the ultimate gift guide for readers
what to buy the readers in your life this christmas
Besides books, trying to decide what to gift the readers in your life can be quite difficult. When you research ‘gift ideas for readers/book lovers’, you’re often met with garish or cheesy options that no one would ever actually want (I’m thinking of those horrible bookish iPod cases, reminiscent of these, that I was often gifted as a child and had to pretend to like, just because people knew I liked books and ran with it).
With this guide, I’ve put together a small list of items you could gift this year, which includes a mix of clothing, stationery, reading accessories, homeware, and special book editions. Treat this as a jumping-off point rather than a definitive list; there are plenty of alternatives at different price points, but these are just a few ideas to get you started (which you hopefully still have time to buy!).
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES
‘Written by Sally Rooney’ baby tee and ‘Show Me Your B00ks) baby tee - It can be hard to find good bookish clothing, but I would actually wear these baby tees (Dua Lipa has also famously worn the ‘show me your b00ks’ tee). girlgangshop has a lot of cute book-related stuff, and just cute stuff in general - I might have to buy myself a gift from there.
Tote bags - you really can’t go wrong with a tote bag. I personally love the Fitzcarraldo one, the Daunt Books ones, the Faber ones, and of course the iconic Shakespeare and Company tote. Or a tote bag from your local independent bookshop!
Slogan Hats/Caps - Etsy is the perfect place for any embroidered/slogan hats, like this ‘Hot Girls Read Books’ one. girlgangshop (mentioned above) also have some good hats. Womb House Books have some hats for a range of authors. You could also get a custom hat with your desired author/phrase.
Socks - every reader needs some cosy socks to wear while curled up with their book. For The Introverts have a range of book related clothes, but I love these Book Girlie/Mood Reader socks. These Orion Carloto Well Read socks are also very cute.
Pins - I have and love both this The Orange: Pin Badge and this The Bell Jar: Fig Pin Badge, which would be ideal to pair with a tote bag. You can also find a lot of bookish pins / badges on Etsy.
STATIONERY
Papier Nose In A Book Reading Journal - I would simply buy all of the Papier reading journals if I could and if I happened to need 60 reading journals. Sweet Hearts Press also do some great ones, like this Lit Fic Queen one (they’re based in Australia but you can also buy them on Amazon). Previously I’ve also used this reading journal from Martha Brook which is great.
Fine Art Bookmarks - if the reader you’re buying for is also an art lover, then these fine art / modern art bookmarks are perfect. I was gifted a set of oil painting bookmarks last year which are beautiful, and also great for expanding your art knowledge.
Book Lovers Colouring Book & Puzzles - colouring books and puzzles are great for people who listen to audiobooks. You can buy loads of bookish colouring books on Amazon like this one (along with colouring pens/pencils). I’ve been trying to find colouring books from independent businesses, so I’ll update this post if I find any. The Literary Gift Company have some great bookish puzzles - I particularly like this Classic Paperbacks one, and this The World of Jane Austen one.
Annotating tabs/highlighters - a very easy gift idea if the reader in your life likes to annotate their books. You can get tabs/highlighters from most supermarkets and stationery shops, but I love these from Papier, or if you want to make it a slightly bigger present you can get an annotation kit. I used to annotate/highlight a lot when I was in university, so would recommend these Zebra Mildliner markers.
E-READER & ACCESSORIES
E-reader - if the reader in your life doesn’t already own an e-reader (or is using an older model), this makes the perfect gift. I’ve always had Kindles (I currently have the Kindle Paperwhite Signature), but I’ve seen a lot of people switching to Kobos recently and they look great, especially the Kobo Libra Colour.
E-reader cases & accessories - obviously if you get an e-reader, you need to get a cute case and pouch to go with it. BURGA is my go-to for Kindle cases, and Case Society Co and Cooland have great Kobo options. You can also find e-reader/tablet pouches on Skinnydip and handmade ones from Moon Nude. Popsockets and phone grips are also really great for e-readers, which you can buy from just about anywhere - I love the Coconut Lane ones.
Reading light - I wouldn’t be able to read as much as I do if it wasn’t for my reading light. I was gifted this rechargeable light a few years ago and I still use it every day.
HOMEWARE & MISC
Candles - everyone loves a good candle, especially readers. You can get a range of library/bookshop/book scented candles, or candles in the shape of books, like these.
Slippers - being cosy is the ultimate priority when reading, especially during the winter. I’ve always loved Ugg slippers, but you can get dupes or just more affordable options in most other clothing/shoe shops.
Book trolley - I’ve wanted a wheeled trolley for a while so I can finally make a TBR cart. This is also a great gift idea for someone who doesn’t have a lot of space to store books. Bookends which fit your recipient’s home aesthetic would also work well for this.
Skincare/bath products - more of a general gift idea, but it adheres to the cosy theme. I recently bought and have been loving the L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, so would definitely recommend that for the colder months.
Hot chocolate/tea - again, this is an easy and obvious gift idea for any reader who likes a hot mug of something while they read. I love the Whittard Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate and the Lindt Hot Chocolate.
Bookshop gift cards - if buying a book for the reader in your life is too much pressure, you can’t go wrong with a bookshop gift card.
SPECIAL BOOK EDITIONS
When all else fails, buy them a book! But if you want to elevate your gift a bit, here are some special book editions:
Boy Parts - Eliza Clark (Indie & Website Exclusive) - you can also buy special editions of Penance and She’s Always Hungry.
The Joan Didion Collection (3 volume boxed set) and I Write to Find Out What I am Thinking: Collected Nonfiction
Faber Members Exclusive Editions (including Sally Rooney’s Normal People & Conversations With Friends)
Everything I Know About Love (Special Edition) - Dolly Alderton
I have wanted a show me your b00ks shirt for so long and I think this is my sign to just buy one already
Any recommendations of notebooks specifically made to track books?