Ten affordable gifts every book lover wants (that aren’t books)

It’s December – my favourite month of the year, mostly because nice people were born in it (Cough! Cough!). Jesus, I’m talking about Jesus Christ. So we have Christmas and Santa and all things happy and giftyeee (not a word, I know).

While on gifts, of late I have been finding it increasingly hard to pick books as gifts for my friends. Thanks to social media – goodreads and instagram – everyone seems to be reading similar books and everyone seems to have read everything.

Even when I’ve picked out books by known well-loved authors they have sometimes failed to live up to expectations. Such a bummer!

And so I decided to curate a list of bookish gifts that aren’t books. I have had the most fun time sorting through multiple online stores. Amazon, Etsy and Books etc came up as favourites.

I’ve left links to the products and mentioned the price for easy access. Also, almost all of them (baring one) are below Rs 1000.

Let’s go.

1. Bookends

What: Succulent bookend
Where: igp.com
Price: Rs. 845/-

There’s a huge variety of very pretty ones and most book lovers can find space on their side table or work table to put up their favourite book ends. I particularly love this one for the extra splash of green.

2. Book Planters

What: Book planters
Where: Amazon.in
Price: Rs. 369/-

If you’re a lover of greens, amazon has some great options for book planters. This one is adorable. (Protip: Check for product specifications before you buy, specially for size).

3. Book Tote Bag

What: Book tote bags
Where: Etsy.com
Price: Rs. 868/-

This one is from Etsy but Amazon and Books etc have some lovely inexpensive ones. (Protip: Products on Amazon are often marked down compared to the original site). These canvas bags are great for everyday use and sturdy enough to hold a pile of books at a books-by-weight sale.

4. Book Themed Cushion Covers

What: Cushion Covers
Where: Amazon.in, Books etc
Price: Rs. 300/- to Rs. 350/- each

Did you notice the first has Taylor Swift songs made into books? Pretty cool, right?

5. Book Themed Jewellery

What: Library pendant
Where: Etsy.com
Price: Price Rs. 1087/-

I love bookish jewellery and I got a gorgeous pendant with a quote done from thebookishpandora.com. Do check her out on instagram. Unfortunately she has been off social media for a while. This one at Etsy isn’t too bad.

Etsy also has some gorgeous book charm necklaces but those are expensive – 2K plus so I haven’t included them here.

6. Floating Bookshelves

What: Floating bookshelves
Where: Amazon.in
Price: Rs. 699/- for a set of three.

These are really neat. We got them for my daughter’s room and she loved them. I like that they aren’t bulky and don’t take up floor space. They can go up almost anywhere, blend in well with any decor in the room. I love the way they disappear beneath the books.

7. Book Themed Tees

What: Book heart tee-shirt
Where: Swagswami.com
Price: Rs. 849/-

This one is such a favourite I got myself two of them plus one as a sweat-shirt/hoodie. The site has other bookish tees too but this one remains hands down my favourite.

8. Book-Shaped Trinket Box

What: Book-shaped trinket box
Where: Etsy.com
Price: Rs. 1582/-

This is the only (relatively) expensive article on my list. But I had to include it for its whimsical design. Isn’t it just so pretty?

9. Reading Journal

What: Digital reading journal
Where: Etsy.com
Price Rs 220/-

This one is a downloadable reading journal with a host of interesting features. It allows for you to hyperlink pages, make reading lists, mark out quotes and much more.

10. Personalised and DIY Gifts

What: Personalised stamps
Where: Amazon, Aliciasouza.com
Price: Rs. 500/- to Rs. 600/-

I just had to add this category because the possibilities are limitless. Personalised stamps are just one category. Armed with a basic familiarity of Canva.com, I have managed to make some pretty good stuff. Here are a few ideas you could try:

• Teeshirts with favourite quotes or smart takes on book names.
  Girl in the Cerulean Tee or Anxious People: Need more hugs
• Tote bags with the receiver’s insta feed (If it’s pretty enough).
• Bookmarks that match book covers (printed out on Canva) or with pictures of favourite books or people.
• Mugs and Fridge magnets with book covers or quotes.

I’m hoping this eases out the festive season for you at least a little bit.

Lead picture by Marko Klaric on Pexels.

🎅Happy Holidays!🎁

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This post is part of the Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile.