The only book-centric gift guide you'll ever need
Thoughtful, not-lame picks for everyone on your list.
Happy-ish holidays, everyone!
Books make a great holiday gift for several very compelling reasons, and we’re not just saying this as a book-centric podcast. (Though, you know, books are kinda our thing.)
They’re relatively inexpensive, widely available, and the vast selection means there really is something for everyone: your toddler nephew obsessed with Paw Patrol, your sister who wants to be an Instagram influencer, your favorite uncle who only reads legal thrillers, your grandma who goes on a yearly cruise with her knitting club.
Oh, and they’re easy to wrap, even if you’re a terrible gift wrapper like myself.
In Iceland, they love books-as-gifts so much that they celebrate Jolabokaflod, where families exchange books on Christmas Eve and spend the night reading and sipping hot chocolate, a tradition that has tragically not caught on in America.
But with so, so, so many options to choose from, it can be extremely intimidating to gift the perfect book, or to find the time to plan out exactly what to purchase for all your favorite people. Sure, you can grab whatever new bestseller is on the top of the pile at your local bookstore or get your dad another Barnes and Noble gift card (guilty), but this year, you can do better. Because we made a gift guide to help you!
Today on a solo episode of Terrible Reading Club, Nora’s got book picks for all kinds of folks, including:
Kids books that you won’t want to hide on the tallest shelf in the closet
Ideas for your father-in-law who only reads Dean Koontz
Comforting and hopeful — but not cheesy — reads for people going through it
Recos for your bestie who exclusively watches Bravo
The Official Terrible Reading Club 2023 Gift Guide
The books
We put our heads together (and polled readers on Instagram!) for some thoughtful and fun suggestions to get you started on your gifting quest.
For kids:
Kid lit for little ones with big feelings, classic faves you won’t get sick of, YA picks for your tween niece.
For grown-ups:
Memoirs, nonfiction, Queen Ann Patchett, a dad-approved thriller — it’s all on the list.
The other fun stuff
If your intended recipient is a big reader and you’re afraid of gifting them a book they’ve already read — a very real possibility! — why not treat them to something to enhance their reading experience?
A surprisingly cute and handy book light
Bookworm-approved. (Seriously, Nora’s whole family has their own light at this point.) Read just one more page without bugging your bedmate.
Hi Barbie! Stock the Dreamhouse Library in your choice of black, gray, and perfect pastel pink.
An actually useful stocking stuffer
Seriously, stop dogearing those precious pages and use a bookmark! Grab a couple stickers too.
A dad hat that goes with everything
Let the world know who you are without saying a single world. This hat’ll do the talking.
Nora’s favorite candle warmer with a built-in timer
Ignore this truly stunning stock image and instead focus on the adorable pink lampshade! The delicious aroma of your favorite candle wafting around as you dive into a new book! The warm, ambient glow! The fact that it has a timer so you won’t leave it on for 3 days straight!
The headphones that block out the world
These wireless headphones tell Nora’s brain it’s time to work. They block out excess noise — kids, traffic, dogs barking at UPS, whatever — so you can focus. As in, focus on the book in front of you and not on TikTok.
Happy reading and gifting!
-Team TRC
I have one of those booklights too. I love it, very versatile.
Great picks, thank you!