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Although doing shopping the old-fashioned way has its charm, you might still want to avoid the crowds and do your Christmas gift shopping online. If you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas for book lovers, whether they’re readers or writers, this updated gift guide gives you plenty of options. You will find gifts from Amazon as well as from independent makers.
Not everything in this gift guide has been tested personally by me, but they’re all either things I love or things I would love to have – as a book lover and a writer myself.
IN THIS POST: The most popular e-reader – Popular book sets – Best books of 2023 – Subscription boxes – Gift ideas that AREN’T books – Gift ideas for writers
The obvious: gift something to read
The most popular e-reader
Although physical books are AMAZING, I still really love my Kindle. I’ve got the classic Kindle with no extras that they probably don’t even sell anymore, but this refurbished Kindle with a built-in front light is probably the most affordable one of the Kindle family at the moment. The next option up is the Kindle Paperwhite, which apparently is waterproof. Imagine the possibilities for reading in the bath! If you don’t like those two options, you can check out the rest of the Kindle selection.
And did you know? You can also gift a subscription to Kindle Unlimited if you would like to give someone access to, I don’t know, zillions of books. It’s also a great way to read books by indie authors that you might not hear about anywhere else.
Where to buy books
Do you not have bookstores nearby? Yeah, me neither, which is why I like to buy my books online. AwesomeBooks is my go-to place for buying books because they have a fantastic selection and they offer used books. I don’t know about you, but I like the low prices and the sustainability of second-hand books. Yes, I would love to support the authors themselves, but you don’t always have the luxury of choosing the $30 book instead of the $3 one.
Something that I would recommend to you if you have any independent bookstores nearby is to google them and see if they have online shopping on their website. This way you can support small and local without even leaving your couch. Yay!
Books everyone will love
Okay, no such thing exists, but here’s an idea: how about a popular book series, but in a fancy COMPLETE SET? I know, very exciting.
For fantasy fans, this Folk of the Air set or this A Court of Thorns and Roses hardcover box set could be great options. Because these series are so popular, you could even get them for someone who hasn’t yet found their love of books – surely they’re popular for a reason. (I don’t generally read young adult novels but I loved the first book in the Folk of the Air series.)
If you’re looking for gifts for someone who wants to read modern genre fiction but isn’t interested in fantasy, the Millennium Trilogy is one of the most popular crime series ever. Sure, most crime fiction fans are probably familiar with it already, but if you’re hoping to convert a thriller movie lover into a book lover, these books might just do it.
How about classics? If you know someone who hasn’t read Jane Austen yet, they need to get on it ASAP, and this set of six hardcovers is a good place to start. For someone who already loves Austen’s work, this clothbound set might be just the perfect gift. Another beautiful set of classics is this Brontë collection with different books from the sisters.
The best books of 2023
If you’re not quite sure what books to give to the book lovers in your life, you might want to check out the best books of 2023. When my dad asked last year what I want for Christmas, I just asked him to buy me any new book that they recommended at the bookstore, and that worked perfectly. You can find top books from multiple genres in that list, and here are some of my picks.
Emily Henry seems very popular on Instagram and her newest book Happy Place has been one of the most anticipated books in the romance genre. If you’re one of those people who goes bleh, romance but you’d still like something “light” to read, Henry’s books are fresh and well-written.
Pomegranate tells the story of Ranita Atwater, a queer black woman struggling with addiction and life outside prison. This book would be a great gift for someone who loves literary fiction.
While the previous two books I recommended were fiction, fans of nonfiction haven’t been let down in 2023 either. The Art Thief is a remarkable true-crime narrative about the most prolific art thief in the world and it would be perfect for someone who loves art, history and crime stories.
Subscription boxes for book lovers
Subscription boxes keep getting more and more popular and there’s something for literally everyone. Yes, even for readers and writers! One great thing about the boxes is that you can get just one if you have a smaller budget, but you can also get a gift that keeps giving and get an ongoing subscription for several months. My husband’s birthday is in late November, so one year I got him a spicy sauce subscription box for two months – one for his birthday and one for Christmas.
Please note that not all of these boxes ship internationally. If you live outside the US like I do, you might not have access to all the subscription boxes.
If you’re looking for other types of subscription boxes, I’ve also written a post about the best subscription boxes for creative people.
Subscription boxes with books
My Coffee and Book Club combines my two personal favourite things, and I don’t think I need to type them out again to tell you what they are. In every box, you get two hardcover books of your chosen genre (or you can opt for a surprise) as well as a small bag of micro-roasted gourmet coffee, ground or whole bean. Currently, they’re also offering a FREE ebook if you contact the seller once you’ve subscribed – a pretty good deal.
My Thrill Club is the perfect choice for those readers who like the excitement of horror, mystery and thriller books. Each month you will get two hardcover books with the occasional surprise. If you subscribe immediately for 6 or 12 months, you can get your first box free of charge with the code FIRSTBOXFREE.
Book Club Box is a unique reading experience for adults where you get a book and related gifts that you open when you reach specific pages. That’s right, multiple gifts in one, fun experience! There is also a young adult version of this subscription box.
Introvert’s Retreat is a subscription box for all of us who prefer a quiet night in. In every box, you get a new paperback, a handmade soy candle and some delicious surprise snacks. It’s perfect for a writer who needs to shut in for a while (or forever) to work on their next bestselling novel – it’s important to take little breaks and read someone else’s books, too.
