I’ve asked a few times over the past few weeks for folks to send me their gift ideas and wish list items that they, as avid, voracious, book-lovin’, page-turnin’, spine-breakin’, button-pushin’, downloadin’ readers would love to have for this year’s holiday season. Get ready for random awesomeness.
First: from Cat, the Read or Dieshopping bag. I swear on God’s potpourri, there is something for everyone at Archie McPhee, but this in particular rocks my literary socks. You could buy one, put some books in it, and hello, perfect gift. FOR YOURSELF. Heh.
Kwana suggested Levenger, or as Jane and I call it, “The catalog of Book porn.”
I have had a small stash of their grid-pattern notecards in my bag for a long time, because somehow, taking notes on something that has little boxes instead of lines makes me more inclined to keep writing. Those are on sale, too – woo!
For those who love the little journals, these are awesomely awesome and also awesomely on sale.
Kwana also sent this link for the digital reader-type person who loves their accessories.
Sony’s Reader cover with integrated light is on sale – from $54 to $27.49.
There are a ton of digital reader covers, from simple to high-end.
I have one of Janine King’s Kindle covers, and it’s padded in such a way that I don’t worry about the Kindle at all while it’s in there. You can get one to match a bag, as well, and be all stylish and coordinated.
From the OMG SRSLY department of gorgeous come the Oberon Design tooled leather covers for Sony Readers, and the Kindle or Nook (if you are lucky enough to have one, which probably means you robbed their distribution point). Oberon also offers tooled leather journals in designs that make my fingers twitch to touch them, and journals with a single icon design in a circle, as well.
Ninth Moon is a website I have to stay away from, lest I be tempted into clicking my way into massive spendypants, but if you’re looking for gifts for writer types, from jewelry to fun and different gifts, they rule.
Moment of disclosure: I asked Laron to design and print the bookplates for the Bosoms, and she did two sets: one for us to use nationally, and one for a bookstore we couldn’t get to travel-wise, The Book Cellar all the way up in Yellowknife NWT, Canada. Laron’s designs are awesome, and I know a bunch of authors who use her for their paper promotion needs. If you’re friends with someone who’s about to do the book release boogie and needs bookplates for signing, a Ninth Moon gift certificate would be a great gift. Laron does great work.
On to catalog items that caught my eye!
ThinkGeek is one catalog I have to read, and then I go to the website, and soon enough my entire day is gone.
For anyone who is a new parent, or who is expecting: The Guide to Pirate Parenting offers valuable lessons like converting a minivan into a schooner, and when to administer the Dutchman’s Wedgie.
For your favorite desk person: sticky adjustable cable clips for everything USB that you spend a few minutes picking up off the floor each morning.
And for that writer who kills a lot of people each day: a bloody chef’s knife. I mean “bloody” in the literal sense, not the British sense, though it is bloody awesome.
Back in the days before blogs and review sites, Bas Bleu was a catalog I loved receiving, mostly for the small essays that accompanied each book. The catalog is as literary as the books they choose to feature, and a lot of fun to read. They didn’t ever profile romance (le sigh) but there are some marvelous books in there.
So: what catalogs rock your world this holiday season? What gifts are you totally excited about, giving or getting?
I am in love with the Restoration Hardware catalog this Christmas. Nothing like outfitting your house in french classic furniture and weathered wood, and having that French charm to be all cultured, inspired and de rigeur.
Seriously though, it is quite inspirational and lots of fun to peruse. The antique ornaments are actualyl a good deal too!
Sarah –
I think I am going have to hunt you down and kill you – the Oberon eReader covers are TO DIE FOR. I want one for each day of the week.
As for gifting recommendations (non-book related), the silver jewelry at David Morgan is always to die for. I love his Pacific Northwest Indian designs. If you’re looking for more color, Ricky Frank Enamels are a good choice.
If you’ve got a writer in your life, what about a pen to go with those nifty blank books from Levenger (I do love the description of Levenger as Book Porn)? Farney’s Pens has a great selection – you don’t have to get him/her a Tibaldi Spartacus Limited Edition Fountain Pen, but if you do – those Circa journals from Levenger may seem a little too down market. The Secretaire from Smythson’s and a selection of Smythson’s bespoke stationary just might do the trick.
Happy holidays, Bitches!
