Christmas for Book Lovers: Small Business Edition
With Christmas right around the corner I wanted to put together a list of things you can get the book lover in your life that also supports the bookish community and small businesses.
1) First on the list is a classic. A bookish candle! These can come in all shapes and sizes and can be traditional candles or shaped candles like the one I chose. I ordered “Book Stack Candle” from LUMISTEL on Etsy! This beautiful candle was 18 dollars, and is well worth the price. I picked the color white and the smell floral. It was wonderfully wrapped and shipped very quickly. I love the smell and design and am so happy with how it looks on my bookshelf.
2) Next on my list is something you can personalize, make yourself, or order from a small business. A bookmark! This is on every book lovers list as you can never have too many. I personally like to match them to the book and love picking out what bookmark I am going to use. For this I ordered from imperfectlymadewithlov on Etsy! I picked out two bookmarks I really loved, one with hot air balloons and one with pretty trees in snow. They costed 3 dollars each and are hand painted with water colors! They are so gorgeous and I cant wait to have them in a book. The seller threw in an extra bookmark as well, with a tassel which I love. This seller also sells blind dates with a book, which can also be a great gift for a book lover in your life!
3) Third is another thing you can personalize. I ordered a Customizable Book Shaped Book Mark Holder with Snap In Spine from thesmuttybookmarket on Etsy. This was so fun for me because I had it personalized with my handle (@booktabby) and it turned out so beautiful. I was able to pick all the colors, from the one the book is made from, the color of the lettering, and the background of the spine. It was fun to design and the seller had it ready to ship the next day! This was only 10 dollars, which is an amazing price for something like this. The seller also offers other 3D printed items like book marks and and book ends.
4) Another idea, a little less bookish but useful and cute (and great for a book room), is a set of coasters! I tried out Comfy Cozy Critter Crafting, which makes fun crochet pieces for you or your pet. I discovered this brand through Instagram, the owner has a bookish account, and I happened to be in need of a new set of coasters for my living room. I ended up ordering the “Blue Multicolor Floral Inspired Colorful Coasters” for 10 dollars plus shipping. I think that is a beyond great price for 4 coasters. When they arrived they were packaged wonderfully with care and they arrived within days of me placing the order. The coasters themselves are beautiful and functional. Next time I order I think I will try one of their cat blankets, as I can never say no to something for my cat.
5) The final thing is a book cover! These are super useful for those who like to keep their book in pristine condition, those who travel a lot, or just someone who wants to add a bit of fun to their reading. I ordered a large Stretchable Book Cover from FloralFlamingoShop on Etsy. It was 16 dollars and came quickly! I love the strawberry design I picked out and I regularly use it for keeping my books in good condition when toting them around.
Shop local this holiday season and if you are a small business owner or know one you want to support, drop it in the comments!