Bookish Gift ideas for the Holidays

Looking for the perfect gift for that special book lover in your life? Here are a few ideas.

1. A Book Subscription. For those who want to go all out and spoil their special someone, a book subscription is a great way to go. Here are a few options:
   1. Indiespensables: Powell’s subscription service. It is awesome for the literary fiction fan. You get one first edition, signed novel plus a few extra items (coffee, snacks) and sometimes other books. They are waitlist only and it took me about a month to go from waitlist to subscription list. So, sign up now. Cost is approximately $40 per shipment and it ships every 6-8 weeks.
   2. Just the Right Book: Personalized book subscription service. You answer a bunch of questions about your literary tastes and they pick the perfect book for you (or teens or kids). You also get to pick frequency (montly, bi-monthly or quarterly). Cost: $90-$400 for year long subscription.
   3. Book Riot box: These boxes ship out every three months and contain two books and a variety of bookish items. I personally haven’t loved the Book Riot boxes, as I think they are best for young adult and college-age readers who love books but don’t necessarily read a ton. The past two boxes I received contained books that have been out for a while so avid readers run the risk of already owning the book. Plus some of the bookish items (pennants, posters, etc) work best for hanging in college dorms. Cost: $50 per box. Options include regular box & young adult box.
2. Literary cookbook: For those that like to read and cook/bake there are several books that combine recipes and fiction. One such book, A Literary Feast: Recipes Inspired by Novels, Poems and Plays features recipes for some of our most beloved literature. Each recipe comes with a quote or passage from a famous book or poem. Cost: $9-$14, depending on which vendor you use.
3. Literary candles: I love candles and Paddy Wax Candles collection features a variety of very nice soy wax candles with a literary twist. They have fragrances and each one comes with a famous literary quote, gift box with author photo and bio. They have quite a few options to choose from, including Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Leo Tolstoy, Mark Twain, and more. Cost: $20-$25. Find them here: Paddywax Candles Library Collection Charles Dickens Soy Wax Candle, 6.5-Ounce (Tangerine Juniper and Clove)
4. Litographs: This is a company that sells posters, T-shirts, and tote bags. What is cool about their products is that they use the text from books as the foundation of their designs. They basically convert your favorite book into a wearable item. They have over 100 titles and you can pick your color and style. Their T-shirts are about $35, posters about $25, and the totes $30. You can browse their products here. Items are 15-50% off today for Black Friday.
5. Audible Subscription: We’ve mentioned book boxes already, but we also think Audible subscriptions are great. I commute an hour each way to work and I go though a lot of audios.
6. Bookish phone cases: I’ve been eyeing some of these cases for a few months and perhaps the main reason why I still don’t have a case for my phone is because I can’t decide which one I want. Here are a few options: Library card, books, Jane Austen Case. Friends and family who read this – feel free to buy me one:) We’ve also included a wider selection in our Amazon Associate’s store.
7. Jewelry & Accessories. There’s a wide range of options and quality to choose from. We’ve added a bunch to our store for you to check out. Here are some of my favorite selections: Pride & Prejudice – Real Page Fragement Earrings; Vintage Book Pendant & Earring Set; Book in A Bottle Necklace.
8. Want to splurge? How about buying that special someone a little free library kit? I love Little Free Libraries and the site has a range of prices starting at $150 and into the thousands for some original artwork. Several holiday specials (including the $149 version) are available that include an already-built little library, $200 worth of books for all ages, and one copy of “Because It’s Small: The Little Free Library DVD. These are great as gifts because they also help to promote community interaction and reading. You can visit their website for the full inventory.
9. Literary Stocking Stuffers: There are all kinds of bookish items that would work for stocking stuffers, including: 1) Accoutrements Shakespearean Insult Bandages, 2) bookmarks, 3) Literary Paper Dolls, 4) Jane Austen Tattoos. You can find more ideas in our store (see link below).
10. Books: This is a tough one because you have to know your gift recipients’ tastes and personal library very well. I am going to make one recommendation for a fun-looking book that I received at Book Riot Live: Bats of the Republic: An Illuminated Novel (I haven’t read it yet, so check out this review first). I think this book will make a great present for book lovers because it is beautiful and unlike anything I’ve seen before. This book is jam-packed with artwork and items that make it interactive and unique reading experience.

Looking for more ideas? We have created a holiday gift section in our Amazon store with a few products that we think are cute (and get high ratings). You can check that out here. Also, check out Susan’s blog: Susan Who Reads. She has featured a bunch of fun ideas too. Here’s the link.