What The Readers/Writers in Your Life Want for Christmas

Nine days until Christmas!!! It feels like Christmas has really snuck up on us this year!  Where are our minds right now?  Christmas shopping!  If you love to read, there are bound to be a few readers on your Christmas list as well, and they can sometimes be a challenge.  But before you settle for another B&N gift card (which is ALWAYS appreciated, don’t get me wrong!), let’s think outside the book for a moment.

Also, in the midst of checking others off your shopping list, you will inevitably be asked what YOU want for Christmas.  Have you thought about it?  Have you  made your wishlist?  If you haven’t, not to worry!

From show-stoppers to stocking stuffers to “seriously?”, here are a few things that we think you’ll love!

(disclaimer: we don’t get any kind of kickback from any of these – we just like them!)

1. Kindle. Hey, you can dream, right?  What better gift for the voracious reader than a way to carry multiple books at the same time without adding bulk to a briefcase, backpack or purse?  Any kind of e-reader would be a welcome gift. Right now, they’re only $59 on Amazon!
2. “Yes, I’m Actually Reading This” Bookmarks (here). In case there was any doubt, this bookmark says it all.  It also has a place to take notes on what you’re reading to make it even more believable.
3. A Book/Movie Combo.  So many popular books have become movies in the past few years.  Everyone knows that the books are always better than the movies, but give them both and you can have a really great compare/contrast discussion over egg nog and Christmas cookies. Options include
   1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
   2. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
   3. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
   4. The Giver by Lois Lowry
   5. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
   6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
   7. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
   8. Beautiful Creatures by Cami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
   9. The Host by Stephanie Meyer
   10. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
   11. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
4. Book-Wrapped Pencils (here). Never be without something to read! This Etsy vendor has taken pages from a book (I will forgive him/her for book destruction because it’s in the name of something really cool!) and wrapped them around pencils so you can read AND write at the same time!  Books available include Harry Potter, Divergent, Sherlock Holmes and Percy Jackson.
5. Penguin Drop Caps (here). An absolutely gorgeous collection of Penguin classics, each with a beautifully-illustrated letter on the cover.  Starting with A for Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, there is no end to the possibilities for these!  Collect them all for you “ducks in a row” people, spell out a name or even pick the ones that match your decor to add a little literary flair to your home or office.
6. The Book Seat (here). For those of us that still prefer traditional to digital, this neat contraption allows you to read “hands free.”  This would be excellent if you wanted to hold a warm beverage of your choice and still be able to actually turn the pages.  It would also be a great iPad holder if you decide to read digitally every now and then as well!
7. Bookopoly (here). This bookish twist on the classic board game makes my bibliophile heart happy!  It features literary classics as the properties and icons from those classics as the game pieces.  Pass “READ” to collect your dollars, pay your book fees (taxes), avoid having to watch TV (go to jail), ride on the four genres (railroads) and build your libraries and bookstores (houses and hotels).  The cleverness of this game alone makes me want to own it.
8. Chalkboard “Today I’m Reading” Mug (here).  I’ve read those lists of what not to get for teacher gifts, and I know that a mug is high on that list, but this mug doesn’t count.  This mug is amazing and every teacher/librarian should have it.  They don’t even have to put stuff in it!  Great readers love to talk about what they read, and this is a great way to start that conversation with your students.
9. Book-scented candle (here).  Nothing beats the smell of new/old books. Have you ever walked into a bookstore (new or old) and just stopped to breathe it in?  If you have, this ingenious invention is for you.  Somehow, they’ve captured that experience in a variety of candles, such as Oxford Library, Book Cellar, Bookstore, and Sherlock’s Study.  I have a hunch this was invented by husbands who wanted their wives to be happy, but not spend all their money in a bookstore.
10. Story Cubes (here). This little game is amazing for inspiring creativity and imagination!  It’s a simple concept – nine dice loaded with random images.  But the possibilities are endless!  Roll all nine dice and see who can come up with the most creative story, or have each person roll one die and contribute a sentence to the story.  Use the story cubes to prompt even the most reluctant writer or to spark fun dinner table conversation!

Now that I’ve compiled this list, I really just want to light my book-scented candle, fill my “Today I’m Reading” Mug with hot chocolate, curl up in my comfy chair, grab my Book Seat, remove my “Yes I’m Actually Reading This” bookmark from The Maze Runner (I’m rereading so I can see the movie!), and enjoy an afternoon in book lover’s paradise.

What do YOU want for Christmas??