Make your favourite bookworm’s Christmas magical with gifts that spark joy, boost coziness, and celebrate their love of reading, one page at a time.
If you’ve ever shopped for someone who always has their nose in a book, you’ll know two things:
- They already own a lot of books, and
- They will absolutely lose their minds if you get them the right bookish gift.
So to save you from wandering the aisles in a panic (or doom-scrolling online for hours), here’s a festive, friendly guide to ten gifts guaranteed to make every book lover squeal with joy on Christmas morning.
A Book They’d Never Buy for Themselves
Let’s start with the obvious. But this isn’t just any book. The key here is choosing something they desperately want but would never splurge on. A gorgeous special edition of their favorite novel, a signed copy, an annotated classic, or that chunky hardback they keep picking up in bookstores but reluctantly put back because “I should finish my TBR first.”
Ignore their excuses. Bookworms are experts at pretending they don’t want more books, but trust me, they do. That’s why they keep talking about it, trying to convince themselves otherwise. So, giving them something they’ve admired from afar? Instant holiday win.
Take Protectors of the Written Word, a first edition created by One Thousand Libraries. It features twenty-five remarkable stories about people from every corner of the world who dedicate their lives to keeping the love of reading alive in the digital age. It’s narrative nonfiction with heart and purpose, the kind of book that feels like a treasure the moment you open it. A gift like that doesn’t just sit on a shelf. It becomes part of someone’s story. That’s the kind of surprise that makes a holiday unforgettable.
A Book Subscription Box
Subscription boxes are basically Christmas that keeps happening. Every month, they get a package filled with a new book plus fun extras like bookmarks, candles, snacks, bookish merch, or author letters. Some boxes even let you choose genres, so whether they’re into cozy mysteries, emotional memoirs, or epic fantasy, there’s a perfect match.
And the best part? They’ll think of you every time that adorable box lands on their doorstep.
For ideas for a book box to blow their socks off, why not look at Boxwalla or Mr B’s Emporium?
A Personalized Bookmark (Because You Know They’ve Lost Every Single One They’ve Ever Owned)
Book lovers own approximately 847 bookmarks… and yet somehow can never find one when they need it. A personalized bookmark is the sweet spot between practical and thoughtful. It can have their name, a quote from their favorite book, a cute charm, or even a custom illustration.
Bonus points if you choose something durable so it doesn’t disappear into the bedroom vortex forever.
For example, check out marketplaces like Etsy!
A Bookish Candle
Yes, you read that right, bookish candles are a full-blown thing. The best part? They’re themed around vibes: “Library After Dark,” “Pages and Pine,” “Old Books,” “Hobbit Hole,” “Enchanted Forest,” and other scents that make you feel like you’re reading inside a fantasy novel.
They’re perfect for cozy winter nights, and let’s be honest: book people love an aesthetic.
For some inspo, check out Briarwick’s candles.
A Reading Journal or Book Log
If your book-obsessed friend is constantly giving recommendations, ranting about plot twists, or joining book clubs, a reading journal is their new best friend. These journals usually include pages for logging books, rating them, noting favourite quotes, and tracking reading goals.
For readers who want to feel organized and smug about how many books they’ve finished this year, this gift hits the jackpot.
For ideas, check out Papier’s Reading Journals.
A Comfy, Oversized Reading Blanket
Every reader has experienced the betrayal of sitting down to read and realizing… they’re freezing. Solve that problem forever with a chunky, oversized reading blanket, bonus points if it’s as soft as an overfed cat.
Weighted blankets are also a great option for readers who like feeling cocooned while they devour 300 pages in one sitting. Christmas and cozy vibes? A perfect pairing. Just don’t expect to hear from them much ‘til the weather warms up!
For examples of the perfect reading blanket, check out Oodie.
A Book Light for Late-Night Reading (Their Partner Will Thank You)
If your book-obsessed loved one shares a bed with someone who values sleep, a clip-on book light is a miracle. No more blinding lamps or awkwardly angling their book toward the hallway light.
Modern book lights are rechargeable, lightweight, and adjustable, and honestly, they make the reader feel like a cute little reading goblin hiding under the covers. Win-win.
For example, take a look at things like this on Amazon!
A Gift Card to Their Favourite Bookstore
Look, I get it, a gift card sometimes feels like the “I panicked and grabbed something generic” option. But to a book lover? A bookstore gift card is pure, unfiltered joy.
It’s permission. Permission to browse. To touch every spine. To carry around six books while deciding on two. To smell the pages (which, yes, they absolutely do).
It’s not a cop-out. It’s an experience.
Picking them out a book is great, but this gives them an excuse to lose hours in one of their favorite places.
Beautiful Bookshelf Decor
Lots of bookworms love their shelves almost as much as their books, so help them make those shelves Instagram-worthy. A few ideas:
- Mini literary-themed bookends
- A tiny lamp that glows like fairy light magic
- Decorative plants
- A framed quote from a favourite author
- Metal or wooden nameplates for their reading nook
You know that look on a reader’s face when they walk into a gorgeous bookstore? Give them that feeling… but at home.
For book nook shopping needs, take a look at Rolife.
A Book Sleeve
Does your bookish friend take their books out and about with them? Can they always be found with a book in their bag? Then a book sleeve is a great Christmas present. These wonderful inventions protect the pages of a book, keeping them shut (protecting that personalized bookmark) and safe from the wear and tear while in your handbag or rucksack.
For examples of fabulous book sleeves, take a look at Paper + Word.
Join our community of 1.5M readers
Like this story? You'll love our free weekly magazine.
Millie Ramm
Millie has been writing since she was a child, and has spent more time with her nose in books than anywhere else. She has been ghostwriting novels and editing for the past few years, and when not working she is curled up with her cats, looking for her next read.
