Holiday Gift Guide for Book Lovers: Bookishly Unique Gifts and Treats
Holiday Gift Guide for Book Lovers: Bookishly Unique Gifts and Treats
The holidays are my absolute favourite time of the year!
I love the whimsy and magic of the first snow (I live in Canada), the festive lights, the displays and colours! I also love our family tradition of heading out to the tree farm for the perfect tree followed by it’s trimming and wrapping up treasures that are nestled under the boughs of the trees.
Gift giving for me is as much of an art as it is a thoughtful practice and labour of love. Each year I aim to find the perfect gifts – no pressure!
So what to do about those on our lists who are book lovers? Or perhaps you’re a book lover and have been told you’re hard to gift and you need a bit of help crafting your holiday wish list? Worry no more!! After a few months of perusing the upcoming holiday gift guides, secret shelves and workshops, BooknBrunch has curated the perfect holiday gift guide for book lovers with bookishly unique treasures and delectable treats!
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Los Pedros, Three Kings Day, Eid, Kent or another cultural holiday, our selections will be sure to please readers of all interests!
Book Boxes
Book boxes are a popular wish among book lovers. They include a new release book and some bookish swag designed around the book and characters. At BooknBrunch we know Brookies love an immersive reading experience! Here are two Canadian owned options you should know about!
Callisto Crate is a Canadian-based book subscription box out of Kamloops, British Columbia. Owner and Operator Coreena developed her boxes with the vision of highlighting strong women who are flawed yet also empowered. With her love for reading and passion for women’s equity, Coreena designed a book box where novels feature female protagonists with indelible spirits paired with carefully curated items that align with the book’s key themes from Canadian artisans and companies run by women.
I’m so impressed with Callisto Crate’s commitment towards sustainability, ethically sourced and fair trade Canadian-based products. I was struck by how many pieces curated for the book box not only complement the book’s theme, but also how many vendors incorporate a portion of their proceeds to community-based and global initiatives. Callisto Crate also donates 1% of proceeds to the Kamloops Y Women’s Emergency Shelter that offers supportive services and safe housing to women and children who have experienced gender-based violence.
It’s a book box with a real impact! And, this is what truly sets Callisto Crate apart in book-based subscription boxes!
Consumers can select from a range of options including single purchases of monthly boxes and limited edition boxes or subscriptions of 3, 6 or 12 months. Each box includes a new release book featuring a strong female character, 3-5 themed items from Canadian artisans and businesses, a coordinating bookmark, a curator note explaining the book and items and their connections, a brochure that often includes an author interview, and a pay-it-forward impact with a portion of sales going to a woman’s shelter. Single boxes are $54.95 + taxes and shipping; $51.95 + taxes and shipping for 3 month subscriptions and $49.95 + taxes and shipping for 6 month subscriptions.
Book Box – October 2020 Callisto Crate Box
Special Offer for our Brookies:
Callisto Crate has offered our Brookies a special discount of 15% with code BRUNCH15
Find Callisto Crate here or via Instagram
Book and Bundle is a new book box subscription from Calgary, Alberta. Their inaugural box in October sold out, quickly followed by their November box! Their limited edition Christmas box is on sale now until Friday November 27th, 2020! Order soon to avoid disappointment!
Book and Bundle handpick new release books along with locally sourced products that seek to connect the reader to the book creating an immersive reading experience. What I loved about their boxes was the range of items selected like the wearables (socks and scrunchies – yes please!), delectable treats, and a living succulent! They included a plant!
Unique to this book box experience is the option to customize your subscription from small to large boxes. Not only does this offer affordability but it also offers us a choice in just how much swag we want with our books each month. Small bundles include a new release book + 2-3 items for $60 + taxes. Large bundles include the book + 5 items for $90 + taxes. There are also special occasion boxes such as Halloween and Christmas that sell for $75 + taxes.
To order visit their website or check them out on Instagram.
Book Box – November 2020 Book and Bundle Box
Special offer for our Brookies:
Book and Bundle has put together an exclusive draw just for us Brookies! Use the code BRUNCH50 at checkout to be entered into a draw for $50 off your next Book and Bundle purchase! Offer ends on November 27, 2020.
