If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 40 years of being a bookish person, it’s that people don’t want to buy me books. They worry that I already own them, or they don’t feel confident that they know my taste. If you’re facing the same issue, and you want to surprise and delight your bookish friends, I have some great news for you: some of the best gifts for book lovers are not books!
Last year Teresa Preston brought you 50+ Amazingly Unique Gifts for Book Lovers (That Aren’t Books) and today I’m going to bring you another 60+ gifts your bookish pals and family are sure to love—that aren’t books!
Best Stocking Stuffer Gifts for Book Lovers
This handmade bookish hair tie can conveniently keep the hair out of a person’s eyes so they can see the pages more clearly.
Bookish stickers are good, wooden stickers are unique, this I’d Rather Be Reading wooden sticker is an example of book gifts that can do it all.
Wooden stickers aren’t the only wooden gifts for book lovers that aren’t books—these wooden bookmarks come in a variety of colors, all of which are beautiful and unique.
If you’re a fan of someone who’s a fan of horror or vintage comic books, then this Retro Creature Bookmark is a good place to start.
Are you looking for last-minute unique gifts for book lovers? This minimalist Coffee Book Art Print will make a Zen, relaxed reader sigh with joy.
There’s a lot to love about this vintage library due date mask, including the many options the maker offers such as sizes, shapes, and extenders. These are not one-size-fits-all Etsy gifts for readers.
Sometimes you need a big wooden sticker and sometimes you need an adorable sheet of book lovers stickers. These lovely stickers would make a wonderful addition to any stuffed stocking.
Pride and Prejudice fans appreciate unique gifts for book lovers that feature one of their favorite tomes. Case in point, this lovely enamel pin.
For book and tea lovers, the best book gifts combine these two loves. With this particular set of literary teas, you can choose between more than two dozen classic authors, from Mary Shelley to Agatha Christie.
Fans of V.E. Schwab will appreciate these Darker Shade of Magic pin that showcases multiple Londons.
If your bookish loved one is always on the go, this Book Mobile key chain lets them take their bookish identity with them.
Minimalist’s with a sense of whimsy will love having this unframed book print rolled up in their stocking. Non-whimsical bookish types need not worry—there’s also a version without a balloon.
What’s better than curling up with a book in a warm bath? Using a bookish bath bomb to take it to a whole new level of coziness.
Make their next celebration even sweeter with this hand-punched book confetti.
Bookish enamel pins are a lot of fun but what does the true collector do when they have too many to wear at once? This bookish pin holder is perfect because it allows pins to be carefully displayed and enjoyed. Pins can be carefully displayed and enjoyed.
This lost in books patch can be attached to a backpack, jacket, shirt—just about anywhere the recipient wants to remind themselves of the joy of getting lost in books.
Help save the post office and fill up a stocking at the same time with these literary post cards. They’re available with and without envelopes—and don’t forget to grab some bookish stamps!
Help keep their lips soft and supple with the cleverly named Rosemary & Guildenstern Are Dead lip balm.
Litographs offers a variety of literary temporary tattoos and you can grab a set of 6 for right around $10.
Another unique way to store bookish pins, this cloth pin holder settles right on a bookshelf and can hold earrings too.
I love this spellbook washi tape, or you can check out a whole bunch of bookish washi alternatives courtesy of Kelly Jensen.
No one can have too many sticky notes, can they? Certainly not if they are these lovely bookish sticky notes.
There are plenty of online resources for keeping track of reading stats, but sometimes a book worm needs to write it down. These started and finished book stickers can work in a planner or be stickered to the books themselves.
Though this girl reading laptop sticker would be a lovely addition for any reader, if your reader is also a writer, they will love this reminder of their future audience as they type away on their next draft.
For the reader who keeps their keys close by, you can choose from several different interesting bookish key fob wristlets.
Electronic Gifts for Book Lovers
If you don’t know what your pal/family member wants to read, I promise you there is someone who does—and that someone can be found at TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations. The process is brilliantly simple: you buy a gift subscription for your recipient, who then answers some simple questions about what they like and what they’ve read, and then brilliant bibliologists find the perfect books. It’s match making, for books!
Give the literary gift of a lifetime with a literary-inspired experience from Airbnb. There are tons of options, from watching a librarian read to cats to learning how to make literary-inspired cocktails.
Pick up a cute card and stuff it with a gift card to their favorite indie book store. Not sure which one they love? Check out this list of indie book stores in each state.
