Walk into a book lover’s home and you’ll soon find proof of their love for books in the shelves, stacks, and to-be-read piles you see all around you. If they’re a close friend or family member, you’re probably already well acquainted with their bibliophilic tendencies. When birthdays, Christmas, or any other special occasion comes around, you’re usually sorted for a gift: books.
But what if you wanted to give them something a little different? What if you’re unsure of their reading tastes and preferences? Or what if you’ve walked into their home and can’t see the floor for the books anymore? More books are not the answer (although don’t tell a book lover that). Luckily, there are many other options that will warm any bibliophile’s heart.
Bookstore Vouchers
These are a great choice if you really want to buy the bookworm in your life a book but don’t know whether they’ll like what you choose or perhaps own it already.
E-Book Readers
Many a book lover who proclaimed they’d only ever read hard copies were soon convinced otherwise after receiving their first Kindle or Kobo. E-book readers give them a world of books right at their fingertips. These are especially great for bookworms running out of shelf space, as well as for those who travel a lot and need to pack lightly.
E-Book Reader Covers
For those book lovers who’ve already embraced e-book readers, covers are a great idea. They add a layer of protection to their favorite gadget and come in fun and funky colors and patterns that help you customize the gift.
Bookshelves
If the book lover in your life has moved into a new home or started stacking their books in the bathroom, it may be time to buy them a bookshelf. For those whose budgets don’t extend to purchasing a sizable old-school bookshelf, you can improvise and buy a book trolley or basket instead. Better yet: turn the gift into a bonding experience and build a bookshelf together.
Bibliotherapy Sessions
Gifting experiences can be very meaningful and certainly keeps clutter under control (not that books are clutter, mind you). Booking a bibliotherapy session for the avid reader in your life can be both a unique and restorative experience.
Mystery Evenings
Another great experience to gift is an invitation to a mystery evening. If you can’t find one, host your own and invite all your bookish friends – especially those who love crime fiction and detective stories. For the horror fans in your life, visit a haunted house during Halloween time.
Book Bag
Any book lover worth their salt always has a book with them, which means they need something to carry it in. Anything can pass for a book bag (a satchel, a backpack); as long as it can carry a book along with other essentials, it’ll work. Make it even more special by handmaking the bag or finding a bookish bag: something with literary quotes or images will make the perfect bookish bag!
Bookends
If your visit to a book lover’s home is accompanied by the thumping of books falling to the floor, it might be time to invest in a couple of bookends. There are many great varieties available and you can even choose bookends that complement genres or authors because you can bet the book lover in your life has some sort of categorization system for their collection.
Bookmarks
Readers can never have enough bookmarks. From actual bookish ones adorned with favorite characters and famous quotes to wooden, metal, and feathered varieties, there are bookmarks for all kinds of book mavens. This gift is another opportunity to DIY it. Cross-stitch a bookmark, press flowers onto cardboard, or top paperclips with colorful buttons. There’s so much you can do with a few bits and bobs.
Pillows
Cozy reading corners are made even cozier with pillows, so find a big, comfy pillow to place into your book lover’s nook. If you can find a bookish one, even better! Another great option is a pillow with a pocket that keeps their book safely tucked away between readings.
Mugs
Nothing beats a warm cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate to accompany a good book. A bookish mug with a quippy quote like “so many books, so little time” makes for a fun and thoughtful gift. A hot beverage in a beloved, bookish mug is also the perfect way to warm up cold hands when curled up with a good read during icy winter days and even frostier nights.
Posters and Prints
While an abundant display of books might be enough to let anyone know there’s a reader in the house, it’s always fun to extend the theme. Mugs and bookish bags may already be an indication, but for those who want to display their passion even further, posters and prints with a bookish image or phrase make a wonderful decorative addition.
Noise-canceling Headphones
Many bookworms can read through the hustle and bustle of a coffee shop or over the din of incessant traffic. But they love their peace and quiet too; and while it may be easy to block out muffled chatter and background music, it’s not so easy when it’s a neighbor’s lawnmower or shrieking kids they’re trying to ignore. Noise-canceling headphones are the answer for peace and quiet during reading time.
Notebooks
Book lovers are often writers in their own right, which means a notebook makes for another perfect gift. Even if they’re not writers, they may like to jot down memorable quotes or keep track of what they’ve read in a year; or create to-be-read lists, which can grow very long very quickly.
Bookish Food
When it comes to gifts, it’s the thought that counts. Find a little something that speaks to the person’s favorite books. Does the reader in your life love The Chronicles of Narnia? Buy Turkish delight. Obsessed with Winne-the-Pooh? How about some honey? Or a bottle of champagne for a lover of Gatsby? All you need is a little imagination.
Literary Trips
Another opportunity to turn a gift into an experience is taking your favorite bookworm to a destination with literary roots. From the Hobbit Boutique Hotel in Bloemfontein, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in London, to the Che Guevara Museum in Córdoba, and the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, you’ll find literary destinations all over the world. If you can’t find anything close by, invite a bookworm along for a cup of coffee and a detour to a secondhand or independent bookstore (bonus points if the café is in the store). Buy them a book to mark the special occasion, because when it comes to avid readers, bookworms, and bibliophiles, they can never have enough books.
So, there you have it. A whole list of goodies to pick from for the book lover in your life. Best of all, it doesn’t have to break the bank, and it’s sure to bring joy to their hearts. The kind of joy that lasts a lifetime.
This blog post was written by Baileigh Higgins, author of numerous apocalyptic works. You can check out her books on her website at www.baileighhiggins.com, or on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Baileigh-Higgins/e/B01LYMGFUG.
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