It’s All About the Swag!
The next best thing to a brand new book is book swag! And for book lovers that means book sleeves, book bags and bookmarks! We have included 2 Canadian and female-run businesses to meet all your needs!
Located in Picture Butte, Alberta and led by Norma and Linda, Reading In The Country designs and creates the most gorgeous book sleeves and book tote bags paired with beautiful laminated bookmarks. All of the handmaid products are imbued with love and fashioned with high quality and durable fabrics. The range of colours and styles are barre none- there’s something for everyone!
I was blown away by the fabric’s colours and the strength in stitching. They hold standard-sized paperbacks and hardcovers and can accommodate a book of 400 pages with ease – and in style! One of my most favourite options is the book bag plus sleeve. For $55 you receive both pieces that will hold your book, a phone, some snacks and keys and more in its pockets. That’s right – pockets!
Book sleeves are sold for $21 + taxes; book tote bags and sleeves are $55;bookmarks start at $6.50 + taxes. Shipping is free!
Special offer for our Brookies:
Reading In The County has offered our Brookies a special discount of 15% off with code BRUNCH15
Get your shop on here or find them on Instagram.
Rustic Book Designs are owned by sisters Ferren and Bri from Chatham, Ontario. This dynamic duo creates book-related graphic t-shirts, sweaters, pillowcases, and tote bags using high-quality materials designed to last through endless nights of reading! Prices range from $15 to 45 + taxes. Shipping is free within Canada!
Want something custom for that special Brookie? Perhaps a custom design with a bookstagram or book blog handle? No Problem! Simply email Rustic Book Design with your image and ideas and they do the rest! I love mine!
Find them on Instagram!
Book tote, pillow and shirt displayed on a blanket in front of decorative greenery.
Melanie of @shelf_ishly_lit showing her custom shirt with bookstagram handle.
Special offer for our Brookies:
Rustic Book Designs has created an exclusive draw just for Brookies! Use the code BRUNCH15 at checkout to be entered into a draw for $15 off your next Rustic Book Design purchase!
Book + Art!
Books are art turned literal.
What better way to express the two as one with some beautiful book inspired prints from Fox and Wild Paper Company!
These prints are handmade by Joslyn who is a Nurse by trade and artist by craft. Her creations are whimsical, charming, vivid and emotive. They’re stunning and made with the highest quality papers and printing.
I’m in love with her ability to capture the emotion and context of bookish quotes and then create an image that encapsulates the feeling perfectly.
Wall prints are 8×10 and sell for $28.95 with options to bundle prints and include framing; notecards are $6.50. There are also additional sizes and collections available for purchase.
Fox and Wild’s gallery can be found here and on Instagram.
2 prints in frames on mantle with decorative greenery and brick wall.
Special offer for our Brookies:
Fox and Wild Paper Company has offered our Brookies a special discount of 20% with code BRUNCH20
Gifts That Keep Giving!
A special book gift that’s always welcomed by book lovers are gift cards to buy more books!
At BooknBrunch we suggest selecting and gifting from your local independent bookstores. They need our support now more than ever!
Another great alternative would be to purchase a gift card from a local thrift store or not-for-profit reuse store. I often find many great gently used books at thrift stores and they are my go-to source for hard to find books. I also love that proceeds go directly back into supporting community-based initiatives!
Not only are you giving a wonderful gift but you are supporting small businesses and communities by shopping local! That deserves an extra cup of hot chocolate and all the marshmallows!
Support local this season, don’t forget to visit your independent bookstore or gift our BooknBrunch events via our gift cards.
Melanie Wagstaff lives with her high school sweetheart (now husband), two children, and cat. Melanie practices social work in child welfare and loves chocolate, hearty laughs, engaging discourse, and the occasional run. Melanie is a voracious reader and believes in the power of knowledge, the written word, and storytelling.
Favourite book: Eek! Just one?! Fave read for 2020: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Favourite brunch spot: My dining room table prepared by my hubby and complemented by fresh food from our local markets.
