Mer-read Christmas! Thoughtful, Original (and Cheap) Gifts for Word-Lovers

Are you worried about the cost-of-living crisis?

I am.

I’ve told my family and friends not to expect any fancy gifts from me this Christmas (though from bitter experience of Christmases past, they already knew this!)

But still, there is hope.  At least according to Derren Brown, who has this to say on the subject of cost-cutting:

“We could rediscover our personal tastes within the confines of our means, think for ourselves, and give our lives some style”.

I think Derren is saying that having less money to spare offers the potential to be more creative in our approach to life.  On that basis, here are some wordy gift suggestions that are thoughtful, inventive… and won’t break the bank.

Create a ‘mystery’ book-bundle

I’ve ‘borrowed’ this idea from my local second-hand bookshop, Books-on-Sea, who offer beautiful, individually-wrapped book-bundles for special occasions.  Each book in the bundle relates to a certain genre, such as crime, romance, or history.

Beautiful mixed-genre book-bundles from Books on Sea

You could go book-shopping and create a bundle of your own… or simply choose one book that you think they’ll love.  Write a personal message inside the cover, and they’ll love it even more!

Write something lovely, just for them

I’m currently working with an amazing couple, on writing their life story.  They met during the Cold War, on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain, and their relationship has involved some crazy ups and downs.

Now in their seventies, they want to surprise their grown-up sons (who keep pestering them to write their story!) with the finished book.

While you don’t have to write an entire book for your loved ones, how about a short story, or a framed poem inspired by them?

You could even think about writing a ‘surprise’ online review for their business or creative endeavours… something I’ve done for a few of my clients in the past, when I haven’t been able to spend money on actual gifts.  It’s always gone down very well!

Set up an online book subscription

If you don’t feel confident choosing a book for someone else, fabulous services like Date Night with a Book will do the hard work for you.  Choose a one-off gift, or set up a subscription that means they’ll receive a well-chosen book and a hot drink every month.

Choose a beautiful card… then write in it!

In a world stuffed with WhatsApp messages, email, and soulless pre-printed cards from Moonpig, receiving a hand-written card in the post has become rare and special.

And without getting too cheesy about it, Christmas is the ideal time to tell someone special that… well, they’re special.

(Isn’t that a far lovelier gift than the ‘freebie’ from Boots’s 3-for-2 offer?)

Send a book to a vulnerable child via BookTrust

BookTrust is a beautiful UK charity that helps children develop a love of reading.  If your loved one already has everything they need, you could send a surprise festive book gift in their name, to a child who is vulnerable or in care.

(Reading was my lifeline as a child, so I now donate of a portion of my yearly earnings to BookTrust every Christmas).

Help them write their own story

My individual, guided writing mentoring sessions transfer books, articles, stories, and blog posts from imagination to paper.

If you’d like to arrange a session for a loved one this Christmas, they’ll receive a hand-written card from me, inviting them to choose when they’d like to start their masterpiece.  And as session-times range from 30-45 minutes to two hours, you can choose how much you’d like to spend.

Message me to find out more.