Looking for inspiration for bookish gifts for the reader on your Christmas shopping lists? Avid readers can be hard to buy for unless you know what they have already read, are currently reading or have bought to be read at a future date so sometimes a bookish gift that they would enjoy but might not purchase for themselves is the best idea.
These are some of my favourite book related items to gift your bookish friends and family (or to treat yourself!) this holiday season. I have included a few splurges but most are affordable gift ideas that run the gamut from practical to pretty.
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1. Book-Themed Puzzles
I love to puzzle almost as much as I love reading – and I don’t think I’m the only reader who feels that way! There are many options available whether they be images of book shops (like this puzzle from Shakespeare and Company in Paris) or literary characters but I love the Laurence King puzzle series “The World of…” which are available on Amazon and which I have also found in local stores.
I have The World of Jane Austen, The World of Charles Dickens, The World of Bridgerton, The World of Shakespeare and The World of the Brontes and there are several others that look like so much fun including The World of Great Gatsby and The World of Agatha Christie. There’s also an information sheet included that explains each of the images in the puzzle which provides a lot of fun facts to read after completing the puzzle.
The same company also has A Book Lover’s Christmas puzzle which includes Christmas scenes from various literary works including Little Women and A Christmas Carol.
Generally under $25 USD
2. Carley Fortune Merch
If you have a reader of romance on your shopping list then there’s a good chance that they’re a fan of Canadian author Carley Fortune whose first three books (Every Summer After, Meet Me at the Lake, and This Summer Will Be Different) took the book world by storm. And it’s safe to say that fans of her books would be thrilled with the gift of any item from the new collection of This Summer Will Be Different themed merch available on her website at carleyfortune.com. The line draws inspiration from vintage postcards and souvenirs and includes sweatshirts, t-shirts, tote bags, mugs, hats, vinyl stickers and coasters.
$5-60 USD
3. A Bookish Wall or Desk Calendar
A book-themed wall or desk calendar is a great idea if you’re in search of a gift that can be both practical and cute! I love Rizzoli’s Cats & Books 2025 Wall Calendar (available at Amazon, Calendar Club and other outlets) which builds on the Instagram popularity of #booksandcats as well as this Calendar for Book Lovers Wall Calendar (also available from multiple outlets) which has beautiful bookish photos and literary quotes.
If you’re looking for a desk calendar, this mini standing desk calendar is cute (also available on the Pippi Post website).
Not exactly a calendar but I also love Pippi Post’s 52 Weeks of Book Quotes flip calendar that combines beautiful photos with inspirational book quotes.
Under $30 USD
4. Book Subscription Box
As an avid reader, I would be absolutely thrilled if someone gifted me a book subscription box! There are many options available some of which include books only and some include additional items with the book. These are a few of the ones that appeal to me the most.
Book of the Month Club – The OG subscription book club, founded in 1926, offers a curated list of 5-7 books to choose from each month. Gifts can be purchased for a 3 book, 6 book or 12 book membership. $59.99 – $199.99 USD (for recipients in the US – more for international)
Bubbles & Books – This monthly subscription service includes a curated romance or mystery novel plus 3-5 handcrafted bath goodies. Prepaid subscriptions available for 3, 6 or 12 months. Ships internationally. $98 USD (for 3 months) and up
Once Upon a Book Club – This is a unique subscription box that comes wrapped in a book-shaped box and includes a newly released book (hints to identify the book are provided beforehand to build excitement) plus 3-5 individually wrapped gifts to be opened when the reader gets to the corresponding page number. Individual past and themed boxes are available for sale if you want to just gift one to test it out. There are boxes for Adults, Young Adults and Middle Grade & Tween. US shipping is free. Subscription starts at $59.99 USD per month
The Book HookUp – The Strand (one of the best bookstores in New York City) offers eight subscription boxes by genre (Fiction, Young Adult (YA), Feminist Literature, Non-Fiction, Mystery & Suspense, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Little Readers and Classics). You can choose a one-time only gift, a full year (4 boxes by quarter) or a recurring subscription (until cancelled) and each box contains a signed, first edition of a highly anticipated title along with an additional paperback and literary goodies. $37.50 USD for 1 box, $150 USD for 1 year
Book Riot’s Tailored Book Recommendations – This is another great option for the book lover on your list as you can choose from three options – paperback, hardcover, or recommendations only. $18 – $368 USD
LitLove Box – A Canadian option (available to ship to the US as well) that offers curated book choices from varied genres each month (or you can choose to be surprised), snacks and self-care or other bookish goodies. 3 and 6 month subscriptions are available or you can choose to purchase a single box if you aren’t sure. $75+ CAD
5. Scented Book Candle
There are a lot of options here but I’m a huge Jane Austen fan so the Noble Objects Pride and Prejudice Scented Book Candle appeals to me – the floral scented candle captures the essence of a Pemberley garden with “notes of green florals with a heart of lilac, rose and jasmine” to create a serene and inviting atmosphere. Their Holiday Edition Little Women Book Candle that smells of gingerbread cookies, eucalyptus and vanilla frosting also sounds delightful and perfect for the season.
