A different kind of gift guide: minimalist-minded gifts for all budgets: Part 1 Book Gifts
I’d originally intended to create one big gift guide, but then things got a little out of hand and that guide turned into a truly mammoth list.
So, I decided to split it up into three different guides:
Part 1 (this one) is Book Gifts
Part 2 is Gifts for Adults
Part 3 is Gifts for Kids
I love giving gifts and I love receiving them - particularly if they are thoughtful and make me feel ‘seen’ and loved (they’re the best kind, aren’t they?).
But let's face it - a lot of people don't actually need anything. Some people simply buy whatever they want for themselves whenever they want it. Others may not want to clutter up their homes with any more things. Gift giving can easily get out of hand: sometimes I feel like I’m in a race (with who, I don’t really no! Perhaps myself?) trying to improve my gift giving efforts each year, throwing more money at the problem instead of reflecting on the person I’m buying for and what they might actually want.
So, today we're going to cover some gift ideas that aim to take it back a notch - to go back to the core of gift-giving - to show your love and appreciation of someone through a gift. To give them something to enjoy, bring a little indulgence or pleasure into their life, to expand lives, to enjoy beauty, give a renewed outlook, more time, a fresh start. Some of these ideas will be more minimalist-minded - things that are small, can be used up, or can be experienced instead of owned. A lot of these will be budget-friendly (some may be splurges), and some will cost you nothing.
Normally, I keep a big long list on my computer of various people I buy presents for, and I jot down ideas whenever I come across something. This tends to make the process of buying gifts easier: I just consult the list when the time to buy a gift comes around and voila! a whole bunch of great ideas. I’ve actually created a FREE PDF for you to create your own gift-giving list (including space to write notes about the person, collect ideas, and write in your budget). Why not sign up to my email list to open it up right now and jot down some ideas as you read through this article?
I hope you enjoy this gift guide, and you get some fresh ideas (or spark some of your own) for beautiful gifts for those you love - whether that be for the upcoming holiday season, or birthdays, or other celebrations; there is something in here for everyone.
Note: I’ve tried to include as many specific examples and links to make this process as stream-lined as possible for you! Some things will not be available worldwide unfortunately, but I do hope that you at least get some ideas and I encourage you to seek out local sources for your gifts.
Why Books?
If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you’ll know I love books. I also love giving books - I really do feel like a good book can change a life, so that’s why I’ve dedicated a whole article to book gifts!
Books to read
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on wisdom, perseverance, the art of living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in improving their life through philosophical wisdom. I just discovered that there is also a The Daily Stoic Journal - filled with writing prompts, quotes, anecdotes, and more on stoic philosophy.
A Toolkit for Happiness: 55 ways to feel better by Dr Emma Hepburn. I haven’t read this (it is brand new! Actually, it looks like it is currently unavailable due to supply chain issues) but it sounds really interesting - the idea is to explain psychological ideas using cartoons and simple language (see her Instagram profile for examples). Emma Hepburn has also written another book, called A Toolkit for Modern Life, which might be worth checking out if this concept sounds interesting to you.
The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. Another that I haven’t read, but I’m keen to (this may be a Christmas present I buy for myself!). It’s a collection of ‘short lyric essays’ that he wrote daily over a year, about (you guessed it): his delights.
The Comfort Book by Matt Haig. Along the same lines as some of the previous recommendations, this is a book of ‘mediations’ that ‘celebrate the ever-changing wonder of living’. Again, a good one for those who are philosophically-minded and are looking to improve their life. Matt Haig has also written a bunch of other books, including the popular title: The Midnight Library.
Rupi Kaur has sort of become an Instagram sensation with her simple and relatable poetry. She might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for the right person, she has three poetry collections: The Sun and Her Flowers, Milk and Honey, and Home Body (I have this and it is beautiful). Or, for the super-fan, why not buy the complete set in one volume? She has also recently released audio book versions (that she did herself!).
Ocean Vuong (author of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous) also has a number of poetry collections, including the latest, Time is a Mother (again, this might not be yet available), as well as Night Sky with Exit Wounds. His writing is exceptional.
If you’re after some collections that include multiple poets, then I highly recommend these (I bought both of them for my husband last Christmas): Poems that Make Grown Men Cry (poems selected by a range of well-known men, with a little essay preceding each one), and Poems on the Underground (short poems that have been displayed on the London tube).
If your recipient likes learning from lots of different people, then the Tim Ferriss books Tribe of Mentors and Tools of Titans might be of interest. Both follow a similar style: Tim Ferriss interviews people who excel at what they do to find out about the habits and routines and resources that help them.
I’m quite interested in the Scandinavian way of life. While I haven’t read this book yet, Lagom - The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life by Niki Brantmark, sounds really interesting and would be a great way to start off the new year on a good foot. PS, if you like Scandinavian design, check out her amazing Instagram profile. And, if you know someone who loves design, then check out her other books: The Scandinavian Home, Relaxed Rustic, and Modern Pastoral.
