Secret Santa Gifts for Book Lovers That Go Beyond Another Book
Good Secret Santa presents for readers who own too many books: annotation kits, book nooks, embossers, reading lights and bookish games, by budget.
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Short answer: good Secret Santa presents for book lovers support the reading habit instead of adding to the pile: an annotation kit, a personalized book embosser, a book nook shelf insert, a neck reading light, a scratch-off reading challenge poster or a bookish party game. A book is only a safe gift when you know exactly what they have read.
Buying a novel for a serious reader is harder than it looks. They have probably read the bestseller, they have a stack waiting already, and taste in fiction is personal. The good news is that readers have a whole world of rituals around books: marking passages, lending, organizing, reading in bed. Gifts for those rituals feel thoughtful and never duplicate their shelf.
Read the reader before you shop
A few quick clues tell you which kind of book person you drew.
- Paper or e-reader. Look at what they carry on the train or at lunch.
- Annotator or purist. Some readers write in every margin, some never crease a spine.
- Genre. Fantasy, romance, thrillers, history, poetry. It shapes the design you choose.
- Book club. Many readers belong to one, which opens a few social gift ideas.
- Their wish list. If your exchange uses GiftX Secret Santa, check their wish first. Readers often list the exact edition they want.
Good Secret Santa presents for readers who mark every page
Annotation is a big part of reading culture now, especially for younger readers.
- Annotation kit. A book annotation kit with sticky tabs, transparent notes and fine pens. Makes notes neat and easy to remove.
- Erasable highlighters. Pilot FriXion highlighters erase with friction, so mistakes in a favorite book are not forever.
- Transparent sticky notes. Clear notes they can write on without covering the text.
- Removable highlighter tape. Highlighter tape lifts off the page cleanly. Perfect for library books and purists who still want to mark a line.
- Book tabs in genre colors. Small color-coded book tabs for quotes, plot twists and favorite lines.
Gifts for the bookshelf
Readers love their shelves almost as much as the books on them.
- Personalized book embosser. A custom book embosser presses "From the library of" and their name into the title page. Lent books come home.
- Book nook kit. A book nook kit is a tiny lit-up alley or library scene that slides between books. A satisfying build for a weekend.
- Invisible floating bookshelf. A metal bracket hidden under the bottom book, so the stack looks like it floats on the wall.
- Book-shaped vase. A ceramic vase shaped like a stack of books. It looks right at home on the shelf, with or without flowers.
- Bookplate stickers. A pack of illustrated bookplates to sign inside each book. Cheaper than an embosser and just as charming.
- Scratch-off reading challenge poster. A scratch-off book poster of famous book covers to scratch off as they read each one. Feeds the completionist in every reader.
For night readers and bath readers
Reading in bed or the tub has its own problems.
- Neck reading light. A neck reading light wraps around the shoulders and lights the page without waking a partner.
- E-reader page turner remote. A small clicker for Kindle or tablet, so they can turn pages with a hand under the blanket. Check it works with their device.
- Waterproof book cover. A clear pouch that keeps a paperback dry in the bath or at the pool.
- Tablet pillow stand. A soft tablet pillow stand holds an e-reader or tablet on a lap or in bed, so their wrists get a break.
- Tea for one set. A small teapot that sits on top of its own cup. A quiet reading ritual in one gift.
Bookish fun and games
Readers love a game where knowing things about books pays off.
- Bring Your Own Book. The Bring Your Own Book game has players find funny answers in any book on the shelf. Great for book clubs.
- Bookshelf jigsaw puzzle. A puzzle that shows a packed, colorful bookshelf. Hard, cozy and on theme.
- Book club question deck. Cards with discussion questions that work for any novel. Good for a reader who hosts.
- Novel Teas. A tin of Novel Teas where every tea bag tag carries a quote from a famous book. A sweet add-on for a reading night.
- Literary map poster. An illustrated map of famous fictional places or author hometowns for the reading corner.
Literary gifts with a sense of humor
Small, clever, safe for any exchange.
- Shakespeare insult mug. A Shakespeare insult mug covered in real lines from the plays. Funny, safe for work, and oddly educational.
- Banned books socks. Socks printed with the covers of famously challenged books. A cheerful statement for readers.
- Library card notebook. A notebook styled like an old library due date card.
- Blind date with a book. Wrap a book in brown paper and write a few clue words on the front, like "small town, secrets, slow burn". Only works if you know what they have read.
Budget table for a book lover
| Budget | Picks from this list |
|---|---|
| Under $15[1] | Bookplates, book tabs, transparent notes, library card notebook |
| $15 to $25[1] | Annotation kit, neck light, Bring Your Own Book, banned books socks |
| $25 to $50[1] | Book embosser, book nook kit, page turner remote, scratch-off poster |
If you still want to give a book
Sometimes a book really is the right gift. Make it count.
- Ask one friend what they just finished. Then buy the author's next or previous book.
- Choose a beautiful edition. A special edition of a book they love beats a random new title.
- Include a gift receipt. Readers are polite about duplicates, but they will be glad to swap.
Let the gift quiz help
If your reader left no wish, try the GiftX gift quiz. Answer five quick questions about who it is for, their age, a couple of interests and your budget, and GiftX shows gift ideas with prices and store links.
Type the genre into the interests, like "fantasy" or "mystery", to get ideas that match their taste rather than generic bookish items.
Frequently asked questions
What are good Secret Santa presents for someone who loves books?
Choose gifts for the reading ritual: an annotation kit, a personalized book embosser, a book nook kit, a neck reading light, bookplates or a game like Bring Your Own Book. These suit almost any reader and never duplicate a title they already own. Add a book only if you know exactly what they have read.
Is a book a good Secret Santa gift?
It can be, if you know their taste and their shelf. The risk is buying something they already own or a genre they never read. A safer path is a book they put on a wish list, a special edition of a favorite, or the next book from an author they just finished. Include a gift receipt either way.
What do you get a reader who uses an e-reader?
Focus on comfort and gadgets: a page turner remote, a neck reading light, a waterproof pouch for bath reading or a cozy tea for one set. Check that any remote works with their e-reader model. Bookish games and literary decor also work, because they do not depend on paper books at all.
More guides for readers and their friends
Shopping for another kind of fan? See Secret Santa gifts for gamers and Secret Santa gifts for homebodies. Swapping with steals? Try useful White Elephant gifts, or browse all our gift exchange guides.