The same company has additional literary candles available including Romeo & Juliet, Jane Eyre, The Great Gatsby, A Christmas Carol, War and Peace and Anna Karenina. The candles are made from 100% premium soy wax and natural oils with a woven cotton wick and are hand poured in Santa Monica, CA.
Under $40 USD
6. LEGO Creator Expert Bookshop
This one is quite a splurge but the LEGO Creator Expert Bookshop is perfect for a book lover who also likes to construct using LEGO sets. With 2,504 pieces, this LEGO building set for adults and teenagers features so many details, including a display window, bookshelves, reading nook and living spaces in the town house, and 5 minifigures. And it will be a beautiful piece to display on bookshelves when it’s finished! (This is a retired LEGO site so might be difficult to find.)
$200+ USD
7. Wall Prints for Book Lovers
If you know someone well enough to know their taste in artwork and home decor then a bookish print for the wall can be the perfect gift. I love the artwork by Simply Katy and one of my favourites is her Autumn Bookshop wall art which can be purchased directly from her UK website or her ETSY shop in the U.S. and Canada (various sizes available).
From $31 USD
8. Bookmarks
Is it possible to have too many bookmarks? Of course not – if there’s anything a reader is sure to need it’s an assortment of bookmarks to choose from! I love all of the Simply Katy bookmarks whether they’re shops or travel-themed (available on her UK website or her ETSY shop in the U.S. and Canada).
Pippi Post also has cute bookish bookmarks including literary figures like Laura Ingalls, Elizabeth Bennett, and Anne of Green Gables.
You can also check out Etsy or your local bookshop to see what they have in stock.
Under $10 USD
9. Reading Socks
You can’t go wrong with a pair of cozy reading socks to keep feet toasty warm during marathon reading sessions in the winter months. They come in a lot of varieties but as far as I’m concerned – the cozier the better!
Barnes and Noble has a nice collection of reading socks as does Indigo in Canada and you can’t go wrong with a pair of fuzzy socks from Bombas (plus every purchase from Bombas is matched with a donation of essential clothing to those who need it).
If you prefer socks that are cozy but also full of personality then check out the options at Happypop which includes a variety of funny novelty socks with writing on the soles.
Under $20 USD
10. Kindle E-Reader or Gift Card
This is more of a substantial gift for someone special in your life who is maybe contemplating buying an e-reader or considering upgrading an old one. The newest version of the Kindle Paperwhite is thinner, faster, and has a longer battery life, the new Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition brings colour to the e-reader and the Kindle Scribe adds notetaking capability.
An Amazon Gift Card for book purchases or to subscribe to Kindle Unlimited also makes a nice gift for a loved one who is already a Kindle user.
Additional e-reader options include the Kobo e-reader which also comes in colour or an iPad which is what I use to read ARCs from NetGalley and to borrow ebooks from my library. The iPad has the advantage of being useful for other things even though it doesn’t have some of the nice features of a dedicated e-reader.
Approximately $150+ USD
11. Decorative Bookends
For a memorable gift, try to find something as quirky as the reader you’re buying for. I love these City Skyline Bookends from Uncommon Goods – they capture two of the things I love most – books and travel.
