Every year, around this time, I find myself trying to decide what presents I want for the holidays. Inevitably, I end up searching through lists of gift recommendations to see whether anything catches my eye. Inevitably, I can’t find any list of presents that speaks to my own personal tastes in reading paraphernalia. Plus, most lists have little reasoning or categorization to make it easy to interpret the list and decide whether it’s appropriate for your gift target. And so inevitably, I think to myself, “I should make my own list of potential gift recommendations…”
…And then I get distracted by trying to get the Advent of Mystery out in a timely fashion, so the list never comes to fruition. But this year, that all comes to an end. I spent a few moments putting together some of my favorite bookish and mystery-related items for others to peruse… and then realized I had so many present ideas that I needed to split it into two lists! Part 1, here, is comprised of primarily “bookish” presents, designed to help your friendly reader get into the reading zone or otherwise display their love of books. And Part 2, coming later this week, is all games – board games and video games designed to help scratch that puzzle-solving itch.
Two notes on these lists: nothing is affiliate-linked, and everything is either something I own or have wanted to own for literally years. I hope that you can either garner ideas for your own wish list, or find the perfect present for your favorite cozy mystery reader. And without further ado… here’s part 1, presents for the bookish lifestyle.
For the coziest reading sessions
The only thing I love more than cuddling up with a good book is doing so in the most perfect, cozy setting. Here are some of the best ways to add coziness to your reader’s life:
A cozy throw blanket
It is easy to ask, “Can a reader have enough cute throw blankets?” And while, rationally, the answer should be, “yes”, I keep finding myself wanting more. In fact, I’ve found that I love having different types of throw to match different moods. A great throw blanket collection includes:
- A cozy vibes throw: I have a gorgeous cable-knit one from Brooklinen, and this plush one from Threshold. The best cozy vibes ones radiate warmth and softness and comfort.
- A “sensations” throw with texture: We’re a neurospicy household, so many of our throw blankets have some kind of unique texture. We recently got this lovely cranberry one from Brooklinen, and also loved the waffle-knit one (which we got in a bed size). We also have this muslin Bearaby one which is a huge favorite with our friends.
- A soft, snuggly, throw: I love a great velvety throw, especially in the colder months. I recently got two of these for the holiday season and am really enjoying snuggling up with them.
- A throw to keep them warm: I am perennially cold and am therefore obsessed with electric blankets, throw-sized or otherwise. I have one like this with a foot pocket that has worked pretty well for me over the years, including on several trips.
Honorable mentions go to: this cute Chappywrap, which looks incredibly soft and cozy (and so cute!); and a Litograph with their favorite classic novel on it, which I have pined after for years.
A warm beverage…
One of the elements that takes a reading session to peak coziness is the perfect warm beverage. For me, that means either tea or cocoa. Some of my favorites for a reading session include:
- A great Earl Grey or cream-flavored black tea – I’m partial to this one from Tea Sparrow, and have also been enjoying Harney and Sons Paris recently.
- A fruity green or a nice Pineapple Oolong can hit the spot in the early afternoon, when I’m feeling something a bit lighter
- I am obsessed with teas that have literary references: there’s a new Agatha Christie line from Harney and Sons, and I’ve also enjoyed these authorial ones (Austen is my favorite).
- I also subscribe to the Tea Sparrow monthly subscription, and would have been delighted to get that as a present
- If you want to go extra-fancy, you could also get them a great tea infuser to allow them access to loose-leaf – I’ve had this one for years and use it several times a week.
- For the cocoa drinker, I swear by Amara Hot Chocolate. So good, basically foolproof, and you can make both American-style (thin, classic) and European-style (rich, decadent) with it.
I’m not a coffee drinker, so no recommendations there – but if you know there’s a coffee brand they love, you can’t go wrong there.
…And a cute mug to put it in
For me, the mug can set the mood even further. As such, I try to curate my collection, and my favorite reading mugs today include:
- This reading one (and this holidays reading one) from Rifle Paper Co.
- This little double-walled bear one is silly but so fun to drink from.
- I’m really hoping to get this Uncommon Goods mug which delivers a new quotation with every drink.
- Everyone has their personal favorite thermal mug brand and mine is Corkcicle. (I like the shape the best – it’s perfect for gripping.) I have to stop myself from buying every Rifle Paper Co. collab they make.
I’ve been vacillating on the Ember Mug for years but can’t really justify it to myself – but it could be nice if you know a reader who loves a piping hot drink.
Great scents
The next step when I set my scene is the right scent – it can really help establish the right vibe. In the fall or winter, you’ll find the home full of warm, spiced smells, perfect for a dark academia / mystery vibe; in summer, fruity smells set the tone for something a little brighter and peachier. Over the years, I’ve moved away from candles and towards wax melts to avoid soot, but I’ve included references for a variety of my favorite scents here.
