‘Tis the season of gift giving! It’s also the season of snuggling up under a cozy blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and a good book while fat, lazy snowflakes drift down from gray skies on the other side of your frosted windows.
Have you already made your holiday shopping list? Need some inspiration for someone on your list who loves reading and/or writing?
If you’re trying to brainstorm gift ideas for a bookworm in your life, the good news is we’re pretty easy to shop for! Here are some ideas that readers and writers are sure to love (in no particular order).
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Book Subscription Box
Diehard readers are falling in love with book subscription boxes, and it’s easy to see why! Not only do they get new books regularly, but they boxes usually come with extra book-themed goodies like tea, coffee, bookmarks, collectible cards, and other items.
Most boxes have options for how frequently they arrive (usually every 1, 3, 6, or 12 months). Many boxes can also be a one-time purchase so you can give the box as a gift and let the reader decide if they’d like to sign up for a subscription on their own later.
Some great book subscription boxes to check out:
- Tea & Vintage Book Club
- Coffee & Vintage Book Club
- Once Upon a Book Club (Adult Edition)
- Once Upon a Book Club (Young Adult Edition)
- My First Reading Club (5 Age Group Options)
- Peace & Pages (Best of 2023 winner)
- Chocolate and Book Box
- Used Books Monthly
Check out CrateJoy’s best book club boxes and my top 13 book subscription box recs for more!
Candles
Booklovers are often candle lovers, too. There’s something magical about reading with the soft, flickering glow of a candle wafting subtle fragrance throughout the room.
My go-to candle company is, of course, Old Soul Artisan, which makes 100% vegan soy candles without dyes, parabens, phthalates, or other toxins. Another bonus: the company’s Dark Lit Collection is “inspired by the dark and mysteriously alluring characters and themes found within literature’s greatest novels.”
If you need more reasons why this is an awesome company:
– Support a small, USA business
– $1 from every website order is donated to promote wolf conservation
– Support an indie author! I had the pleasure of partnering with Old Soul Artisan to release the Ghost Realm (formerly called “Avilésor” candle based on my award-winning sci-fi fantasy series the Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms.
Psst… read my interview with Harmony Todd, the founder of Old Soul Artisan
Book of Writing Prompts
Writing prompts can help to break a creator out of writer’s block, but that’s not all. Prompts are also great for finding inspiration, honing writing skills, coming up with blog post ideas, developing characters, studying techniques, and more.
Check out 5,000 Writing Prompts for tons of plot ideas; poetry exercises; dialogue, character, and setting prompts; master plots from classic fiction and mythology; journaling prompts; and more.
Leather Journal
If you weren’t already aware of this, I’ll cue you in on a little secret… almost every writer I know LOVES leather journals! Some writers (like me) actually use them. Other writers enjoy collecting them but can’t bring themselves to mark them up because they’re just too pretty.
(There is absolutely no shame in buying two journals… one to gift, and one to keep for yourself!)
Bookmarks
While you can buy a pack of flimsy bookmarks in a variety of patterns for just a few bucks, I personally prefer gifting a more unique bookmarks made of wood, metal, or another durable material that will last longer and stand up to daily wear and tear. This is a great gift if you’re on a budget and looking for a small stocking stuffer.
You can find customizable bookmark gifts to make it personal. For readers who use anything on hand to mark their place—scraps of paper, leaves, receipts, et cetera—this will be a fancy step up! For readers who dog-ear their pages (cringe) . . . perhaps you can convince them to come to the light side. If not, at least you tried!
Noise-Canceling Earbuds
Readers prefer a nice, quiet environment to dive into a story without interruptions. Whether listening to music or an audiobook, a pair of noise-canceling earbuds (or headphones) is a great way to tune out distractions and fully immerse yourself in a book.
Books! (Obviously)
Can’t have a holiday list for bookworms without books being on the list! But rather than buy the latest bestseller, consider supporting an indie author. See if there are any local authors in your area. You might find a gem you didn’t even know to look for, and there’s a good chance you could snag an autographed copy for an extra special gift if you shop local.
Looking for a new supernatural fantasy series? Check out the award-winning Chronicles of Avilésor series.
E-Reader
Some people love print books; others are all about the e-readers. There are certainly pros and cons, and the debate between bibliophiles about which is better can get intense. Ebooks aren’t my thing, but I understand the appeal of having your entire library condensed in one place for easy travel and access.
While Kindle is definitely the most popular, don’t forget about Nook, Kobo, and other brands.
Blue Light Glasses
Digital devices emit blue light. Unfortunately, studies have shown that too much blue light exposure can result in a range of health issues. This includes short-term problems such as headaches, dry eyes, fatigue, and eye strain. It also has the potential for more serious long-term effects such as disrupting your circadian rhythm, damaging retinal cells, causing vision problems like age-related macular degeneration, contributing to cataracts, and increasing your risk for eye cancer.