The Spanish home decor company Balvi also has a great selection of metal bookends and some are available in the U.S. and Canada on Amazon including Romeo and Juliet (pictured below), Don Quixote, The Library and The Reader.
There are also lots of great designs available on ETSY – I love these black metal Book bookends from Pati Metal Design which depict girls sitting on a stack of books reading!
Ranging from $20 – $100+
12. Reading Light
A reading light is one of those handy items that readers like me never think to buy for ourselves but are always welcome as a gift. I have only ever used the clip-on reading lights but there are now neck reading lights as well that look interesting. This is a gift that makes a great stocking stuffer idea!
Generally under $25 USD
13. Harper Muse Classic – Pretty Books Painted Edition
I am in love with the Harper Muse Classic – Pretty Books Painted Edition series! Each book has a beautiful hardcover artwork painted by artist Laci Fowler, gold foil title and page edges and a ribbon marker. These are such beautiful books and they’re perfect for a collection that you can add to over the years.
Current titles include: The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables, Persuasion, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Peter Pan, Winnie-the-Pooh, Little Women, Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, The Great Gatsby, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
Gift priced under $25
14. Literary Mugs
Warm drinks and reading go hand in hand during the winter months so a book-themed mug is a great gift for any reader! I love this Rifle Paper Co. Book Club porcelain mug which features a beautiful illustrated design of classic books and a gilded rim and handle. One of my daughters gifted me this company’s Bon Voyage mug a couple of years ago and I love it!
I also quite like this Jane Austen Coffee Mug available on Amazon which features some of Austen’s most famous quotes and for something personalized check out ETSY where you can order a customized mug with your recipient’s name and/or favourite books.
And if you want to add something to the mug to round out your gift then consider NovelTeas Literary Blends. There are many flavours to choose from including Pride and Peppermint, War and Peach, Anne of Green Tea Gables, Oliver Lemon Twist and The Picture of Earl Grey.
Under $50
15. Bookish Tote Bags
Readers can always use a cute book-themed tote bag for bringing home their library and bookstore hauls! A few of my favourites include:
- Pippi Post has a cute The Library is Calling Canvas Tote Bag
- Storiarts Louisa May Alcott Tote Bag – “She is too fond of books and it has turned her brain“.
- Cavallini & Co. Library Books Tote Bag available at Barnes & Noble
- Organic Canvas Tote Bag available at Indigo – “Living Vicariously Through Fictional Characters“.
- For the Disney fans – Belle’s Book Shop Tote Bag on Etsy
Under $25 USD
16. Christmas Ornaments for Book Lovers
Etsy is the best place to look for creative book-themed ornaments and there are even customized options available. These are a few that I think are adorable:
- Personalized Bookstack Christmas Ornament – can be personalized with a name and book titles.
- Handmade Miniature Book Ornament Ball – a charming glass ball filled with approximately 80 miniature books.
- DIY Book Ornament – If you’re crafty then you can purchase this inexpensive digital download to customize book covers by copy/pasting the covers of books that your recipient has read in the past year (easy if they have a Goodreads account).
- Christmas Bookshop Wooden Ornament – can be personalized with a name.
Are you shopping for a Jane Austen fan? I love each and every one of the Christmas ornaments available online from Jane Austen’s House! The 2024 Exclusive Christmas Bauble is a handfinished decorative ball depicting winter at the red brick house in Chawton where Jane lived for the last 8 years of her life. The fabric character ornaments are adorable as well – we have several similar ones that we have purchased on trips to England but none of the Jane Austen ones yet!
Most under $25 USD
17. Book Stamp or Bookplates
A thoughtful gift for the book lover who has everything and is hard to buy for – a personalized book stamp or bookplates.
A friend sent me the ad for this Custom Book Embosser on Whispering Pages that has 29 seal designs to choose from to embed your personal signature on treasured books. Ideal for those books in your collection that you want to keep forever!
Inexpensive book stamps can be found on ETSY that allow you to customize by choosing from available designs and ink colours and personalizing with a name.
Felix Doolittle has an extensive collection of personalized colourful bookplates printed on adhesive paper to choose from (featured on Oprah’s Favourite Things). Amazon has an extensive selection as well – I like this set of Antiquarian Bookplates.
