Getting a gift for that book-lover in your life can come with some problems, especially if you want to avoid getting them a book as, chances are, they’ll have it already! As a resident booklover, I decided to explore around Norwich and online to find some of the best bookish gifts for that reader in your life. 

What goes well with books? Hot drinks!

Whether that be coffee, tea, hot chocolate or something completely different, a mug or travel cup can be a great choice. Personally, I love Circular and Co and their ethos of making reusable cups from single use ones, and so an easy choice is their Waterstones-Exclusive book-themed travel cup. While there, you can check out the vast array of mugs, from ‘The Great Catsby’ to a moody Hamlet quote. You can always add some tea bags or something similar as a little extra. 

A lot of readers want subtle ways to show off their hobby, and I think that jewellery is a great thing to consider.

You can base it on your price range too, which can be useful if fulfilling a secret Santa. Whether it’s the ‘One Ring to Rule Them All’ or a quote from their favourite book, it can be a really nice way for them to show their interests. My favourite piece of jewellery is a small book pendant, which has an image of my friends on one side and my brother on the other. Something personalised like that can be great gift for a partner or family member. 

Some other small things worth mentioning are pencils and candles! 

PaddyWax now makes candles in little tins inspired by authors. I assume they don’t smell like them, but if Oscar Wilde smells like Cedarwood and Basil then good on him. You can also get various quote pencils online and in local stores, as well as journals and notebooks inspired by specific novels as well. 

Another great thing to consider are things that aid the bookish experience!

Bookmarks immediately come to mind, but something I’d strongly recommend is a book sleeve as they are incredible at keeping books nice and tidy. I got mine from Duck Egg Design, a local Norwich artist, and it has protected more of my books than I can count. You can also get bookish bags: tote bags, satchels, rucksacks, for storing their long TBR. The Well Read Company is a great choice, they are slightly more expensive, but they last for ages and are incredible to look at! 

Finally, I would like to give some suggestions for if you would rather buy them a book.

If you don’t know how much they’d like any of the above and want to stick to what they like, I don’t blame you. One thing that is always worth doing is considering special editions of their favourite books. While more expensive than a standard paperback, it is a guaranteed hit as they already love the book! Plus, special editions look great on shelves.

Another suggestion is getting them a ‘pocket read’. It can be great to have a tiny book to be able to stick in a bag easily – Macmillan Collector’s Library have a great selection! If you’re on a budget, Wordworth Classics are worth looking at. Each book is around half the price of a standard paperback, and the new editions have some beautiful covers. 

That’s all in my recommendations, happy shopping! 

Photo credit: Parker Job