Books & More is one of those rare subscription boxes that gets me immediately excited about ordering. Every month you get one or two books tailored to your tastes and at least three fun novelty items, though if you’d just prefer the books, you can also opt out of the extras.
Subscription boxes for writers
Scribbler is THE subscription box for writers. Each month you get a novel with a signed bookplate, a teaching booklet from a best-selling author, curated writing gifts, a publishing process inside look and a live chat with editors and publishing agents. That is A LOT of value, guys. (If you’re secretly in love with me, feel free to try and wow me with this box. I promise it’ll work.)
Paper Bliss is a fun stationery box with a new theme each month. You don’t need to be a writer to enjoy it, but the pens and other fun writing accessories will definitely make plotting your story a lot more fun!
Writer’s Block Box is a fairly new subscription box for writers who are looking for monthly inspiration and enjoy fun writerly things. Each month you get five items that are sure to jumpstart your writing.
SCRIBEdelivery is a monthly stationery club providing you with high-quality stationery each month including pens and notebooks. This is perfect for the writer in your life who loves to make notes and draft by hand. (Secret admirers take note: I’m one of those writers.)
What to gift book lovers besides books
Although a book might be an obvious choice for the book lover in your life, perhaps you want to get them something different or maybe you simply don’t know what kind of books they read. Here are some gift ideas that aren’t books that still say that you care about their love of reading and writing.
Make a nice reading experience
Many of us like to read and write just about anywhere, but is there anything better than getting really cozy with a book?
A bamboo book stand is a good solution for keeping your book or tablet upright when you need your hands for something else or when you’re reading in the bath. Bamboo is also a very sustainable material, so this is a good gift for an environmentally conscious bookworm. If you’re shopping for someone who has to (or just likes to) stay in bed a lot, I’m happy to tell you that there are book stands you can attach to your bed and help you keep reading lying down. Just add a Go away, I’m reading pillow to the gift and you’ve got the perfect reading experience.
Do you know a book lover who likes to read well into the night? If so, they might love this clip-on reading light by Glocusent with three different light options. Reading a physical book before bed is always better than scrolling through stuff on your phone but using a bright light to read might still have a negative effect on your sleep. This reading light comes with an amber option that filters out blue light, which should make your eyes a lot happier no matter what you’re reading.
Many reading corners might be a bit cold but these wool-blend socks with classic knitted patterns will keep any book lover warm even if they live in Europe and they’ve needed to cut down on heating costs. This wearable blanket would probably be appreciated as well – it’s big and warm like a regular blanket but it leaves your hands free for holding your book and your hot chocolate.
Book lover accessories
Already mentioned earlier, A Court of Thorns and Roses is a popular series by Sarah J. Maas, and fans of the books should be happy to know that there is plenty of handmade jewellery that independent makers have created for the series. Like this ACOTAR ring!
Since we are talking about rings, did you really think I wouldn’t include the ONE RING? Just keep it secret & keep it safe.
Does that Austen fan in your life already have everything, including the books and their own Mr Darcy? I bet they don’t have this Pride and Prejudice scarf, though!
Home decor gift ideas for bookworms
I don’t personally do candles (I have very curious cats and children with no concept of danger), but I LOVE the idea of bookish scented candles and I’m so glad people have come up with the idea. You’ve got Old Bookshop, Rainy day reading and even Sleepy Hollow, Incredible. East Light Candles makes absolutely gorgeous bookish candles, some of which are for specific books and characters. If you don’t know which one you should choose, you could go for this Book Lover Candle.
Me, I own plenty of antique books, but maybe you’d like to achieve the same look without having to figure out where to find all that extra shelf space. This dark academia aesthetic poster brings that dusty library atmosphere to your room with just a fraction of the cost of building your own dusty library!
If you want something literature-inspired on your walls, there are countless art prints and the like on Etsy. I think this literature world map is especially cool, but I bet you could find art prints for any book or fandom you can think of. Just type in whatever you’re looking for in the Etsy or Amazon search bar, plus “art print”.
This book dragon mug is also definitely going on my wishlist, and if you know someone who loves reading outdoors and is a fan of Austen, this enamel mug might be exactly what they need.
The best gift idea for a writer: something to write with
If you’re looking for inexpensive stocking stuffers for your writer friends, you could consider these personalised engraved ballpoint pens. For something a little more fancy, you could go for a wooden, personalised fountain pen. In case your friend is like me and can’t be trusted with fancy pens, you could get them this 12-pack of ballpoint pens in cute pastel colours.
To have something to write on, you could gift this refillable vegan leather notebook. For something a bit cuter, there’s this Harry Potter notebook set or maybe a personalised floral notebook – just to name two from a huge selection of different notebooks.
If you’d like to give something a little more modern than a regular notebook, Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a smart notebook that you can use over and over, and you can make notes and scan them into the Rocketbook app. In the app you can organise your notes and back them up to a cloud service of your choice. The notebooks come in different sizes and colour options, and there are also multiple layouts for the pages so you’re not stuck with blank pages or a dot grid.
What are you gifting the writers and book lovers in your life this year? Let me know and I’ll keep this gift guide for writers and bookworms updated!