Lita
OK, so these are all awesome suggestions for ME for Christmas…
For me, it’s books. Seriously, don’t turn me loose in a bookstore near Christmas time.
Also, for the parents, my sister and I are going in on getting a bench built for the front porch.
But I could also with some new jeans and shorts; I’ve been losing weight recently and now most of my jeans are a good two inches too much and require a belt to keep them up.
Spamword: zipper68
Artwork for readers- Susan Loy’s literary calligraphy.
html://www.literarycalligraphy.com
Inspirational quotes done in calligraphy around artwork. Most of the artwork is flowers that share a meaning with the quote. Beautiful work, and great quotes from classic literature to boot 🙂
Scrin: I found the weight you lost! As soon as I can pry it off my fat ass I’ll send it back.
I want gift cards from bookstores. Always.
For all occasions.
I’m was going to be giving gift cards.
But I now have to drag out the cc and buy that bloody chef’s knife for my friend who is kitchen-impaired.
And the freeze dried astronaut ice cream because it’s such a WTF gift.
Lita – when you find Sarah save a little for me. I really want one of those covers, but since it costs half of what I paid for my 505, I’ll be crying in a corner over it.
No great wants this year because I bought my reader. My parents are planning cash for Christmas, so I’ll buy something for the house. the joys of home ownership.
I am officially hiring you to buy all my Christmas presents (those for me and those from me). These are AWESOME. I especially love the leather journals and the bloody knife.
Every year I give my geek son (that was said with love you understand. in my house “geek” is a term of endearment.) the Despair calendar from Think Geek. It has all the usual date notations (Flag Day, President’s Day, etc…) but also things like “The day Skynet became self aware”. That coupled with a different “Demotivator” picture/snarky caption for each month is tres awesome!
Here’s something else someone can give me, if you’ve run through the ideas already:
http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Austen-Puzzle-500-Piece/dp/0307453839
(Sorry, I don’t know how to make a link.)
I love that it has quotes from the books.
Another great site for ereader fans is MEdge, where you can find all sorts of spiffy covers and accessories.
Oh, and I’m glad Oberon doesn’t make covers (yet) for the Pocket, otherwise I’d be seriously tempted. Yum!
I want some of the new jewelry inspired by Nora Robert’s characters at TTP Books
or a necklace from Akawelle but they are pretty $$$ for me!
And I always wanted to buy my goofy brother-in-law a t-shirt from the LA County Coroner at
Skeletons in the Closet
I’d really like an ebook reader…but I’ll have to wait a bit longer.
*sighs* I don’t look forward to gifts anymore. I always try to put a lot of thought into what people might like or need – or I ask them. For instance, my oldest brother likes to cook and his girlfriend is a type one diabetic whom never eats enough protein, but she loves those “sliders.” So I got him a pan special to make her sliders – he can make her ground chicken ones or turkey or beef. Our parents remodeled the house and because of the economy they don’t want us kids to spend a lot. So they asked for us to get them something small from The Salvation Army they can decorate with. Another brother wants Uggs so he’s getting a gift card.
Me, I try every single birthday or holiday time to convince my family to go in together on just one gift. I figure $10 or $15 apiece would be fine. I want either a gift certificate to a day spa or golf lessons. They NEVER listen! Instead I always get a bunch of crap I don’t even like! Clothing that’s too small. Gift cards for places I wouldn’t shop if you paid me. And everyone spends too dang much! You know I told mom I was going to tell everyone to get me the GC for the spa or golf lessons at Thanksgiving, she actually yelled at me and said, “You DON’T ask for what you want!” So another year of ugly knick knacks or worse, movies with Leo DiCRAPrio I’ll have to exchange.
I’m the only real reader in the family. So no use getting excited about giving reading related gifts.
Yep. Not the least bit excited here. I should’ve just gotten everyone gift cards to WalMart.
I’ve become obsessed with all things Amy Butler lately so I think I could spend a pretty penny there (or at least make a darn long wish list!)
(Okay—gonna post before I’m done to see if I managed to get the codes right to clickable-ize the links. BRB)
Okay—so that didn’t work so well…
Thanks Sarah for fixing my post!!! =)
I’ll just share this for anybody else out there who is also linkage impaired: http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/linking/_A_HREF.html
Now I’ll go study it myself and see if I can master the tricky intricacies of HTML code. ;o)
I love think geek – it’s been the first place I look for my brother for years. I tend not to exchange gifts with my friends anymore, but if for some reason, the occasion calls for it, it’s also where I get stuff for half my friends (the GOOD half :-p)
God willing, I’m going to be moving out soon. If so, the my first purchase for my new apartment won’t be furniture. Oh no. It’ll be this: http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/kitchen/86dd/
I ilke the “unshelved” comic strip. And they sell T-shirts anout reading. “Read Irresponsibly” and “Intellectual Freedom Fighter” are my favorites.
I’m shopping tonight from Uncommon Goods catalog. My husband works with publishing/design stuff in a tangential way and the “pantone color” espresso cups are funny (anybody else love the Magnetic Fields song Reno Dakota with the pantone references?) I’ve overheard hubby explaining to our 6 year old the difference between red and carmine (?) and yellow vs. Process yellow C (?). I dunno. Also, they have a cool golf scorecard collector book and a ticket display album – my 6 year old collects bus transfers from everywhere we travel and he needs a way to showcase them. I love the “graffiti art journal” – big pics of urban walls and subway cars and the like with markers. You’re supposed to draw your own graffiti – but it’s probably not a good influence on my children.
My word is served79, as in “I served 79 cups of espresso today in the new cups before I felt less Pantone 292.”
There’s reallly only ONE gift to have this Christmas: Burka Barbie !
Also – I want the geeK IS Sexy t-shirt http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/womens/5c8f/
man I’ve always loved Levengers. I need to stay away from them because I don’t NEED anything, but I WANT it all.
For the Thinkgeek-lovers, check out these two shirts from my little design studio. We’re creating shirts inspired by our favorite books. We just released “Catch-22” and “Through the Looking Glass”. Smart shirts for smart bitches 🙂
Note to self. Forward link to the hubby. Thanks!
I can vouch for Oberon. I have their date book, binder, sketchbook, and portfolio all in the tree of life design. And a book cover (they don’t make them anymore) in the Wave design. And a wallet in a knot design. Whew, I sound like a junkie, don’t I? Anyway, the sketchbook is 9 years old, got dragged EVERYWHERE in college, and looks brand new. Everything else still looks great too, but I was the roughest on the sketchbook. I love Oberon like a fat kid loves cake.
I am loving Think Geek.
As for shirts, I’d check out either Despair, Inc who has beauties like this, or TopatoCo, who has some great designs like this, this, or this.
I am the easiest person to shop for: gift cards to book stores. Please, believe me nice friend/family member, I will not think you didn’t put in time or effort, or that its not a personal gift, or anything else. I love reading. I buy books. Please give me the gift of being able to buy books. Thank you. (Note: I do like many gifts I have received that are not book store gift cards. But for people who don’t know what to get, or don’t want to worry about getting the right thing, it is the perfect fall back. I will not be disappointed by it, ever.)
Oh, and if I had lots and lots of money, I would buy people who listened to music these: Etymotic ER•4 MicroPro Earphones. My cousin gave them to me as a gift, and at first I just gave him a WTF look (headphones? seriously?), but they are amazing. Earbuds don’t stay in my ears very well but these do, and they cut out noise, and make the music have a much better quality sound to them, and just rock.
In fact, the magazine (whose name I am blanking on) has very amazing (but very expensive) merchandise I would buy people.
Psssst! You can glam up your Reader some at Anne’s Addictions, too.
Shameless self plug over 🙂
I’ve been racking up quite the ‘fav’ list over at Etsy.com the last few days. Way too many little kitschy things popping up like the feather headband feather headband and this adorable Sushi set
My aunt’s (the only close blood family I have left) is retiring in May of 2011, so I made her a retirement calendar, counting down the months, with pictures and captions, and the holidays for her office flagged.
Mr.Miranda and I take a trip instead of gifts. Viva Las Vegas!
I just spent a chunk of change at the geek place-perfect for all my sons and hubby-thanks!-I think!
Some teenage girls on my gift list were awfully happy with a copy of Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith for their recent birthdays.
http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780399533464/Wreck-This-Journal
Hours of fun and creativity (and destruction!)
If I had a million dollars. I’ll stop dreaming 🙂