Gift Guide: Gifts For Readers

Do you have a book-obsessed person in your life that you want to find the perfect gift for? While a book may seem like the obvious choice, it can be difficult to know exactly which book to give them since they probably already own it, and it’s sitting in a pile with 100 other books they will get to “some day”. That is why I have put together this list of other things you can get your reader beyond the latest book from their favourite author. Below are twelve reader-themed gifts, one for each day of Christmas.

1.    Bookmarks

Avid readers like me will use whatever is available to mark their place in a book, but I always prefer to use a real bookmark when I can. Anywhere that sells books will likely have bookmarks available, but you can also find plenty of interesting ones on Etsy to order, and you can even make your own bookmarks. Most of my friends are readers, so for my wedding, I used a pattern from an Etsy store and made my own bookmarks as wedding favours. There are a wide variety of options available, but here is a list of some really interesting bookmarks.

 

2.    Literary socks

The classic image of a reader is someone all cuddled up nice and cozy, perhaps with a cat, with their nose buried in a book. One thing that can distract me from my latest literary adventure is cold feet. This can be solved with a nice pair of socks, but instead of plain ones, why not buy your reader literary themed ones? Sockologie has a whole section of art and literature themed socks. You can also find more book themed socks at Out of Print.

 

3.    Comfy clothing

I also like wearing comfortable clothes when reading. You can always buy your reader pajamas, sweaters, or blankets to wrap up in. Readers love being surrounded by their favourite books and Litographs lets them put words from over 300 books on items such as blankets, hoodies, and pillows. Your reader will love snuggling up to read while wrapped up in a blanket covered in words from their favourite story. I, personally, have an excerpt from Homer’s Odyssey on a blanket that my husband gave me one year.

 

 

 

4.    Hot Drinks

When I curl up to read a book, I love having a hot drink by my side. I love taking sips between pages of either fresh coffee or a new kind of tea. Here are three places that offer literary themed teas and coffees perfect for the caffeine-addicted reader in your life:

Novelteas – Selling book-themed tea tins such as Wizard of Oz and Cup of Cthulhu, Pekoe Pan, and others.

Coffin Creek Coffee Co. – These guys are local to me here in Ontario under the name “Deadly Grounds”, but you can order their coffee online from anywhere. All of their coffees are horror-themed with fun names like Ship Wrecked, Bounty Hunter, and Toxic Toffee.

Novel Grounds – In contrast to the horror coffee, the coffee from Novel Grounds is more romance themed with flavours such as Steeped in Angst and Caffeine Kink.

 

5.    Literary Mugs

The best way to enjoy literary themed coffee or tea is in a literary mug. The Unemployed Philospher offers several literature themed mugs, including one with Shakespearean insults and another with famous first lines in literature. There are several shops on Etsy that have reading related mugs, including BookishlyUK, which has 47 different mugs. If you prefer to not shop online, you can also visit your local bookstore and see what they have on offer.

6.    Writing-themed Puzzles

Sometimes I need a break from reading, particularly after finishing a book that really moved me or left me in tears. While recovering from literary devastation, I turn to other hobbies. Litographs, mentioned above, will also take their book excerpts and put them onto puzzles. As well, The Puzzle Nerds have a literary section full of many book related puzzles.

 

7.    Headphones for Audiobooks

When I do puzzles or other crafts, I often like to listen to audiobooks. I often just use my wireless earbuds, but sometimes those can be irritating. Full headphone sets can be more comfortable, as well as coming in a variety of fun colours and offering features like noise-cancelling. I suggest you set a budget and head to a tech store to see what the best options are.

8.    Book-themed Video Games

Another hobby of mine is video games. There are plenty of reading-related video games out there. One I am currently enjoying is The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales, about a writer who travels into books to extract items from the text. If your reader is interested in Greek mythology, then Hades and its sequel, Hades 2 (still in early access) are amazing games. There is also an entire series of Agatha Christie games available. Any major book franchise is likely to have a related video game, so find out your reader’s favourite series and see what’s out there.

9.    Book Storage

Despite the rise of e-books and audiobooks, print books are still as popular as ever. That means your reader will need somewhere to store their books. A classic bookshelf is always useful, but space can be limited. Here are some interesting ways for your reader to store/display their book collection:

Floating Shelves – I have a set of these. They mount on your wall and use one of your books as the bottom of the shelf, which makes it look like your books are “floating” without any shelves under them.

Book Trees – These are uniquely shaped shelves that store a small number of books in unusual ways. They are perfect for beside a bed or to fill an empty corner.

 

10.                       Short Story Magazine Subscriptions

Your reader may enjoy reading more than just novels. Short story magazine subscriptions make excellent gifts, introduce your reader to a whole new set of authors, and are a great way to support indie presses. Some examples include:

Clarkesworld – a science-fiction magazine full of amazing stories;

Apex Magazine – an online zine of “fantastical fiction”;

The Dark – perfect for the horror-lovers in your life; and

Uncanny – a magazine of science fiction and fantasy.

 

11.                       Book Subscription Boxes

Magazines aren’t the only subscriptions you can get for your reader. Some places offer book subscription boxes. They will send a selection of books and other items to your reader throughout a year. Eerie River Publishing offers a delivery of a book of your choice and extra items such as bath bombs, treats, drinks, and more. The Forge Post from Horrorsmith Publishing is a murder mystery subscription that comes with 24 mailed investigation envelopes, riddles, podcast segments, and more that will immerse your reader in a mystery they must solve.

 

12.                       Comfy Reading Chair

My last gift is a bigger one, but your reader needs the perfect place to do their reading. While they can lie down in bed with a book, or perch on a sofa, I believe the best spot for reading is a comfortable armchair reserved for just that purpose. If you have the means, and your reader has the room, this can be a perfect gift for them. They will think of you every time they crack open a new book and settle into their favourite chair.

13.                       Bonus

Don’t forget, you can also buy your favorite reader all of the Trembling With Fear books! I hear those fine Trembling With Fear folks which may or may not be a part of us happen to do a great job…