mail!

What You’ll Actually Get

Paintings are $175 each and ship free within the US. They arrive unframed, so your person can pick a frame that matches their space.

All of a sudden, the person who thought they didn’t need anything else now has an heirloom-quality memory in watercolor and ink to hang on their wall, reminding them every day of somewhere that mattered to them.

And YOU get credit for thinking of a gift that’s a little outside-the-box. Something they would never have given themselves. And that’s the best kind of gift.

Order By December 1st For Holiday Gift Commissions

My holiday commission schedule fills up quickly, so if you have someone in mind for one of these paintings, I would encourage you to get the ball rolling now. Click the button below to fill out a quick commission request form, or email me at daniel@danielpaintsyourhouse.com.