Do you have any avid readers in your life and not sure what to gift them for Christmas this year? We all know at least one book worm, like ourselves, that we are not sure what to get them. Here are ten Christmas gift ideas for people who love to read.
A book on books
Let’s get the books out of the way first before we move into other gifts. A book always makes a great gift to the readers in our lives. However, sometimes we do not always know what books they do and do not own. A safe bet many readers do not own is a book about books. Even if they will not read it, books on books or authors makes great shelf candy. Maybe your reader can’t figure out what to read next. Maybe your reader wants to learn more about the history of a certain author or about novels in general. Here are three books about books, authors, and even the history of the novel.
The Lives of the Novel: A History by Thomas G. Pavel
![](https://i0.wp.com/umbraexlibris.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Gift-Ideas-for-the-Avid-Reader-3.png?resize=640%2C480&ssl=1)
This book is about the history of the novel from ancient Greek plays to the modern day novel. Pavel discusses why he thinks novels evolved the way they did. His main thesis states a rivalry in stories between idolizing human behavior and condemning it. This book is definitely for those nerdier readers out there who want to know all there is to know about books, like myself.
Ex Libris 100+ Books to Read and Reread by Michiko Kakutani
![](https://i0.wp.com/umbraexlibris.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Gift-Ideas-for-the-Avid-Reader-2.png?resize=640%2C480&ssl=1)
Marissa gave us this book not too long ago. It is very cool to just flip through and see this large variety of books to read that are not just your classics. Kakutani gathered some of her favorite and important books from talented authors, modern and classical. Ex Libris reminds us of why reading matters to people from around the world. It’s a hobby that is here to stay because books can teach us so many great things. Bonus points to Kakutani for naming her book Ex Libris. Sound familiar at all?
A Quiet Madness: A Biographical Novel of Edgar Allen Poe by John Isaac Jones
![](https://i0.wp.com/umbraexlibris.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Gift-Ideas-for-the-Avid-Reader-1.png?resize=640%2C480&ssl=1)
People love learning new things. I know I enjoy sounding like the smartest person in the room, even though that’s often not true. Why not get your avid reader a biography on their favorite author. A biography will be filled with plenty of fun facts on their author. I chose one on Edgar Allen Poe because his life was filled with tragedy. With this book we get a peek into his writings and what might have inspired many of his stories.
Coffee or Tea Set
Especially in the winter, I love to sit down in the evening with a hot drink and a good read. I think many readers can relate to this. Nothing beats sipping on coffee or tea bundled up with a book. Know the person you are buying for. Some prefer one or the other.
Look into a pour over coffee maker for those coffee drinkers. It’s simple and easy to use without taking too much space. To add some personalization you can pick up your favorite beans and a mug to go with it. For the tea drinkers get them a nice kettle. You can find a kettle set on Amazon or in stores that includes cups and tea. To make it even fancier you can get them tea infusers with some fancy loose leaf tea. It always makes me feel like a sophisticated reader.
A Book Light
Do you have a partner who goes to bed later than you? I often find myself wanting to lay in bed and read without disturbing my partner from her beauty sleep. She ended up giving me a fantastic rechargeable book light. It attaches to the book making it a handsfree way to illuminate the book you are reading without disturbing sleeping people. I use one like this pretty often. I enjoyed it as a gift and I think many other readers will as well.
A Spotify or Apple Music Subscription
Some people enjoy listening to music while they read. The music tunes out the loud sounds from our households or the ambient noise in the library or other places where we find ourselves reading. Metal, classical, and jazz are all great things to listen to when you read. All three drown out everything so readers can become more immersed in their book with less distractions. Spotify or Apple Music subscription would help your reader listen to their favorites while they read their favorites.
Audible or Audiobooks Subscription
We are die-hard classic book reading people. Still, we have to admit there are times we wish we could read while doing something else. For example, I also enjoy crocheting. Now, I’m sure people have figured out a way to read while crocheting or doing other arts and crafts, but it is all too complicated for me. An audio book would be the perfect way for me to enjoy my two favorite hobbies simultaneously. It could also help with long car rides when podcasts and music just aren’t doing the job.
Brookstone Memory Foam Lap Desk
For those who use a Kindle, Nook, or iPad a lap desk can be a great gift for the avid reader. These lap desks allow you to support your reading tablet of choice letting you be more hands free to hold your cup of coffee or tea. Just set it in your lap and read your book. It’s good for lounging around the house or car and plane rides. The Brookstone one includes two sides for two different angles for your tablet letting you find the perfect comfortable spot to sit down and read.
Personalized Book Embosser
Now if you friend or family member is a book collector, consider getting them a book embosser. These can be very simple with their name or more detailed with fun designed and embellishments. This will allow them to stamp their books while adding to their collection. Umbra Ex Libris owns two. One for our joint collection and one for Roxy’s work collection.
Headphones
Reading is a great hobby because you can take it anywhere. However, you or your friends may find it a little more difficult to read when you are in a louder environment. Therefore, a nice set of headphones can go a long way. Whether it is to put on some white noise or background music for the spooky thriller you’re reading, headphones will be a great gift!
There are plenty of gifts out there for people of all interests. We hope this list helps you think of some for your book loving friends and family. What are some of the gifts you bought for your book lovers? What are some gifts you’ve received as a book lover? Let us know in the comments, we love hearing from you!
As always, happy reading!