I love the idea of a Date Night with a Book. This small company from the UK will send a wrapped book (plus a coaster, bookmark, and ingredients for a hot beverage), and the recipient can have a blind date with a book. They now also ship to the rest of Europe, and there are subscription options as well.
A beautiful book for fans of Hayao Miyazaki (who loves Spirited Away?). This looks amazing - full of illustrations from his films. A treasure.
Books to use
A book for anyone wanting to take some time to do some introspection, I would recommend my friend Amy Doak’s book: Listing Life. This is definitely a book to be used: you are directed to write your own lists around various aspects of life - covering past, present, and future - with the idea of becoming more aware of your “you-ness” and how to carve out a life that truly aligns with your values. You can read my interview with Amy here.
For the artist in your life: The Artist's Way Every day might be a good introduction to the principals of Julia Cameron’s most famous book: The Artist’s Way, or could be a good supplementary book for those who are already familiar with The Artist’s Way. I love the idea of receiving this book for Christmas and being creatively inspired for the whole of the next year (I actually just ordered this for myself for Christmas!). Another idea is to gift The Artist’s Way Workbook, which has a whole lot of additional tasks, check-ins, and ideas that weren’t included in the original book.
Sidenote: as this is published, I will still be in the process of completing The Artist’s Way, so stay tuned for lots of insights about that once I’ve finished.
I love the idea of this Five Year Story Journal from Mål Paper so much that I’ve ordered one for myself (actually, I’ve already received it and started using it. It is lovely!). There are a few lines worth of space to write something for each day of the year for five years. Especially with young kids saying the cutest and funniest things all the time - I think it’ll be nice to have a dedicated space to write down these memories and have them there ready to read through in the future. I chose the cotton-covered one, but there is also a distressed cover as well. As with all Mal Paper products, the design is simple and minimal, yet beautiful. Mål paper also have these beautiful Dot Journals - which could be a good idea for the writer in your life (and would make a nice accompaniment to The Artist’s Way).
Cookbooks! There are so many to choose from, but here are some of my favourites: Heston Blumenthal at Home. Heston is king of technical cooking and in this book, he explains how to make a whole range of foods and why his very precise techniques actually work. This book (which is full of amazing photography) would be a great addition for the technically and scientifically-minded wannabe chef. I own this book (sadly it’s with a friend in Australia; far too heavy to bring with us!), and it is gorgeous and perhaps the most practical cookbook I’ve ever seen. Also back in Australia (with the same friend) I have a cookbook by Donna Hay called The New Classics. It’s full of various recipes - including an amazing baked cheesecake - with beautiful pictures. I even liked just flicking through it! I always recommend Jamie Oliver’s 15 Minute Meals and 30 Minute Meals - full of very interesting ideas, that even the novice chef can implement during the week after work. The bakers out there might love Sugar and Spice by Samantha Seneviratne - I saw this one in a video on YouTube and the photos look amazing!
A nice gift to go along with a cookbook is a book stand, such as this one. I often like to have a cookbook open in the kitchen, even just to appreciate the photos!
For your voracious-reading loved ones: My Reading Life - A Book Journal by Anne Bogel (host of the What Should I Read Next? Podcast, and creator of the Modern Mrs Darcy Blog). It’s not only a place to record what you’ve read, but also a nook to hold your to be read list, as well as containing reading lists from Anne, and quotes.
A few tips for if you have a small budget and want to gift books
Buy secondhand instead (I personally don’t care if the books I receive are secondhand; I even love the idea of inheriting the book’s history! Who has read this book before me? How did it change their life?).
I also think it’s perfectly acceptable to pass on a book or two that you've already read.
Another option is to join up with a few friends and do a book swap, where everyone brings a book (or a few) that they’re finished with. You could even turn it into a little holiday gathering. Or perhaps even do a year-long book swap - where each person buys and book and the books get rotated around a circle of friends.
Other bookish delights
Art print of their personal favourite books - I love this one so much (it’s going on my Christmas wish list!).
This pun bookmark set is really cute (‘Forever Jung’ is my fav!). But they also have postcards, journals, and prints.
I love this whimsical Kindle case (in fact, since my original case is a bit beat up, I’m adding this one to my list) - perfect for your e-reader-loving friends!
Do you gift a lot of books? Consider getting a pack of these little bookplates that you can insert inside (‘A Book is a New Adventure’ - yes it is!).
Well, that’s part one of three of this different kind of gift guide done. I hope you’ve found some interesting ideas. Stay tuned for the next instalment: gifts for adults.
Remember to get your copy of the free gift-giving list (a handy way to organise all your gift giving - from idea to presenting your recipient with a wrapped surprise!)
Tell me: what book have you most often gifted?
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