Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme that was originally created and hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books starting in August 2019, and was then cohosted with Dani @ Literary Lion from May 2020 to March 2022. Book Nook Bits has hosted since April 2022.
December 9: Books as Gifts
(Hannah @ Hannah’s Library)
Prompts: Do books make good gifts? Do you ever give or receive books as gifts? Would you rather receive a book from your wish list or be surprised? What would you do if you didn’t like the book you were given? Would you expect someone to read a book you got them right away?
This is a great topic, especially for Blogmas. I think books make great gifts! I love getting books as gifts, and I love giving them. This can be especially great for friends with kids – as friends have said to me before, so many people tend to buy clothes and toys for little kids, but not many buy books! For very young children, I’ve picked up books I grew up reading and loved, and they’re usually received with great enthusiasm.
If I’m getting gifts for someone I know is a reader, it can be really enjoyable to pick out a book for them. It’s very useful if they have a wish list, but even that requires some careful selection. I love getting books from my wish list, and I think I prefer it as I then definitely don’t already have that book tucked away somewhere.
If I get given a book and don’t like it, I’ll still keep it for a while, though it may eventually find itself in one of the book “to go” boxes we have around here. It really depends, too! My partner gets me books as presents (yes, usually from my wish list) and I think only once or twice have I disliked it. In that case, he completely understands if I give it away or donate it to a charity shop. I wouldn’t expect someone to read a book straight away – I know how many books might be on someone’s TBR, and wouldn’t expect someone to put a gift to the top just because it was a gift. I would just hope that whenever they do get to it, they enjoy it, and they know that once they are finished with it, well, it was a gift, I’d be more than happy for them to do whatever they like with it!
What about you – do you get/give books as gifts? Are there any particular books you’re hoping to get this Christmas?
Unwrapping Words 