Gifts for Book Lovers
Call us book nerds, book worms, or book dragons. Call us what you wish, but don't expect us to respond until we finish the paragraph/page/chapter/book. Book lovers tend to take their reading seriously. We get cranky when we don't get uninterrupted time to read. Some of us have rituals for our reading time, many of us just grab what ever time we can, when ever we can. We have favourite places to read. We have favourite snacks and beverages. Some long-time book lovers are finding it difficult to read the way they once did, due to problems with vision becoming an issue (there is something very sad about a book dragon with declining vision!). Some have found that certain life changes mean that they don't have the time they once had to read.
With
all the books in the world, you would think it would be easy to choose a
gift for a book lover - but that is not necessarily the case. My own
husband will not buy me books. He does not know what I have on my TBR,
he does not know what I have ordered, and to be honest, he wouldn't
know what authors or books I would really like - My favorite author is not
even on my automatic buy list because he writes in several genres, some
of which I do not generally read.
The
good news is, that regardless of your budget, and regardless of the
challenges your book nerd/worm/dragon may face, there are great gift
ideas in a wide range of prices.
Book light
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Come in USB rechargeable, AAA battery, and medical/watch type disc batteries.
- Some models have color choices.
Cons:
- May cause the recipient to read far too late into the night
Bookmarks:
Pros:
- Most are quite inexpensive
- Comes in a wide variety of materials - paper, fabric, leather, metals etc.with or without additional adornments such as beads, tassels, etc.
- Comes in a wide variety of themes, patterns, colors - easy to match to different interests and personalities.
- Many - particularly the paper variety, are light enough to include in a card or letter.
Cons:
- Really, I don't know of any potential problems with this one. Most book lovers are happy to have several of these around.
E-reader
Tread
carefully here! Not all book lovers like e-books. There are also pros
and cons to the specific brands as well; For example - In Canada you
cannot borrow e-books from your local library with a Kindle, but you
might be able to with a Kobo by using a PC to download and transfer the
titles. Before going this route, make sure you check compatibility with
the recipients favored book source.
Pros:
- Allows recipient to carry unlimited reading material without excessive bulk or weight making it a great choice for frequent travellers.
- Good choice for people with vision issues - most e-readers have adjustable fonts. No more hunting for large print editions!
- Good for people with mobility issues - delivery directly to device via Wi-Fi.
- Some models have built in back light making their use easy in all lighting situations.
- E-readers usually have an "e-ink" display that is much easier on the eyes than reading off from a tablet or iPad, and have none of the glare associated with them either.
Cons:
- Lack the smell associated with ink & paper
- Does not look as impressive as a well stocked book-shelf
- Lack of colorful cover-art for books
- Dropping a book is not a big deal, dropping an e-reader has the potential for irreparable damage (Which is why I always have my electronics in a protective case! I have my kindle in its protective case a few times without any damage at all).
**
If you know someone who already has an e-reader you can also get them a
fun or attractive protective case for their device. Just make sure you
know the make/model to ensure proper fit.
Miscellaneous Bookish Merch:
If you know your book lover's
favorite books or authors you can find a wide variety of bookish merchandise
like clothing, kitchen & bar accessories, jewellery, games, key chains,
etc. Just type in something like "Author" merchandise" or
"Title" merchandise" and let Google point you in the
right direction for hundreds of ideas and retailers!
Pros:
Cons:
- Often more expensive than buying the same item without a bookish theme - but what fun would that be anyways?
Gift Cards
Pros:
- You know the recipient will get something they really do like
- Available from as little as $10 and no real upper amount - Good for any budget!
- Quick and easy to pick up without spending hours searching for a specific item
- Lightweight - easy to include in letter or card
- E-gift card options often available - order online and recipient can get it the same day!
- easy to tuck keep in a pocket or purse until you see the person it is intended for.
- Also good for Audiobooks which makes them ideal for people with limited reading time - listen while driving, cooking, cleaning, etc.
- Audiobook option is also good for people who are visually impaired - just make sure they have a suitable device (smartphone, tablet or computer with speakers) to play the audiobook on.
Cons:
- By itself, really kind of boring.
- Easy to misplace
This
brings us to one of my favorite gift categories!
DIY Gift Baskets etc.
Consider
combining some of these items with each other and/or other items to make an
attractive and thoughtful gift presentation! The only limits here are
imagination! Need some ideas? How about:
- A bookmark, gift card, and some tea/coffee/cocoa mix in a mug (bookstores often have bookish mugs, but even a cute holiday themed mug from a bargain store will work well too) wrapped in cellophane and a pretty ribbon.
- A pretty basket containing a bottle of wine, a fun decorated stemless wine glass, a tiny box of fancy chocolates/truffles and a gift card from a favorite bookseller
- An Audible gift card, some bath salts/bubble bath/bath bombs, a candle and a waterproof Bluetooth speaker.
- A cookbook, a holiday themed tea towel/pot-holders and a whisk or wooden spoon all tied together with pretty ribbon.
- I hope that if you have read this post you have found some ideas that work for you and the book lover in your life!
Happy
Shopping!
Christine
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