- Zeep wax melts – this is such a cute small business with the best seasonal scents. Current favorites include (Note that many people don’t default to wax melts, so you may want to include a wax melter. We’ve used this one from Target for years [shown above behind the mug] and love it.)
- Otherland candles, particularly anything with a spiced scent. I swear by the Cardamom Milk scent and have also been loving the Dessert First candle lately.
- There’s nothing cozier than the crackle of a WoodWick candle – most recently I’ve been burning the Cashmere scent as it gives me cold month cozy vibes.
A topical / relevant bookmark
At some point, even the best reading sessions have to come to an end. And if you read physical books, you will need something to hold your place. I adore a beautiful or thoughtful bookmark as a present – they can truly be little works of art. Etsy is your friend here. Some ideas of the bookmarks I’ve loved over the years:
Less cute but so functional is this reading light bookmark for late-night reading sessions.
I swear by page-corner bookmarks to hold my place. You can get them in a variety of themed fabrics and they’re so cute!
I’m a sucker for a book stack bookmark – my personal collection includes this one from Rifle Paper Co.
I got this microcrochet strawberry bookmark last Christmas and it brought a smile to my face every time I used it this year.
For all the other times…
No matter how much they might wish, no reader can spend all their time reading. But that doesn’t mean they don’t want to be reminded of their favorite hobby. If you’re looking for a present that can help them rep their love for reading, here are a few of my personal favorites.
Cute reading stickers
Starting small but perhaps slightly controversially with reading stickers. I, personally, love stickers – I have them on the laptop I blog with and my work laptop, as well as my desk. If you know a reader who likes stickers (check laptops and water bottles for clues!), a high-quality sticker can be a thoughtful little present. I personally prefer stickers with a clear backing as I find them a little less obtrusive on my personal items. Today, I’ve got:
- This bookshelf sticker – in several colors / forms
- This pretty magical book sticker
- This “I’d rather be reading” sticker (to remind me why I should be less of a workaholic)
A bookish print
If you think they have the wall space to dedicate, a bookish print can be a nice way to display their literary favorites. I love my Ideal Bookshelf Agatha Christie print, and she does a number of other themes that might tickle your reader’s fancy (or you can get one custom-made!). I’ve also wanted this Miss Marple print for a couple of years now…
A cute bookish tote
You’ve got to have some way to cart all your favorite reading material around. Whether I’m walking to the local park or hauling a pile to the beach, it makes me happy to carry my TBR in a bookish tote.
- I love this one from Rifle Paper Co. and this one from Out of Print.
- I was also pleasantly surprised by the quality of these cute ones from Amazon.
Books labels for organization
Perhaps my most favorite bookshelf hack in the last year has been adding shelf labels to my library. Like most readers I know, my collection is a bit idiosyncratic, and it can be hard for people to understand what’s in it. Adding labels has allowed me to set my friends loose on my library, and opened up so much conversation. It doesn’t take much – I just used these labels from the Container Store. (If you give someone these labels, it might be nice to volunteer your shelf-labeling services as well, so you haven’t just given them a slightly weird chore.)
A word of warning based on my own experiences here – unless you know they’re already the kind of person to label all their books, I would avoid getting them presents like custom bookplates or a book embosser. I know they are extremely cute, but they’re also a habit to build, and while I own several I use none of them. They also make it harder to anonymously donate to any local library, which is enough to keep them away from my shelves.
A cute book nook
We are moving on to the sillier portion of the list. I will be fully transparent here: nobody needs a book nook. But. My book nook – a little mini library – makes me happy every time I see it on my shelf. It’s such a cute reminder of how wonderful books are, and a little piece of magic in my every day. And who doesn’t want that?
Note that book nooks are very much assembly required – it took my and my husband the better part of a weekend to put this one together. So this is a great present for a crafty reader – or a crafty gift-giver, if you want to pre-assemble it.
This fancy book light
Again, do you need a light shaped like a book that illuminates when you open it? No. But does it make me so, so happy to own? Absolutely. This was the star Christmas present last year and I get a little giggly inside whenever I open it. It truly is like magic to open the covers of a book and see a warm glow.
(In case the big one feels too extra, they make a smaller one with loads of cute designs as well.)
A little free library setup
Perhaps the most extravagant thing on this list is their own Little Free Library. I love my local Little Free Library and routinely drop off books there. For years I have tried to get my own set up, and for years I have been rebuffed by various local governments and HOAs. I live for the day I can own and maintain one of my own. Until then, I will continue to be a regular donor – and hope that you can make a reader’s day by helping them share their favorites with the community.
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Whew – long list, and we’re only halfway through… I would love to know your favorite bookish gifts / gifts for readers (especially as I’m making my own list for this year). Up next is Part 2, focused on mystery games for the cozy mystery lover…
Until next time, stay cozy, and stay curious!
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