Lots of festivals have been put on hold, but others have continued online. In 2020, I enjoyed the New Yorker Festival from the comfort of my own home, watching Jerry Seinfeld and Steve Martin discuss their books, Ira Glass and Malcolm Gladwell fanperson over one another, and Jonathan Franzen whine about things, amongst other events. There was only one problem: it wasn’t cheap. We have covered virtual book festivals coming up and virtual admission would make a great gift.
For book lovers who are also creative types (or would like to be) there are a number of virtual classes you can sign them up for. This fun class, Mixed Media Inspiration: Repurpose Old Books to Create Book Page Art is a great way to use old, beloved but damaged books.
MasterClass offers some unique experiences too, including some geared toward bookish folks. Options include learning creative writing from Margaret Atwood, writing for YA audiences with R.L. Stine, and a writing class with Malcolm Gladwell.
A subscription to Book of the Month, whether for one month or the whole year, lets the recipient choose from amongst half a dozen books per month.
Reading is a great way to get snoozy and drop off to sleep—except for folks who have insomnia + ereaders. Studies have shown that blue light from electronics can make it harder to sleep while simultaneously causing tired eyes. No bueno! These blue light filtering glasses can help an addicted ereader enjoy their Kindle/Nook/etc. without these issues.
For audiobook fans, a unique, personalized headphone stand helps them stay tidy and organized.
For families who love audiobooks, or folks who simply want to blast their favorite tomes, this comic book bluetooth speaker could help make all their dreams come true.
A high-quality book light makes it possible to read just about anywhere, and is also very helpful for readers who have eye strain and vision issues. For me, the more light I have, the easier it is for me to read.
This book-shaped lamp is custom made using your books or theirs. If you’re not sure what to choose, you can also give them a genre, such as classics, and let them run with it to create a truly one-of-a-kind lamp.
Book clocks help readers track how love they’ve been reading and avoid showing up to things hours late after losing track of time.
Book Club Gifts
For book club members who like to sip and speak (or chug and chat, I’m not judging) these bookish wine stem charms can help keep everyone’s vino separate.
Get all your book club besties onto these personalized ornaments.
Pick a quote that’s meaningful to your book club, choose from a dozen fonts, and grab a group of these personalized leather bookmarks.
All you have to do is select the number of members you’re buying for and this book club gift pack comes with a trio of goodies for each one.
Let the world know that your girl gang is a book club with these vinyl stickers.
Stay safer the next time you meet in person by buying your book club these bookish masks.
It’s great talking about the same book with some of your best pals, but in a group where everyone is reading the same book it can easily get a little confusing. These personalized book plates make great gifts for book lovers who don’t want someone else accidentally taking their book home.
Make it easy for the clubbers to drag their books to and fro by giving them all their own personalized book club tote.
Coffee, tea, or wine, you do you, boo—but do it with cuteness in these personalized mugs that make a perfect book club gift.
With more than two dozen phrase options, you can pick out a different bookish sock for each member of the book club.
The gift that keeps on giving, use your book club gift budget to buy some gorgeous book club invites and delight your club members before every meeting.
This simple Book Club Reading Log makes it easy for everyone to take note and keep a record of what they read and how they liked it.
Great Kids’ Gifts for Book Lovers
An I <3 Books Banner made from board books? I can’t think of a better gift for a bookish kid’s bedroom.
Choose the name and colors (I suggest bright colors like Nadia’s here) and give a kid their very own name bookmark.
Sure, the maker describes these as bookish planner stickers, but what kid doesn’t want a few sheets of lovely bookish stickers?
Bookish journal? Check. Coloring book? Check. Great kids’ gift for book lovers? Double check.
Not only is this a bookish bracelet but it is a bracelet literally made out of the pages of books!
When a little bookworm wants to share their love of reading with the world, you can’t go wrong this little bookworm T-shirt.
An insulated tumbler with happy reading kids is a practical and cute choice.
Kids can make their own book with this glue-free book binding kit, which is available in many different colors.
The reader has total control over the Junk DNA book, which has no word and dozens of rearrangeable pieces so each kid can tell their own story.
The epitome of a kids’ gifts for book lovers, a Le Petit Prince book pillow just begs to be pulled into a cozy nap.
Not only is this bookish child’s facemask cute as can be, it actually taught me something: I didn’t even know owls could read!
This magnetic robot bookmark is ready for the very serious task of holding a bookish kid’s place.
If you know a kid who could teach us all a thing or two about how to be cute, then this might be the perfect bookish gift for them.
Source : 60+ Best Gifts for Book Lovers on Etsy and Around the Web
