Gift Ideas for Book Lovers

Hello and welcome to Day 1 of what I am calling my Big December Blog Challenge! If you don’t follow me on instagram (you totally should!) or you didn’t see yesterday’s blog post then you won’t have a clue what I am talking about. I have challenged myself and a few of my other blog friends to upload a blog post everyday in the month of December – like our own little Blogmas! So, to kick off this epic challenge, I am bringing you the ultimate gift guide for book lovers. I wanted this specific blog post to feature quite early in the month to give you plenty of time to shop for whatever occasion you celebrate, whether that be christmas or you just want to treat someone as a random act of kindness. In my opinion, bookworms are the easiest people to buy for because we would be ecstatic about the simplest second hand book but if you want to treat the bibliophile in your life this holiday season, then you are in the right place!

1. A book… obviously!

This may seem like the most obvious suggestion but there are so many ways to make this traditional gift extra special. Of course you could order any old book from their wishlist on Amazon but if you are looking to shop locally and sustainably to support independent business and book stores, keep an eye out for tomorrow’s blog post as I will be talking all places to shop for books to boycott Amazon this christmas! Try to be very specific with the book you chose for them, if you find out their favourite genre or author they will appreciate that a lot. Additionally, you could gift them one of your favourite, pre-loved books right from your bookshelf (that is, if you are ready to part with it)! This adds such a personal and special touch to a seemingly ordinary gift.

2. Bookmarks

A reader truly cannot have enough bookmarks! I love The Literary Gift Company for their bookmarks because they have such a unique selection – you can find them here. I would also suggest checking out your local bookstore as they normally have really cute bookish accessories like bookmarks. A huge goal of mine with this Big December Blog Challenge is to shout out my amazing friends over on bookstagram, lots of whom have their own creative small businesses. For lovely bookmarks I would highly recommend you check out Carrie @athomewiththefoxes on instagram who makes super cute seasonal bookmarks – if you are quick you might be able to snatch up some of her Christmas themed ones. Also, Molly @mollysbookclub has just launched some gorgeous book marks which sold out so fast and will hopefully be releasing more very soon. For a more personal touch, @bitsforbooks makes lovely personalised bookmarks (along with lots more!) and sells them on her etsy! Or, if you are feeling crafty, why not make your own? All you need is some card, pens and creativity!

3. A book sleeve or kindle cover

I can confirm that almost every book lover never leaves the house without some form of book, whether that be physical or electronic. A book sleeve or kindle cover would be perfect for anyone who is busy and constantly on the go, to protect their books from getting worn and torn. Chloe who runs @_lilyandco over on instagram has been recommended to me time and time again for her super cute yet practical book and kindle sleeves. Check out her creations here! Alongside Chloe, there are loads of other talented book sleeve makers on etsy, just one search will bring up hundreds of possible companies. So, definitely head over to etsy as it really is your one-stop-shop!

4. A reading journal and accessories

One thing bookworms love more then reading, is tracking their reading and talking about books – that’s why most of us make book blogs or book instagrams! A reading journal is essentially a place for readers to document the books they have read and what they thought of them. You can get loads of pre-made reading journals from The Literary Gift Company (can you tell I love this website?) which are filled with cute illustrations, tables and trackers. Alternatively, a blank notebook is perfect for the creatives who want to make their reading journal their own by making personalised spreads. For this I would recommend either a simple Moleskine dotted bullet journal or the Leuchtturm dotted bullet journal as these have been tried and tested by journalers. They come in all shapes and sizes and range from £19-25. Along with a journal, they will need something to use in the journal. The Zebra Midliner highlighter pens come in packs of five with a selection of cute pastel colours. These are also a favourite among the journaling community and you can purchase them here starting at £8.50.

5. A book cart/trolley

These are perfect for the readers with overflowing bookshelves! Although these super cute 3 tiered trolleys where definitely not made with the function of holding books, they are currently all the rage in the book community. All priced between £30-40, IKEA, Argos, Dunelm and Hobby Craft offer their own versions in lots of colours!

6. A book subscription box

I think this would be the perfect gift for book lovers as subscription boxes not only include a brand new book but also lots of little goodies to go along with it. Plus, you can totally control how much you spend; you could purchase one monthly box for the gift receiver to try out or you could splurge and buy a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription! I would recommend Books That Matter who are a company that celebrates female authors by curating boxes surrounding a specific theme to enlighten, educate and empower. A monthly box will cost you only £17! Similarly, the She Made It company pride themselves in being an inclusive feminist book subscription – you can order their boxes starting from £20 from their etsy page, along with some other goodies! Finally, if you want to focus on the books, A Box Of Mysteries curate boxes of 4 mystery books form lost of different genres, starting from £14.99. Book subscription boxes are a great way to explore new genres and discover new authors outside a reader’s comfort zone!

7. Bookends

This is a lovely gift which you can personalise as much as you want while still being book related. Any book lover will appreciate this gift a lot as our books are not only contained in our bookshelves but all over our houses. Not On The High Street is the perfect place to look for unique and personalised bookends, as well as supporting independent businesses – who wouldn’t love that?!

8. A book light

There are so many situations where you might need a book light so these are a must for every bookworm! Whether you take a book camping, are travelling via public transport after sundown or if you just want to read in bed without disturbing your partner once they have went to sleep, there are so many uses for book lights. I personally love the book lights that you can clip onto your books, I got mine here for only £6.99. Since they come in lots of colours and they are relatively inexpensive these are the perfect stocking fillers or secret santa gifts.

9. A book bucket list scratch off poster

When I asked my friends for suggestions of what they would like to receive as book lovers, this one came up a lot! It is a lovely, novel gift that inspires and motivates readers to expand their reading list. You can get these many places online but I would recommend Not On The High Street, again for an affordable gift coming in at only £12.99 while also shopping sustainably and independently!

10. A personalised book stamp

Finally, to round off this gift guide for book lovers, a personalised book stamp is perfect to fulfil all readers’ dreams of living in a library. These are such a special gift to allow readers to mark books and create their own collection. After spending too much time looking through all the beautiful designs and prints I have decided my favourite is this one which I found on etsy starting from only £14.20 which has many ink colour options! I would recommend you check out both Esty and Not On The High Street to find the perfect design for your book lover.

I hope this was helpful and you found some gift giving inspiration. If you are a book lover, feel free to send this to your family and friends if they don’t know what to gift you this holiday season. If I had to only recommend three websites to you, not only for book related gifts but for everything, they would be Etsy, Not On The High Street and The Literary Gift Company – they are brilliant! Can you think of anything else you would like to add to this ultimate gift guide for book lovers?

Thank you for reading and supporting this blog post and my Big December Blog Challenge! – Ro x