Bookish White Elephant Gifts For Every Price Range

The holidays inevitably bring about a rash of White Elephant parties. And while it may be hard to shop when you have little to no idea who the recipient is, you can't go wrong with book-inspired gifting. So we’ve rounded up some of the best bookish gifts, at every price range, that are sure to get the stealing rounds started. 

$5 and Under

Bookmarks are always useful, but keeping your place with a simple strip of paper can lead to read-rage when they fall out. That's why these adorable ribbon bookmarks are a brilliant idea. With different lengths to fit hardback and paperback editions, they’ll keep your place until you are ready to get back to the story, while putting a smile on your face. Learn morehere.

For something completely different, try these downloadable patterns for creating folded book-based art. If you are absolutely useless with wrapping paper, these are perfect, as they slip into a card (or a festive envelope) – zero giftwrap required! There are lots of different patterns to choose from, and if you left your shopping till the last minute, there’s no shipping to worry about either. Learn more here.

$10 and Under

Ask any bookworm about their perfect weekend, and chances are that they are going to wistfully describe two whole days curled up with their latest read. This cute tote is perfect for your favorite reader, as it's perfectly practical and ideal for carrying anything from groceries to tomes themselves. Learn more here.

While soaps are usually a cop-out when it comes to white elephants, these imaginative offerings by Tea Soap Books definitely break the stereotype. Each set contains a bar of soap shaped like an open book, and a box designed to look like the cover. The soaps’ scents are created to match the tone of each novel, with options like the bright and sweet Wizard of Oz (lemon, orange and sugar) and the bubbling cauldron of Advanced Potions Making (neroli, green tea and gardenia). Learn more here.

$15 and under

Another great option for literature-inspired gifts are these amazing candles by From The Page. Stick with a classic for those who love that old-book-smell with options like “Leather Bound Books” scented candles (leather, musk and vanilla) or get imaginative with scents inspired by your favorite characters, locations and scenes. For extra Christmas points, try the Whoville (graham cracker, cinnamon and vanilla icing), Narnia Forest (blue spruce, pine and cedarwood) or Christmas at Hogwarts (pine, fir and orange) candles. Learn more here.

The adorable wine charms are perfect for keeping glasses in the right hands during book club nights! The set features six charms, each with a miniature literary classic and matching crystals hanging off them. Perfect for any wine drinker or hostess, these sweet little books are also a great conversation starter at parties. Learn more here.

$25 and under

Because there is nothing worse than lending a book and never getting it back! This little personal library kit comes complete with envelopes for the inside cover, lending tickets, and a date stamp for that truly professional touch. Whoever ends up with this now has a cute way to remind friends that as wonderful as it can be to share a favorite book…the time comes to buy your own copy! Learn more here. 

This ingenious way to upcycle used books gives you a secret hiding place worthy of a detective novel! Secret Storage Books carves out second hand novels to create stunning boxes in a book cover- on the shelf, it looks just like any other volume. This is a great gift if you are looking for something eco-friendly, or if you just happen to love the cosy idea of secret hiding places. Learn more here.

Reading and hot drinks go together like peanut butter and jelly (even if they put beloved books at risk of tea stains!), so what better to give a reader who has everything than a charming hand-stamped vintage spoon? These are definitely going to be a unique gift, and are available with different prints: “A book & some coffee” or “A book & some tea” are only two of the options. Add some lovely teabags or coffee grounds to this gift for a perfect literary pairing. Learn more here.

And don't forget…

Wrap your white elephant in book-inspired paper, or even use some books or newspaper destined for the landfill instead of buying new giftwrap. This can look absolutely stunning and truly quirky under the tree, as well as giving you extra eco-friendly points.

Have a Very Bookish Holiday!