Great Gift Ideas For Book Lovers (Besides Books)

These presents are both unique and memorable.

By
Published November 25, 2025
AARP

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I love to give books as gifts for holidays, birthdays, and new baby arrivals, and I'm delighted to start their home library. This holiday season, I decided to make a list of gifts that were not physical books — yet still book-related. I enjoy reading novels, whereas others prefer history or memoirs. My preferences and tastes may not align with those of the people on my list.

Here are gift suggestions that will be unique and memorable for the book-loving members of your family and friends:

A gift for booklovers with a sense of humor is available on ChattyFeet.com, whose motto is, “Every sock tells a story, so make sure yours reflects your true character with witty socks that transform a wardrobe tragedy into a comedy.” Consider Marcel Proustoe, Ernestoe Hemingway, Jane Austoe, Virginia Woolf, William Shakes-Feet and more. Their library of novel ideas includes a Literature Sock Set (four pairs for $45) or a single pair ($13).

Everyone can boast that you’re a book nerd from the design on a cute t-shirt. Paper + Ivy’s are fun, fashionable and well-designed ($34.99). Choose from comfy, cozy tees featuring graphics that range from a stack of books transformed into a tree or heart, an open book filled with flowers, and messages like “Meet Me in the Library” or “Life is Short, Buy Books.” There is a wide choice of colors and a sizing guide from XS to 4XL.

Book lovers need to be comfortable while turning pages, so give someone a personalized pillow — especially if that someone agrees that sometimes you can’t put a book down. There’s an 18-inch throw pillow on Etsy that says “Just One More Chapter” in black print with a white background, complementing everyone’s home décor. It’s $21.99 for the pillow cover and $31.99 for the cover and insert.

Reading is a cozy activity, especially in chilly winter months. Why not keep toes warm while getting lost in a book? Amazon sells backless black “Book Club Plush” slippers for $23.99, designed with a cup of tea perched over a stack of colorful books. Available in S to L. Also on Amazon, you can find socks where the right one’s bottom says “SHHH!” and the mate declares, “I’m Reading.” A more luxurious pair can be purchased on Uncommon Goods, featuring hand-felted clog slippers that promise “all the comfort and coziness of a book nook” ($68, sizes S to XL).

Your girlfriends are voracious readers but have started needing reading glasses to enlarge and illuminate print. Cool, funky “readers” with fashionable patterns and colors can be found on Amazon for as little as $9.99 to $24.99. You can splurge on two pairs as a gift for the woman who wants to throw one in her purse and another on her nightstand next to a stack of To Be Read books. Note: These are not prescription glasses, but can be purchased in different magnifications, ranging from +0.25 to +6.0. Friends or relatives with astigmatism or other eye complications need to see an optometrist for a full vision exam.

Books and a cuppa go together like cookies and milk. At Uncommon Goods, the Book Lover’s Tea Collection is $47 for a creative gift set of handcrafted, premium loose-leaf teas in an attractive keepsake tin decorated with full bookshelves. The five blends have cute names: Reading Nook, Bookshop, Soul Warmer Herbal, Buttery Shortbread Herbal and Gratitude Earl Grey. All teas are sourced from family farms and blended in Oregon. The set will brew up to 75 cups of tea (that’s a lot of books to devour!) and includes a stainless steel infuser.

I collect bookmarks from my travels, including free ones from independent bookstores. I also buy them from craft fairs and museums, creating unusual gifts, such as a bookmark made from pressed flowers or a classic painting. I’m the type of person who cringes when I see anyone save their place by turning a book over, wide open on its spine. Prevent this with the One-Handed Book Buddy, available on Uncommon Goods. I like the one with the inscription: “Between the pages of a book is a lovely place to be.” It’s handmade from cherrywood in Indiana; its dual-sided design gently keeps paperbacks and hardcovers temporarily open ($19).

Sometimes I rave about a title only to get a lukewarm response. Make book giving personal and easy with a Book of the Month Club subscription. BOMC is perfect for anyone whose tastes you don’t know, allowing them to make their own choices. Membership begins at $59.99 for three books. You can print gift announcements at home and deliver in person, email them or receive a lux Gift Card. Recipients can download the BOTM app, which provides exclusive content, rewarding reading challenges and members-only perks.

Finally, a gift without a price tag is to invite friends to start a book club! Socializing with readers and exchanging ideas is a gift for all.

What book would YOU love to get for Christmas this year? Let us know in the comments below.

Candy Schulman’s essays, health, and travel pieces have appeared in AARP, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Next Avenue, Oldster, Parents, Travel & Leisure, among others. She is a creative writing professor at the New School in New York City and a private writing coach. Learn more at candyschulman.com.