By Maria-Nefeli Andreadaki,
With Christmas fast approaching, everyone is bound to start decorating trees, putting up colourful lights around the window frames, and frantically shopping for Christmas presents for their loved ones. As a very determined and organized Christmas gift buyer, meaning that I plan out what each member of my family and friend group will receive during the holidays four weeks in advance, I thought I would do the honors of presenting you with a bunch of clever options that the avid readers in your life will greatly appreciate! I have had a lot of experience, being lucky enough to be surrounded by people who share my love of reading, so, without further ado, here are a few ideas that will put you on top of the “best gift-giver ever” list
Number One: Starting with the basics, it goes without saying that you can always buy them a book. However, that can sometimes come off as impersonal or as if you didn’t put that “extra” thought into it. A good idea would be to do your research regarding your loved one’s literary interests; it could be a new book from their favorite author, or a special edition of their favorite book (note that some of us like to hoard multiple editions of a book we love, no shame in that!), or something that you found while browsing through their usual section at a bookstore.
Number 2: Adding to the previous gift idea, a way to make a book more personal and valuable is to annotate it before giving it to the lucky receiver. Grab some sticky notes, some page flags, and some colorful pens, and fill the book with your comments, so that when your loved one gets to read it, they’ll have your little notes and decorations keeping them company.
Number 3: Let’s not forget that being a bookworm is a whole lifestyle on its own and requires the necessary “equipment”. A tote bag or a book sleeve to carry around books safely, socks or t-shirts with book quotes on the front, a sweet-smelling candle, even a simple coffee blend and a cute Christmas mug to sip from while reading are all thoughtful and inexpensive presents that could add a spark to your bookworm’s reading life.
Number 4: This is more of a shop recommendation, but if you would prefer to find a more personal item or have a specific idea in your mind that you want to execute, I would highly recommend you look it up on “www.etsy.com”. Etsy is a community full of talented artists who have created merchandise off of most films and books. You can pretty much find anything that you could think of, or even commission a seller to make it for you! One of my favorite purchases is an Oscar Wilde pin that I carry on my bag every day.
Number 5: Depending on what is currently available in your region, another idea would be tickets for plays. Many classic works have been brought on stage in the last few months and, usually, avid readers are fans of theatre too! Why not gift them with an experience that you can share and create memories of? This would be great for a typical Shakespeare fan!
Number 6: Last but certainly not least, I would encourage you to write something for your loved ones. Whether it be a poem, a short story, or something else entirely, just remember that bookworms love to immerse themselves in words, lose themselves in stories, and find themselves in characters. Gifts are not supposed to be expensive; they are supposed to resemble a token of your love for the receiver. Believe me when I say that a book lover would fall head over heels for a present like that. Maybe add a flower or two as well for an extra “something”.
I hope this was helpful and eased off some pressure from what is going to come. The holidays are a hectic and sometimes difficult period for many. Nonetheless, it is also an opportunity to step up and express your love to those close to you, in whatever way you can or choose.
References
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Etsy Ireland – Shop for handmade, vintage, custom, and unique gifts for everyone. Available here
