Book Gifting: The Longstanding History

As we enter the holiday season for so many cultures and religions, we also enter the season of giving – or shopping. We prepare our Christmas (or Hanukkah, or Kwanza, or non-religious celebration) lists and our budgets as we set out in search for the perfect gift for our loved ones.

One traditional gift option for any age is a book. Long before the commercial aspects of the holidays, books were a popular gift exchange choice for a myriad of reasons, including ease of access and variety in choices. The act of book-buying traces back centuries and still stands the test of time for shoppers all over the world.

Gifts of Yesteryear

Giving books as gifts dates back to as early as the Roman Empire. In his famous collection of epigrams, Roman poet, Martial, includes works of other Roman writers appearing on parchment and animal skin as suggested presents for the holiday festival of Saturnalia. Moving into the 5th and 6th centuries, the pagan tradition of Yule celebrations involved gifts, which included finer novelties like books gifted to peasants from the ruling nobility.

In Stephen Nissenbaum’s book, “The Battle For Christmas,” we see the revolution of the holiday as it is today. As the Puritanical culture moved into view, the traditions of “barbaric” Yule were abandoned and the Christian holiday of Christmas took over in popularity. Christmas became more commercialized, though, and a shift back to gifting occurred with books reappearing as a popular gift as a more modern celebration of the holiday became the Christmas we know today.

The Book Industry Buys In

With the demand for books grew, the booksellers of the 19th century jumped at the money-making opportunities it afforded them. By the Victorian era, books made up over half of the holiday gifts being advertised. The very first Christmas gift advertisement in the US was posted in a Salem, Massachusetts bookstore in 1806.

From there, bookselling around the holidays exploded. Special holiday editions of best-sellers were printed and ornately printed books were marketed as luxury items and family heirloom gifts with special status. The popularity of books maintained its status well into the 20th century when booksellers included personalized inscriptions and “to, from” pages at the front of books for special gifting.

Celebrating in 2024

In a world where goods and information are more readily available than ever, books can seem like a somewhat lackluster gift, but the statistics say otherwise. According to research from NPD Group in an article from Publisher’s Perspective, 25% of book sales occur between November and December in the US.

In 2020, this came out to around 173 million books. The book-buying industry is alive and well. In fact, additional market analysis suggests that book buying for the holiday season is expected to begin even earlier this year, in trajectory with general holiday shopping.

Gifting your bibliophile friends and family has never been easier. Aside from traditional reading material, there are lots of other ways to give. Books as home decor, e-readers and literary-inspired merchandise are just a few of the many ways you can find thoughtful and appreciated gifts for every person in your life. With great access to many avenues of shopping, the possibilities are endless this season.

What It Really Means

The act of selecting a book for someone is thoughtful and intimate. The sentiments behind it are far-reaching in a relationship. Choosing a book for someone you hope will love it or find it useful is both a challenge and an act of love. It can have different meanings, too: “I was thinking of you,” “this sounds like something you’ll like,” “I hope you find this helpful,” “feel better!” It sends a vote of confidence that you really love and understand this person without any personal declarations, letting the book speak for itself. Gifting a book to a lifelong collector or a new reader will have lasting impacts and can prolong or begin a love affair with books.