Our countdown to the holidays continues! Last week I shared 10 Non-Lame Gifts for your Guy and this week we’re talking about gifts for the book lover in your life.
This can be a tricky crowd because no two book lovers are exactly alike. However as a serious book addict myself, I can tell you that these are six gifts any avid reader would love to unwrap.
Books seem the obvious choice (and there are of course a few included on this list) although sometimes it’s difficult to choose a book for someone else and it can be fun to break out of that box. But then you have to actually come up with another good idea…lucky for you, I’m here to help.
So here you are, six fun gift ideas for book lovers!
1. A Book Stamp
I received a book stamp a few years ago and cannot adequately describe the pure glee I felt stamping all of my books the next day. There’s just something so fun about marking all the books in your library as your own. This is a perfect gift for any book lover who takes pride in their growing library.
The best place I’ve found for book stamps is Etsy. There are a ton of different ones to choose from and most are very reasonably priced! This is the one I have and I’m still completely in love with it.
3. A First Edition
For this one, you’ll have to know one of your book lover’s favorite books. Maybe it’s their favorite childhood book or something from their favorite author – there’s just always something exciting about finding (and owning) a first edition of an older book.
Depending on the book and author, first editions can be tricky to hunt down and costly when you do but it’ll be a truly special gift that shows you really know the recipient and will clearly be a gift you put extra work into finding.
2. Your Favorite Book
Have you ever heard of Jólabókaflóð?
It’s pronounced “yo-la-bok-a-flot” (try saying that ten times fast) and is a wonderful Icelandic tradition where people are given books at presents on Christmas Eve and then spend the whole night reading them. Sounds magical right? I should move to Iceland.
Anyways, last year my friend (a fellow book addict) and I decided to adopt this tradition and so now instead of other gifts, we give each other a new book for the holidays. We have similar taste and so I usually opt for my favorite book of the year, a book that got 5 stars in my book-book and that I can’t wait to tell everyone about.
If you’re giving a gift to a book lover and you happen to be one too, sharing your most recent favorite read is a fun way to give a gift that you’re passionate about and one you can’t wait for them to open. Plus, once they’ve read it you have an excuse to meet up and spend hours talking about how fabulous it was!
4. Bibliophile Holiday Paraphernalia
This is the perfect type of gift for any reader who is into fandom items. For example, does your book lover dress up in Hogwarts robes on Halloween and own at least one wand from the movies? If so, there’s a good chance they would love anything Harry Potter related to the holidays.
And this could be anything really! For those who celebrate Christmas, an ornament related to their favorite series would be a fun addition to any tree.
Even if it isn’t specifically related to the holiday you celebrate, just something winter friendly is always fun. You can never go wrong with a new mug (like this adorable Hedwig mug), a warm scarf (like this Alice in Wonderland literary scarf), fun socks (have you seen the Harry Potter 12 Days of Christmas socks box??), or a cozy blanket.
If anyone knows where to find a Harry Potter menorah, let me know.
5. Art
Similar to my suggestion above, if your book lover has a specific book or series they’re mad for, it’s likely they wouldn’t mind having some cool related art. I feel like art is also something people don’t always buy for themselves, so it makes for a unique and fun gift idea.
If you’re not sure what to choose, illustrated quotes are always a safe bet. I gave this Harry Potter one as a gift last year and also really like this Sherlock Holmes one and these Jane Austen ones.
For my fellow Potterheads, anything from MinaLima (the graphic design company who did all the work for the Harry Potter movies and the new Fantastic Beasts movies) is a must. This print of Ron’s howler is brilliant, and I love this set of Hogwarts book covers magnets. One day I’ll have a huge library with walls full of MinaLima prints and never ever leave it.
6. Uniquely Scented Candles
It is truth universally acknowledged, that a book lover in possession of a great new novel, must be in want of a candle.
Ok, maybe not every single book lover but definitely all the ones I know.
Having one (or 20) candles lit while you’re enjoying a good book just creates the perfect, coziest reading space. So what better gift than one that combines deliciously smelling candles with books?
This could be a candle scented simply to elicit the delicious smell of books (like this one that I’m dying to try) or one with a scent from a favorite story.
I’ve had the most luck with Etsy for these kinds of fandom candles but I’m sure you can find some elsewhere too! The ones at the top of my list to try are Christmas at The Burrow, unicorn blood, Edgar Allen Poe Library, and 221B Baker Street.
Hopefully you found the perfect gift for your book lover and can cross one more person off your holiday gift list! Gift guides for travelers and BFFs coming up next.
Happy shopping!
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