Literary Gifts for Every Kind of Bibliophile on your List! Part One.

My grandmother insisted on always getting us kids books for Christmas-- even when our lists outlined My Little Ponies and action figures.  It's not that she was trying to disappoint us; it was her signature, her way of giving us something much more lasting.  She's gone now, but the library she helped me build is still growing.
With Christmas right around the corner, we've got you covered: from booklovers to bookworms, from the kid who "hates" reading to the friend who ONLY reads Harlequin romances, we've got the skinny on over 21 positively charming presents, the kind that says "Love from the English Major."

For the Friend who Reads a ton and Doesn't Need your Help with Books:

1. Gift cards to Chapters, BookDepository or better yet, your local used bookstore.
2. Vintage Dictionary Art: it's the perfect combo of bookish yet not a book.  Combine two passions: the love of words and the love... whatever it is they love!

Available on Etsy by AdamsAleArtPrints

3. If he/she already has a sizeable library, why not an embossing kit?  It's a very personal and thoughtful present.  There is a wide variety of price ranges, from stamps to embossers, so that your friend can label each book in their collection.  It’s also handy for your friend who is constantly lending books- and not getting them back.  I found a great customizable one at Acornsales.com.

For your Boyfriend who Needs to Know Books are NOT scary:

Sorry, why are you dating him?  Just kidding.  Surefire wins for your man-child include:

4. Russel Brand's Booky Wook or Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern (if he wants a laugh)

5. Theo Fleury's Playing With Fire or The Game by Ken Dryden (if he's a hockey fanatic)

6. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes complete series of short stories (if he has a short attention span).  Check out the sweet copy I scored for $14 at the used book store!

7. Or try the great Hunter S Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (if he kind of feels like he should maybe hop on that band wagon.  You know what they say... buy the ticket, take the ride.)

For your Friends who just had a Baby:

Wait, will you even be seeing them this Christmas?  I jest.

8. They NEED a copy of Adam Mansbach's Go the F**k to Sleep.  And if you want to class it up for their baby, might I suggest Little Miss Austen's Pride and Prejudice or classier still, a beautiful hardcover of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.  THIS JUST IN: Found at IKEA, adorable stuffed badger wearing blue blazer for only $5.99 would go perfectly with WINTW.  Brain. Explodes. 

Pair with a copy of The Wind in the Willows (5$ paperback at Chapter's) and you just made a great $10 baby gift.

For your Knight in Dork's Clothing:

9. A Tolkien Bestiary by David Day

Dune

Persepolis 

10. A legit Harry Potter wand... WB shop has a sick Death Eater one here.

11. Anything autographed

12. Personalized t-shirt or tote bag.  Last year, I got my sister-in-law a tote that says "Team Darcy" and stuffed it with Austen-y things, like candles, tea-cups and biscuits.  Their favourite quotation would serve nicely.  Come to think of it, anyone who is part of a fandom loves fangear.  So related wall decals, laptop/car decals, fridge magnets, dishwasher magnets, teapots, mittens, blankets, scarves etc. are all winners.  My bro just picked up a Doctor Who teapot for his secret santa.  

13. Anything from OutofPrint or Litographs (be warned: not budget friendly).

For Your Sister who just got a new Apartment:

14. Invisible bookshelf, available from Chapters and IKEA, among others.

15. If they own boring billy bookcases or thrifted bookshelves, pretty wallpaper and spray paint to liven them up.  Also works great if given with a coupon for your services in helping with the DIY project.  PS. if doing this in winter, use a tarp.

Stocking Stuffers for Literally Everyone:

16. Adorable magnetic bookmarks.  These are the ones my guy got me from Indigo, but there's a sweet Youtube tutorial on how to make them here.

17. A plant.  Every reading nook needs some greenery.  Go with succulents that don't require much care.  You can even plant succulents in teacups and other non-draining containers (like mugs and terrariums) because they require so little water.  If your friend is a responsible adult, consider trusting them with a boston fern or philodendron. 

18. A Christmas ornament filled with passages of their favourite books.  $10 on Etsy at NovelAdornment.

19. This reading journal from Amazon.

For your Mom:

20. She's probably the most selfless person on your list, so give the gift of reading to a less fortunate child.  Various charities have “reading” gifts: individual books, entire libraries, or reading kits for teachers.  You can make the donation in the name of your friend. Don’t forget- you can always send books to your foster child too!  They are great for shipping! 

21. Magazine subscriptions are underrated. The great thing about subscriptions is that you can lessen the cost by cutting back on the number of copies they receive, and you can usually find great deals online or from coupons- they usually beat the cover price by 40%.  Go for National Geographic or Gardening Life or Maclean's or something that has to do with her hobbies.  And if she complains that they pile up, tell her to donate her read copies to women's shelters or office spaces.

You can also check out this helpful Buzzfeed article, Gifts for Bookworms.

Well, I'm tapped for now, but expect Part Two early next week!

xoxo

JEM