This Holiday Gift Guide is sponsored by The Honest Company.
And please note that I use all of the products listed below, and please note that they are things that I find cute, lovable, useful, crush-worthy, delicious, and very giftable. And please note that I ♥︎ your awesome self.
Last day of gift guide-ing today! And then I actually have to start shopping. *gulp*
Today’s ideas are focused on the book lover. So basically, gifts geared towards any person who loves cozy things, because I think that’s the same as book-loving, right? I mean, books = blankets = warm fuzzies in your heart. That’s how I’ve always thought about reading.
Thanks for sharing all your ideas with me in the posts for Food Lovers and Fashion Lovers. Christmas is LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY! I need to go shopping now.
Cozy Gifts For Book Lovers
The truth: Bjork is the only REAL nonfiction reader in this family. But I wouldn’t necessarily call this book straight up nonfiction – it’s just life lessons relating to creativity. And it’s really good, even for your people who normally aren’t into nonfiction. *hand raised* It’s almost like a tiny flip book with lots of images, charts, and drawings and for people who are interested in the creative process, it’s just plain fun to look through.
Between the two of us, we have a few other recs for ya:
Bjork recommends: War of Art (a book about how to push through creative challenges)
Bjork recommends: The Icarus Deception (a book about being unpredictable and brave)
Bjork recommends: The Tipping Point (a book about how little things make a big difference)
I recommend: Long Way Gone (a memoir telling the perspective-changing story of a child soldier in Sierra Leone)
I recommend: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking (a book about, um, that. so fascinating!)
I recommend: 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess (a book about radically simplifying your life)
I am the fiction reader in this family, so Bjork won’t have anything to add here. What’s that all about anyways? I can never understand people who don’t read fiction. Fiction is just so much… fun. Of course, Jodi Piccoult books are always at the top of my list. Her most recent book, The Storyteller, is profound. I loved it and it inspired me to plan a trip with my mom and sisters to visit the Holocaust museum in Washington DC in a few weeks.
Some other fiction books I love and that have made great gifts:
I recommend: The Hunger Games books (do I even need to explain?)
I recommend: House Rules (another great Jodi Piccoult story about a teenager with autism)
I recommend: The Blue Bistro (a story about love, Nantucket, restaurants, and things.)
I recommend: Still Alice (a story about a woman with early-onset Alzheimer’s, much like Bjork’s aunt’s story)
I recommend: Redeeming Love (a story about, well, LOVE. The cover looks a little weird but the story is unstoppable.)
The softness. I’m getting sleepy just talking about it. We got this Pottery Barn blanket as a Christmas gift from my mom a few years ago when we had just moved into our other little house. Since then it has seen us through many a Sunday nap, fireside book binge, and hot chocolate sippin’. We have the pretty snowy cream color cause it’s the prettiest and cause we don’t have babies or pets. Truth.
We can thank the wonderful land of Target for these ones. They are perf for wearing around the house and keeping your feet warm-warm when you’re cozy on the couch. In fact, I may or may not be wearing these right now while sitting in a big scushy chair with my feet up and writing this post. PS. On more than a handful of occasions I have worn these as shoes. What?! They are cute little booties. It’s almost Christmas. No stopping now.
A coffee table book is a great way to say, “I see that you’re interested in _____ and I think that’s really cool.” Last year for Christmas, our neighbors in the Philippines, Marlon and Shay, gave us a coffee table book with pictures of all the different churches in the Philippines. It’s such a fun thing for us to keep out because people want to look at it and ask us questions about things that we are interested in talking about. This book, Memories of a Philippine Kitchen, is one that my mom has. It’s gorgeous.
This wouldn’t be for everyone, but I recently saw this photography/coffee table style book about children around the world and where they sleep, and I thought it looked amazing.
I like to read on my Kindle, and I REALLY like to read on my Kindle when it feels like I’m holding a baby animal. That, or a very soft and nice Kindle cover. Is there really even a difference? I mean, seriously.
Cozy Stocking Stuffers For Book Lovers
Ask me if I like candles. Um, yes, I LOVE CANDLES. Candles make a great gift because anything that gives you that light glow and a gentle feel-good smell is going to be a winner for most people. This candle from The Honest Company takes it a step further – the soy candle is made with only natural ingredients like soy wax and organic oils. Oh and by the way, the smells are the best of all the candles in the whole world. Lavender Mint, Sweet Orange Vanilla, and Gardenia Jasmine. le sigh.
Dork city, but I have one and I love it and I can’t remember what I did before it. Perfect for sneaking in the ol’ stocking on Christmas morn.
Enough For Us, More For Others
It’s really hard for me to believe that just one year ago we were sitting outside, wiping the sweat off our faces every five minutes, gathering around picnic tables filled with mangoes, rice, and chicken adobo, holding these precious kids on our laps while eating our Christmas dinner. I specifically remember that the little girl in the pink (on the right side there melting your heart) sat on Bjork’s lap and played with him all through the Christmas, wearing, of course, her pink Christmas dress (last year, on the left side). It’s such a sweet memory, and we are so thankful to now be back with our families for this best time of year, but my heart aches a little bit when I think about what I’m missing on the other side of the world this Christmas season. Okay, it aches a lot.
All that to say, once again I’m ending this post with a way to give because IT FEELS GOOD and right and cozy in our hearts to give. To host this party for 80, the shelter needs $450 dollars. I have no doubt that we could all make this happen for the kids that call this place home.
It’s been fun to do something different for a few days and share gifting and giving ideas with you!
Thanks for being awesome. I wish I could give you all a Christmas gift. Oh wait – I can, and it’s coming in the form of more yummy food, ASAP! Thank you x100.