It’s gifting season here at the Owlet’s Nest, and honestly, dreaming up presents for my loved ones is one of my favorite parts of the year. (The only thing that keeps me from doing it even earlier is the lack of storage space in my city condo!)

That said, my family is full of niche hobbies and ultra-specific interests—which can make gifting a bit of a puzzle in itself. Every year, we make wishlists that span price ranges and passions. In our household, you’re always welcome to pour time and energy into something unique—but you’re equally welcome to defer to someone’s clearly stated wishes.

So what about my list – does reading count as a niche hobby? As reading rates decline, the answer might sadly be yes. Which means figuring out what to gift a reader like me can be a tricky proposition. Too often, “gifts for book lovers” lists are surface-level, cheesy, or both. (No, I do not want a baseball cap that just says “Books.”)

So this is part three of my ongoing attempt to fix that—with a list of bookish items I’ve loved, used, or dreamed about for years. You can find Parts 1 and 2 here and here.

(Same rules as last year: no affiliate links, and everything here is either something I own and adore, or something that’s been on my personal wishlist for ages.)

Paper puzzles, core memories

For a more indie (non-mystery) vibe, I’m fond of County Highway, a quarterly broadsheet full of fascinating, small-town stories about real people and places. It’s a perfect Saturday morning breakfast read.

Mystery puzzles

If your reader is more hands-on, consider a mystery-themed jigsaw puzzle. I’m not usually a jigsaw fan—I lack the patience—but I’ve loved The Magic Puzzle Company’s creations. The puzzles have interesting, detailed art, which keeps me much more engaged as I’m solving. When you’re done, Curry’s Paradox lets you move around the sections you’ve built to make room for a new one. The new sections are delightful extensions of the existing art, and I’ve never not had a smile on completion. We have several of these puzzles on our family gift list this year, and I’m looking forward to solving them with family over a warm beverage or two.

A few more puzzle books

It wouldn’t be a list of puzzles without any reference to puzzle books. I listed most of my favorites last year, but there are a few new ones worth mentioning…

• I picked up a copy of Bordergrams at the airport and solved the whole thing on a cross-country flight. It’s a bit like a hexagon version of Connections, and a nice way to stretch your lateral thinking muscles. And, as with all Karber puzzle books, there’s a nice little plot to keep you moving through…
• Maureen Johnson’s You Are the Detective: The Creeping Hand Murder is a beautifully illustrated and clever solve-your-own mystery puzzle. Perfect for a rainy afternoon by a crackling fire (or wood wick candle).
• I’m very excited about the new New York Times Puzzle Mania! book, which promises never-before seen puzzles to expand existing fun formats. (Not to be confused with the paper insert!)

A bright lamp to illuminate their puzzles

I was born and brought up in Florida. To my chagrin, I love live further North than I ever have before, and it gets dark way too fast up here. This year, I’ve finally decided to invest in some lamps for my seasonal affective disorder. And so far, they’ve really helped me have the energy to actually engage with all my puzzling and mystery-solving desires. I’ve particularly enjoyed these pretty ones from Sunrise Sensations, in part because the remote makes them easier to handle from afar (and I’m a sucker for aesthetics).

The gift of creative zen

The cutest themed stationery

Sometimes, it’s the small things. I love having subtly themed fan stationery on my desk – these notepads from Bertram’s Hotel are a prime example. They’re pretty, and they remind me of a character I love. I’m a huge fan of everything Herb Lester makes, particularly this cute Agatha Christie map. (One day I will have the wall space to frame it!)

For the more philatelic among us, the USPS released these adorable Goodnight, Moon stamps. And if you prefer Pratchett (and don’t mind stamps mostly as art), there’s a whole line of Discworld stamps to pore over.

A journaling time capsule

If you’ve got a more nostalgic, reflective reader on your hands, perhaps a time capsule style journal is the right place to start. These books of letters each have a prompt and some writing space to respond. The idea is, you write your journal entry, seal it up, and then re-read in a few years (and reflect on how life has changed, and how it’s stayed the same). This kind of present can take some focus to engage with, so I don’t recommend it for anyone other than an existing journaler – but for the right reader, it’s a cute, clever way to help them re-engage with their thoughts.

