Before you can even settle down to digest the mountain of food you ate during Thanksgiving break, the winter holidays are upon you.
If your holiday traditions include gift giving, this year, discover books as the perfect present. They especially come in handy when you’re at a complete loss of what to get ?someone.
Some of my favorite gifts have been books, especially for the holidays when boredom seems to creep into the school break.
Last year, “The Bell Jar” was one of my gifts from my mother and I read the entire thing in one day. I convinced her to read it while we drove my caravan of winter clothes back up to IU last January.
The format of the book is a decision worth thinking about for your recipient.
My grandmother prefers audiobooks she listens to on her way to work and during her walks each day. A physical book wouldn’t fit her needs.
For those relatives who keep their eyes glued to their tablet, a gift card to their favorite online bookstore will brighten their winter months. Just remember to buy the correct gift card for the tablet i.e. iTunes for iPad, Amazon for Kindle and Barnes & Noble for Nook.
But if your recipient brags about their stuffed bookshelf and you’ve heard them describe the smell of book pages, a physical book is the better option.
Recently released books are the best option if you’re unsure what your recipient has read. If it’s in the newly released section, chances are they haven’t had the chance to devour it.
If you’re unsure what type genre of book to choose, think about the person’s likes and dislikes. A history buff might enjoy a biography of JFK or your sibling obsessed with watching Game of Thrones will love the books by George R. R. Martin.
Thanksgiving night, I visited the local Target near my home (which was shockingly not crowded) and came across the last copy of Amy Poehler’s new book “Yes, Please.”
It had been on my Amazon wish list since it was available for pre-order. I noticed that this copy was an “exclusive” signed first edition.
Amy Poehler is one of my favorite funny ladies and I’m currently trying to convince my family to start watching Parks and Recreation. I couldn’t pass up the wonderful opportunity of having this copy, so I bought it, brought it home and asked my father to give it to me for Christmas.
Though it seems silly to have bought my own present, I’m a firm believer that if you buy something before the holiday, you should wait until then to have it.
The point of gifts during the holidays is the kindness and selflessness in the form of giving. A personal gift, a book you’ve researched, looked for and wrapped is personal.
If you feel you’re in the giving mood, donations pop up around this time of year. Donate a children’s book to Toy’s for Tots. Your gifts to children don’t always have to come in plastic packaging with twist ties.
A book isn’t flashy, expensive and it’s hardly ?materialistic.
Books involve learning and discovering of a new world. You’re not just giving someone paper with words printed on the pages — you’re giving them an experience.
maehogan@indiana.edu
