When going on a mad December shopping spree, an awful lot of time books are overlooked as gifts. Usually when buying gifts for friends and family we tend to stick to electronic and beauty products, as they seem the safest bets. There are some people who just don’t like reading and never will and therefore a book is not a good idea. But if you know a friend who loves to sit down with the odd book or have a sister who devours books then it might be time to start thinking of buying a few books for them this Christmas instead of something like clothes.
There are literally millions of books to choose from
There are so so many books out there! Like millions, and among those books are all kinds of different genres and writing styles and stories. No matter what someone’s interests are you can be sure there’s a book for it. Like magical worlds? Sorted. Like horses? Sorted. Like politics? Sorted. Like the idea of time travel? Sorted.
It’s takes a bit more effort
There’s an incredible amount of choice out there in terms of books, it’s actually unbelievable. When looking for a book for yourself, it’s not something you do lightly, you go to the proper section and browse and read the back of book covers until you find one that suits. It’s the exact same when you’re picking a book for someone else. The person who receives the book will know that and know it took you time and effort to find the perfect one and appreciate it even more.
They can enjoy something they might not have picked for themselves
Sometimes people can be hesitant to buy books for other people as they don’t know if they’ll like it. But it’s not too hard to find out what they’re into, do they have any political books lying about their house or is it all romance or is it all YA? Don’t worry about them not liking it because if they don’t enjoy it they can just re-gift it or give it to a second-hand bookshop. Also sometimes it’s nice to get something we wouldn’t normally have picked out ourselves, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.
You’re sharing a world with somebody
If you love a book and don’t want to part with your copy, it’s a really nice idea to buy one for your friend who might like one too.
Books are the gifts that keep on giving
Sometimes books are seen as boring gifts, but that is only to people who do not like books to begin with. Hopefully people will love the books you give them this year. Books aren’t just for Christmas, often if someone really loves a book they will usually revisit it again and again.
Books are a means of escape
If someone you know is going through a rough time and you’re trying to think of something to do to help them, a book is a wonderful idea. Books are a great way of escaping reality, even if it’s just for a few hours. We all have fond memories of reading books on dark, dreary days when the rain is pelting at the window but you don’t even realise because you’re curled up inside with your book. The world of books can be magical and it’s nice to immerse yourself and forget your worries and troubles for a while.
It’s something different
Books aren’t the usual first choice of presents for people, usually we think of beauty or electronics. Although they may be the easiest presents to figure out under the wrapping paper, the actual story or theme behind the book will still be a surprise and it’s not your typical Christmas gift. (That’s socks.)
It will make people remember you fondly
Not in the sense that they’ll still remember you if you stopped being friends or if you move away. But in the sense that anytime they see it on their bookshelf or someone talks about it or in fact when they re-read it, they’ll think about you fondly and be grateful you introduced them to this book.
Originally published on December 14, 2016