Under $50 USD
18. Anne of Green Gables Glass Tumbler
We are huge Anne fans in our household and I absolutely adore this Anne of Green Gables Glass Can from Pippi Post! Actually I love just about every item available on this website – so many wonderful gift ideas for book lovers!!
$22 USD regular price
19. Gift Card for In Person or Online Shopping
Do you want to give the gift of literature but not sure what your book lover has read already or might like? If your reader is lucky enough to have an independent bookstore nearby then you can pick up a gift card there or, in the alternative, purchase a gift card from Bookshop.org so they can shop online and pick the book they want. To personalize the gift, add a list of your own favourite book recommendations that you think the recipient might enjoy.
20. T-Shirt or Sweatshirt
Perhaps the reader that you’re shopping for would like to wear an item that declares their love of books to the world!
Pippi Post (I low key want everything on this website!) has a great collection of literary tees and sweatshirts – I personally love Sleighing My TBR!
Shopping for a Shakespeare Fan? Check out the online shop for Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. We have toured the theatre a couple of times on trips to London and their gift shop is the best and the online shop has an excellent selection of items.
Storiarts also has a cute selection of women’s literary tees – my favourite is the pink I Heart Books tee.
Shakespeare and Company in Paris (arguably the most famous bookshop in the world) ships worldwide and has both a t-shirt and a sweatshirt in their merchandise collection.
Generally under $50 USD
21. Cozy Blanket
Every book lover needs a cozy blanket for curling up with a book and a cup of tea during the cooler seasons! This Sherpa blanket from Amazon is inexpensive, highly rated and looks as cozy as can be! The UGG Euphoria blanket is a little more expensive but perfect for snuggling up with a book and for a real splurge the Cozy Earth Cuddle Blanket is pure luxury in a blanket that has a bit of weight to it.
Various price ranges $20 – $500+ USD
22. Book-Themed Games
Book-themed games can be a lot of fun and are perfect when staying in on chilly winter night. These are a few that I think look like fun!
- Tidy the Library: Book Lover’s Card Game – a fun game that requires players to place books by order of publication date.
- Books & Ladders – a literary version of the classic Snakes & Ladders game for kids and adults.
- Games Room Literary Trivia – entertaining trivia questions about all things literature with three different levels of difficulty to make it fun for all ages.
- By the Book: A Novel Stacking Puzzle – a brainteaser game for ages 8 and up.
- To Be Read: A Card Game for Book Lovers
- Fiction: A Word Guessing Board Game available at Barnes & Noble – A Wordle-inspired game of deduction where players work as a team to guess the secret word chosen from a great work of literature. Ages 10+
Under $20 USD
23. A Book About Books
Books about books are a thoughtful choice for readers as well. They fall in the category of things that I love but would rarely think to buy for myself. Here are a few that I think would appeal to many readers.
- Footnotes From the World’s Greatest Bookstores by Bob Eckstein – a collection of 75 evocative paintings and colorful anecdotes about great bookstores from across the globe.
- Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany by Jane Mount (illustrator) – a love letter to all things bookish bringing literary people, places, and things to life through signature and vibrant illustrations.
- Bibliophile: Diverse Spines by Jane Mount – a second companion volume to her first book. This is a richly illustrated and vastly inclusive collection uplifts the works of authors who are often underrepresented in the literary world.
- 1,000 Books To Read Before You Die by James Mustich – described as the ultimate literary bucket list!
24. Canvas Pouches
The canvas pouches from Pippi Post are adorable – particularly for younger readers – and can be used to carry pencils and school supplies, make-up or anything else! Choose from Pride and Prejudice, Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, Wizard of Oz and more.
$22 USD
25. A Reader’s Journal
I have only recently started keeping track of the books that I read on Goodreads and oh how I wish that I had started a reading journal when I was young to keep track of all of the books that I have read and my thoughts on them. I would love to have a journal like that to look back on my reading life!
- Bibliophile A Reader’s Journal – bookish art and prompts to rate each book you have read.
- Oprah’s The Life You Want Book Lover’s Journal with prompts to think about the books that have been important to you.
- Papier – Reading Journal – numerous beautifully designed covers to choose from.
Under $35 USD
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