Seeing as we are very near Christmas and the world has been absolutely manic I think one can ben forgiven for not having their shopping done yet. Personally - I prefer to have my shopping done by the end of November at the latest and that plain didn’t happen this year. I was scrambling until last weekend but I can safely say everything is now wrapped and waiting under the tree. Even if we did have a small mishap where the Christmas tree decided to pee all over some perfectly wrapped presents and I had to re-do all of the painstaking work. Oh well - it isn’t a job if you don’t have to do it twice.

Anyway - whatever the reason might be that you are still looking for something to gift your loved ones, i’ve got you covered with some bookish inspiration. I’ve hopefully included some gifts that will cover a range of budgets - though admittedly there are some shockers on here that are overpriced but I would personally love to receive them all the same.

Wooden Book Light

Let’s be perfectly clear - yes it is a little bit gimmicky but I honestly don’t care all that much. I have been looking for a night light, or rather a set of night lights that my partner and I can pop on the nightstands. Currently, if we want to do anything in the bedroom at night we have to either leave on the overhead light or prop the en-suite bathroom door open and leave a light on there. Either way, there is the inevitable discussion of who is getting up after getting perfectly comfortable, to turn off the lights. This would just cut that out entirely and damn if they don’t look cute too.

William Shakespeare Scented Candle

Now I love a scented candle, and there are usually a couple knocking around the apartment at any point. When I moved over to the United Kingdom and my entire life was to be packed up in roughly 20 cardboard boxes - I might have brought more than a single candle over with me. The thing is though, I am very picky when it comes to my scents. I hate absolutely everything to do with Lavender, perhaps an inherited aversion thanks to my mum. I also don’t do well with artificial vanilla either, nothing brings on a headache faster than that. However a good, bookish soy candle - sign me on.

Book Lover’s Journal

I’ve only found Goodreads this year, which automatically records which and how many books I’ve read in any given year. Up until this point, I always kept track of everything bookish I did in a little journal that I carried around with me literally everywhere. This particular one would actually have been very useful indeed - with a lovely sturdy cover that protects against my inevitable tea spills.

Audible Subscription

I am a little bit snobbish when it comes to books - yes I am one of those people who will shout that the book is so much better than the film. Similarly, I also have a slight issue when it comes to audiobooks, admittedly though on my longer train journeys into work recently it has been an absolute godsend. I get motion sickness quite easily so reading a book whilst on a moving vehicle is not done. Listening to Stephen Fry whilst he describes Hogwarts in winter though - beautiful!

Bamboo Bath Caddy

I never grew up having baths, they are just not as much of a thing in the Netherlands. So I never really learned to enjoy them and grew up with my dad’s preconceived notion that they are cauldrons of your ‘own filth’. Thanks for the mental scarring dad! Now since then, I have discovered bath fizzes, bombs and all that lovely good stuff so I am now a fresh ‘bathing-convert’. With a newfound obsession with bath caddies so I can read in the bath!

Personalized Library Stamp

It might be dorky to admit but honestly, I do not care! I have given books to my friends, to family members, only to never see them again. Somewhere in the world is a perfect Hunger Games bookset floating around that I may very well never see again. If only I had had a personalized book stamp so at least I could prove that they are bloody mine!

Heated Mug

Now, I am not as guilty when it comes to this particular sin as someone else in our household, not that we will be naming names. Though there might be some people out there that get so heavily engrossed in the book that they completely lose track of the delicious cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate that they have prepared to go along with their story. This is the absolute perfect solution for that!

Bookish Postcards

I know you shouldn’t judge a book on its cover - right? Well, I’d be the first to raise my hand and say I am most definitely guilty of doing just that and Penguin has some stunning covers for their classics. With these 100 postcards, you can leave the guilt behind and either use this as an amazing coffee table book or use them for their intended purpose and send some stunning postcards.

Kindle Paperwhite

I get - this gift is expensive. Well, it is according to my frame of reference at least, for others this might be a mere pittance. Regardless of your situation, this gift might be perfect for someone you have a special relationship with. An added bonus of the Kindle is that is incredibly easy to use and its settings allow you to adjust the size of the font which makes it easier to read for people who might have difficulties with their eyesight.

Mr B’s Reading Spa

This one is a little bit different because it is not a material gift per se. Instead, you will be buying an incredible experience for your loved one. I’ve written about Mr B’s before when I was talking about their lovely book subscription box. This is another thing they offer - their reading spa! A hot, fresh-brewed pot of tea, homemade cakes and a seasoned bibliophile who will suggest a stack of books based on an in-depth discussion that you’ve had with them. Honestly - chef’s kiss.

I hope this was even the tiniest bit usefull in your search for suitable Christmas gifts. Do you have any further suggestions - other than a fat stack of books of course? Let me know in the comment section below and, until then - just one more page!