Writers who primarily work on a laptop and/or tablet spend a LOT of time staring at a screen. So do readers who consume a lot of ebooks. A pair of blue light glasses are a great gift! I can personally attest that I noticed a reduction in the number of headaches I got when working in an office and staring at a computer screen for 8+ hours a day. To The Max by Peepers is my all-time favorite pair of blue light glasses. Since I wear contacts, I don’t use prescription lenses. You can get these blue light glasses with or without magnification.
Bookish Mug
I mentioned snuggling up with a book and a mug of hot chocolate, right? Tea works, too! You really can’t go wrong with a large mug that has a quirky quote or bookish phrase. It’s a simple present that will likely get a lot of use throughout the whole year.
Tea Sampler
Speaking of mugs, a tea sampler makes the perfect accompanying gift. Samplers provide a variety of flavors to try. If you’re going with a loose-leaf option, you might consider including a tea infuser as well, just in case the recipient doesn’t have one.
Fuzzy Book Socks
A cold, snowy night . . . candles burning . . . steam rising from a mug of tea . . . a soft blanket . . . low music . . . a new book to read . . . am I setting the scene? Fuzzy, book-themed socks are a small gift or stocking stuffer that can be the cherry on top (or the whipped cream on the hot chocolate!) for a perfect night in.
Daily Planner
Writing and procrastination tend to go hand in hand. Even the most organized writers can still struggle with it. A daily planner is a practical gift that can help the recipient organize tasks, meet deadlines, jot down writing goals, boost productivity, and stay on track.
Bookish Merch
You might be surprised by how much book-related merchandise you can find online! If you know someone’s favorite novel or series, chances are you can find them something special that’s based off the book.
From clothing, to blankets, to bags, and much more, you might just discover the perfect gift to bring a smile to a bookworm’s face! It’s always fun to wear your favorite merch and converse with fellow readers who recognize a book title or symbol and are eager to discuss the common novel you’ve both enjoyed.
Psst… visit my online merch store to shop book merch and accessories about reading, writing, and my fantasy series.
Page Holder
If you haven’t tried this simple tool . . . it just might change your life! Your fingers and hand will thank you if you’re the type of reader who binges for hours on end. This is an inexpensive gift, so there’s no reason not to buy two and pocket one for yourself! Or buy a bunch and use them as stocking stuffers or office gifts.
(I craft handmade book holders out of resin and sell them at events… reach out to me if you’re interested in having a custom one made with particular colors or materials!)
Book Stand
This gift is especially great for cooks who need to prop up a recipe book in the kitchen, but it also works well with other types of books, tablets, e-readers, and even sheet music. Many book stands also fold up to save space when not in use. Functional and practical!
Book Light
Raise your hand if you got in trouble for reading under the covers with a flashlight when you were a kid! If you know someone who never outgrew that habit (not judging), a subtle book light for after-dark reading makes a great gift. I personally like book lights that have two lights rather than one so you aren’t having to shift position as much.
Gift Card
When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a gift card. Whether it’s a generic one like Amazon that would cover books, merchandise, or anything else the heart desires, or a more book-specific card such as Barnes & Noble, you won’t have to worry about accidentally picking out the wrong book.
I hope this list of ideas helps spark some inspiration with your holiday shopping!
I'm an award-winning fantasy author, artist, and photographer from La Porte, Indiana. My poetry, short fiction, and memoir works have been featured in various anthologies and journals since 2005, and several of my poems are available in the Indiana Poetry Archives. The first three novels in my Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms series have received awards from Literary Titan.
After some time working as a freelance writer, I was shocked by how many website articles are actually written by paid "ghost writers" but published under the byline of a different author. It was a jolt seeing my articles presented as if they were written by a high-profile CEO or an industry expert with decades of experience. I'll be honest; it felt slimy and dishonest. I had none of the credentials readers assumed the author of the article actually had. Ghost writing is a perfectly legal, astonishingly common practice, and now, AI has entered the playing field to further muddy the waters. It's hard to trust who (or what) actually wrote the content you'll read online these days.
That's not the case here at On The Cobblestone Road. I do not and never will pay a ghost writer, then slap my name on their work as if I'd written it. This website is 100% authentic. No outsourcing. No ghost writing. No AI-generated content. It's just me... as it should be.
If you would like to support my work, check out the Support The Creator page for more information. Thank you for finding my website! 🖤
2 thoughts on “Gifts for Readers & Writers: 2023 Holiday Shopping Guide”
Does it count as Christmas presents if I just get them all for me 😂😂😂
Of course! 😂
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