A beautiful e-reader case

Sometimes, all you’re looking for is a little creative inspiration. A few years back, I wouldn’t have thought you could get that from your e-reader case – but there’s been a boom in artsy, high-quality e-reader cases. (I particularly like the cases from Page the Shop, which feature independent artists’ work, though I’m devastated they seem to be phasing out their Oasis cases.) As someone who loves seasonal decor and owns two Kindles, this has not been the best for my wallet. But every time I look at my perfectly themed Kindle, it brings me joy – and sometimes, just the dopamine boost to get off my phone and back into a book.

The perfect tea corner

Of course, loose-leaf tea also benefits from the perfect brewing temperature. For that, you’ll want a kettle that allows you to set the temperature to the degree. I personally love my Fellow Corvo (non-gooseneck) kettle. But really, any kettle with precise temperature settings will do.

A well-designed tea storage solution

My most recent upgrade to my tea corner was a storage solution. I’m a bit of a tea hoarder, and my corner was basically a pile of odd boxes struggling to stay balanced. This All Spice Tea Rack changed that – my tea is now stored and labeled neatly. Even better, it forced me to triage my tea selections to the 9 that I really want to keep around. I have a few seasonal tins, a few tins saved for souvenir teas, and then 9 which I’m a bit more thoughtful about. This has made it way easier for me to quickly brew up tea, since I know exactly what I have. (As a bonus, it’s also much easier for guests to engage with my tea selection!)

The perfect travel tumbler

While I love a good mug, I often find that outside my breakfast routine, a tumbler is the right vessel for my tea. I love brewing up 24 ounces of warm tea and then carrying that with me for errands, blogging, and long mystery sessions. And while the vessel shouldn’t matter, having a beautiful tumbler for that tea makes me much more likely to remember to carry it with me. My brand of choice here is Corkcicle – I like the flat sides – but I think the actual most important questions here are: 1) is it large enough to carry for hours? 2) will it keep drinks warm for the same period? 3) is it cute enough that it will come with you, no matter what? (Heaven forbid you leave your cute tea tumbler behind!)

A cozy bath + books setup

Some lovely scents to match

Of course, setting up the right bathing vibe is essential. I’m particularly partial to bath bombs from Lush. (And I was very excited to see the new Scooby Doo line. Silly for an adult? Perhaps, but also so nostalgic!) And this year, I’ve gotten into adding their bubble bars to the water for an extra-foamy bath. Beyond Lush, I’m hoping to get some tea bath this year for a more refined version of the experience.

The bath tray has also unlocked a more natural place to set my candles, which means I get to enjoy candles in the bath! I’ve been really happy with these literary-themed ones from Paddywax. It’s nice that they’re a little narrower in diameter, as it allows the wax melt pool to spread to the edges more quickly (i.e. in a more feasible amount of bath time). The candles really help set up the relaxation / self-care vibe, especially when they’re flickering directly on the tray instead of a counter a few feet away. (Note I make no claims as to safety here, use at your own peril!)

A little luxury

If all you did was use the components above – bath tray, scent component(s), candle – you’d already have a lovely reading + bath experience. But two bath-related gifts this year have taken my baths over the top: a bath pillow and a towel warmer.

The bath pillow is from Badesofa, and you can lay it behind you in the bath as you read / soak / relax. It has a weight inside so it doesn’t awkwardly float, and in my experience, using it makes baths even more inviting and relaxing. I also love having a warm towel to wrap up in once I’m done with my reading and ruminating – very spa-like, and it makes me feel absolutely taken care of. Bliss.

Gifting bookish experiences

Looking back, the common thread though all my suggestions is one of experience – the experience of engagement, of community, of creativity, of self-care. It can feel like the world gets faster and more chaotic daily, and I find reading to be a critical way to slow down and focus. For me, reading is a hobby that helps me create moments of flow – and all of these gift suggestions are ways to help your reader expand that moment and enjoy it more.

Whatever you choose, I hope your gift helps your favorite reader feel cozy, curious, and completely at home in their bookish world.

And if you’ve discovered the perfect reading gift yourself—please share! I’d love to hear about it.

Until next time—stay cozy, and stay curious.