Every December we get the same heartbroken email: “I ordered a custom figurine on December 15 — is there any way it can arrive by Christmas?” And every year, the honest answer is no. Handmade takes time. Here is the calendar that keeps that email from being yours.
This page is the logistics guide: the real production and shipping windows for every product line we make, and the last safe order dates for Christmas 2026. For the gifts themselves — 20+ ideas by budget and recipient — see our full pet memorial Christmas gift guide.
The short version: 2026 order-by dates
Every custom piece is made to order from your photographs, which is what makes it personal — and why the calendar matters. These dates are calculated from each product line’s published production and delivery windows, with buffer for December carrier slowdown:
| Product | Production | US delivery | Last safe order date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass painting (wood or copper frame) | 2–4 weeks | 7–15 days | November 11 |
| Clay figurine / head bust | 2–4 weeks | 7–15 days | Mid-November |
| Printed keepsakes (mugs, bookmarks, ID tags) | No sculpting time — faster turnaround | 7–15 days | End of November |
| Memorial urns | Stock varies by size | 7–15 days | End of November |
Orders over $99 ship free within the United States. If a product page lists a different turnaround, the product page is authoritative.
Why handmade can’t be rushed in December
A printed mug is made in an afternoon. A figurine is not — and that’s the point.
Your custom figurine ($129) is sculpted by hand, one piece at a time, from your photographs. Our behind-the-scenes guide walks through the whole process, but the part that affects your calendar is step three: before the piece is sealed and finished, we send you progress photos and wait for your approval. If a reply takes four days, the schedule takes four days. That approval step is worth protecting — it’s how you get to say “his ears aren’t quite right yet” while it still costs nothing to fix.
Glass paintings run the longest window: each one is painted on the back of the glass, in reverse, which our glass portrait guide explains. It’s also the piece with the earliest Christmas cutoff — November 11.
Ordering early: what you actually get
- Buffer for the approval step — time to review progress photos without stress, and request a tweak if you want one.
- Buffer for December carriers — the same 7–15 day window that’s routine in October becomes a coin flip in the third week of December.
- Better choice of size — popular options sometimes waitlist in December. Early orders get first pick.
- A calmer gift — a piece that arrives in early December can be wrapped, placed, and planned for, instead of chased.
If you’re already past the deadline
Don’t skip the gift — reschedule it. A keepsake that arrives in January with a note (“his present needed extra care, and I wanted it right”) often means more than something squeezed into December. Printed keepsakes — keychains ($11.99) and bookmarks ($9.99) — turn around faster than sculpted work and can bridge the gap, with the main piece following later.
How ordering works (all custom pieces)
- You place your order and upload your favorite photographs — clear, eye-level shots work best; old photos are usually fine.
- Our artists make the piece by hand.
- For sculpted and painted work, you receive progress photos and approve before finishing.
- The piece is sealed (non-toxic matte finish), wrapped in protective packaging, and shipped — with a certificate of authenticity included on clay pieces.
Choosing between options? Our 2026 pricing guide breaks down every price tier from $9.99 to $199, and the urn size guide covers capacity if you’re shopping for a memorial urn.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay extra to expedite a sculpted piece?
Honestly: no. Hand-sculpting can’t be compressed without cutting the step that protects you — the progress-photo approval. The dependable path is ordering inside the windows above.
Do these deadlines apply outside the United States?
The 7–15 day delivery window quoted is for US addresses. International delivery takes longer — contact us before ordering and we’ll give you an honest estimate for your country and date.
What if I miss even the printed-keepsake deadline?
Order anyway and include a printed card with the gift: a photo of what’s coming, with the real piece to follow in January. It turns a missed deadline into a two-part present.
When do orders close for the holidays exactly?
The table above is the reliable guide: glass by November 11, clay by mid-November, printed keepsakes and urns by the end of November. Each product page carries the current turnaround for that item.
Order early, and the piece arrives with room to breathe — wrapped, placed under the tree, ready for the moment it’s opened. Start from the keepsakes collection, or browse 20+ Christmas gift ideas and our guide to coping with pet loss if the season feels heavy this year.
A note from our studio
We are a small studio, and everything here is made to order — from a hand-sculpted clay portrait to a printed keepsake that carries a single photograph. Nothing on this site is stock waiting in a warehouse. That is why a piece takes two to four weeks instead of two days.
It also means we are the ones who open the emails. If you write to us about a pet you lost, you are not reaching a support queue — you are reaching the people who will be holding the work in their hands.
And if you have a story you would like to tell, whether or not you ever order anything, there is a place for it here: Share your story. We read every one ourselves, and nothing is published without your permission.
If you are reading this in the first hard weeks: we are sorry. Take the time you need.
— Fingking Studio