Bookish Christmas Ideas

Everyone has different ways of celebrating or relaxing over the Christmas season and we’ve put together a list of some bookish ways you can enjoy the festivities. You don’t need to celebrate Christmas for some of these, just share a love of the written word.

1. Re-read the Christmassy scenes from your favourite books.

Re reading your favourite books always seems like a good idea, in theory. But do we really have the time? With so many great new books being published all the time, it’s not often that we get to read our old favourites all over again. And that’s just at any normal time of the year, not to mention with the added tasks of shopping, cooking, wrapping presents and decorating trees that comes with this time of the year. Try our alternative instead.

The opening pages of Little Women.

Christmas in the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

Father Christmas finally arriving in Narnia after the White Witch’s long winter.

So many of our well-loved books have Christmas scenes, or unforgettable wintery moments, so why not just read those sections instead?

Even some of our own titles have great Christmas scenes. Divine Timing by Ruth Less opens in the build up to Christmas. Thinking of Santorini by Andy Godfrey features several great Christmas poems. Grab a copy now and discover a new favourite!

2. Watch book to movie adaptations

Every year there are so many book to movie adaptations released and there’s some we just never get around to watching. (some of us might argue that’s for the best, having been disappointed by our favourite scenes or whole characters never making it to the big screen adaptation!) But if you have time off work, or are stuck inside with miserable weather outside, get the family together and watch some now.

This year alone there have been movies made of the following bestsellers:

The BFG by Roald Dahl

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

And a whole host more!

3. Give Books as gifts

What better way to share your love of reading than by giving books as gifts? You could give somebody the book you have enjoyed most from the previous year. Find out their favourite authors and see if they’ve published anything new recently. Almost every year there are new, beautiful editions published of classic, well-loved books, just perfect for die-hard fans.

Check out the Christmas recommendations section of our website for some of our own books which we think will make great Christmas presents.

As an alternative, and something slightly more unusual, there are several great online retailers who create stunning jewellery out of old, damaged books. Some bookshops, including Mr B’s Emporium (https://www.mrbsemporium.com/) offer book subscription services, sending a book to an avid reader every month. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

4. Books as decorations

Do you have more books than you know what to do with? Are your bookshelves overflowing? Why not skip getting a Christmas tree this year and create a tree out of your books instead?

Or, like the jewellery designers above, give a new lease of life to some old, damaged, worn out books. Book paper chains, anyone?

5. Throw a literary Christmas party

Throw a Christmas party with a twist. Remember Book Day at school? Recapture that magic by having everyone dress as a book character as a theme for your Christmas party. Take your inspiration from some of those wintry books listed above and recreate a festive Hogwarts feast, or a Dickensian themed period style party.

We would love to know how you incorporate books into your day to day life? Do you enjoy just watching adaptations, and re reading your favourite parts? Or are you one who likes to go all out and host literary themed parties?