It's the giftiest season of the year and you've got a long list of people to treat. Some of them you know well. Some you don't know well at all, but for whatever reason, you have some obligation to purchase them a gift. So what do you do?
Giftcards are small and convenient, yes, but they can be impersonal. Electronics are expensive, household items can send the wrong message (you need to cook more! your house is ugly!), and holiday themed items can only be used once a year. Clothing in general is dicey, and holiday sweaters in particular are best suited for ugly sweater parties. Food items are perishable. Except for fruit cakes, but chances are if you give somebody a fruit cake, you're gonna get it regifted to you next year. In the exact same condition as when you gifted it in the first place.
What about books? They're portable, economically feasible, varied, multipurpose, and there's one to fulfill anyone's interest. Even nonreaders (gasp!) might enjoy certain how-to volumes, magazines or coffee table type photo books. Plus, the purchase of books as gifts keeps the publishing industry, and authors like us, in business.
Just think of it. One trip to one bookstore (or online bookstore), and all your gift shopping could be OVER. Oh, the pleasure!
So what books do you want as gifts this holiday season? What are some great book gifts you've given in the past to people you knew really well or didn't know that well? What are some books you might have been given (or given) that really missed the mark?
Tell us all about your book gifting experiences and wishes in the comments! And don't forget, anyone who comments on this blog until December 21st is entered in our Cool Yule contest to win FREE BOOKS!
Jody W.
http://www.jodywallace.com
A SPELL FOR SUSANNAH--In Paper, Samhain Publishing
LIAM'S GOLD--In Electrons, Samhain Publishing
PS: If you must buy a giftcard, make it a bookstore giftcard!
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16 comments:
I'm all about getting and receiving books for Christmas.
My family doesn't know what I've read, so they give me gift cards. I really appreciate them in January/February when the heat bills are high and I might not be able to afford as many books without their generous present.
It's the gift that can keep on giving.
We often give books as gifts, especially to kids. My husband is very good at finding off beat titles for them. With adults, it's a little harder. Unless they've stated specific titles we go with the gift cards
I love getting and giving books as gifts. My best gives were the Harry Potter books for my neice, and cyling books for my hubby. Now books for me is another story. I am pretty picky, so if you stick with my wish list you are safe. This year's list is Primal Male by Sasha White and Unlaced anthology.
The biggest oops was the year my Aunt gave me 5 Danielle Steele books. She figured that since I loved romance stories, these made the perfect gift. Unfortumately, Danielle just doesn't do it for me, never has, so our local library got a great gift for Christmas.
We always buy books for the kids on our list...start 'em off early I always say. I know my great niece loves books and she's only 3 years old. We don't usually buy books for the older ones because we're not sure which genre they like so gift cards to book stores are what they get.
I haven't ever received a book for a Christmas gift or have never given one. I'm the only reader in my family. I have tried to get my nieces interested in reading, but so far they still don't like to read.
I have a 11 year old granddaughter, who is going to take after her grandmother. She already loves to read. We have bought her several this year so far.
I need the Twilight books 1,2,& 4. I've read them all, but want them for my personal collection. I want the Morganville Vampire series books by Rachel Caine, gosh, pretty much any books that have to do with vampires. LOL
Deidre
My sisters and I are all avid readers and we always give each other books for Christmas. We usuall exchange lists and then huddle with the various siblings poring over th other person's list and deciding who will buy which one so that no doubles are given. It also gives us the added ability to torture each other with the "I know which ones you're get-ting neener-neener-neener" thing. Obnoxious, but fun (LOL).
You are so right! My brother gave me a Brett Favre book last Christmas and that was my very favorite gift!
Love to give books as gifts and I love to get gift cards to bookstores so I can buy what books I want. I buy a lot of used children's books for the nieces and nephew so I cringe less when a book gets detsroyed. There are a couple of coffeetable books like Anne Geddes and another baby photographer I would not mind as a gift because they are so pricey.
I've only bought books for a couple of people. And only because I knew exactly what they wanted otherwise I would have played it safe and given them a giftcard. Buying books for an adult is really hard. You have to know their tastes well and not all people like to keep books after they've read them.
Books are perfect as gifts for me since I am such a big reader. I've asked for some books including the Wolfsbane and Mistletoe anthology and Immortal Warrior by Lisa Hendrix. I know I'll get those too because I didn't ask for much else.
Books I gave this year...loads of them! I sent boxes of books to friends and relatives for Christmas already. My friends especially are huge readers like myself.
As for books I got that were off the mark, that was only one or two. Mainly contemporary romances. I rarely read those. My fav are paranormal books.
I only give books if I know the person will like it. My children always pick out at least one title they really want -- that makes it so much easier. :)
I rarely get books from others because they just don't know what I'd like OR what I don't already own. :) Gift cards are a great alternative in that case.
Shoooeee, what books do I want?? My TBB list is toooooo many pages to pick one from!! LOL
My best gift was year before last when the Hubs gave me two gift certificates, a LARGE one to my friends bookstore and one to the pastry shop right next door!! I LOVED getting my cup of coffee, a muffin and then going next door to Melissa's and chatting and reading the morning away!!
*sigh*
Happy Holidays!!
I love getting and giving books. Sometimes it is so hard though to know what the other person has and what to get them so then a bookstore giftcard is the way to go.
My book giving experiences? Those have been pretty good. I've only given books to my mother, but then again, she's really easy to get for. She collects both Nora Roberts and J.D. Robb. Talk about being really easy. I just make sure that I have an updates list of books that she DOES NOT have, and I'm good to go.
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