‘Tis is the season to be shopping. That sounds a bit Scroogely, but don’t call me Ebenezer. We’re back in that time of the year when people get into gift exchanges, for whatever holiday or reason, and I’m all for it. There is nothing quite like the joy of watching parcel-laden shoppers bustle under the garlands looped between lampposts while you cobble together the perfect popsicle-stick picture frame. Seriously, though, I full endorse the giving and getting of gifts. A smile exists on both ends of the exchange. The giver gets the joy of the hunt, not to mention the satisfaction of a job well done, and the receiver gets a schweet gift and the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes with knowing that someone loved them enough to brave the shopping madness.

‘Where is this going?’ is an understandable question at this point the article. It’s going to a gift guide. A bookish gift guide, even. Emphasis on the ‘ish’.

Scrabble Cufflinks – A little cheeky and more than a little dorky, these cufflinks make my overly casual self want to buy a proper shirt. There is, of course, the pressure to pick the right two letters, but I’ve every faith in you. Just be sure to hide them from your pet monkey—Ross Gellar’s heart couldn’t take another fright like that.

Tabletop Bookshelf – Cute enough for the kids and there is no assembly required. Take that, unnamed Swedish home goods store that I adore despite our differences. This is a lovely addition to any room, regardless of the age of those who inhabit it. The birdhouse can grow with your/little one’s book collection and look good while doing it.

The Essential New York Times Cookbook – Because there’s the one person on everyone’s list who loves cookbooks. I’m sure they’ve Barefoot Contessas and Paula Deen (shut up—you love her) enough to choke an anaconda, and somebody will have already given your cookbook collector a DVD copy of Julie & Julia last year, so get with the times.  This baby says it on the cover, ‘Classic Recipes for a New Century’—it’s hip, it’s now, it the New York Times, so the layout is inherently sexy. Look at those glossy picture in the preview, drool over the font choices. Go on. Buy it.

Literary Lites Matchbooks – Nothing gets be going so much as books and fire, though the two rarely live together harmoniously. These adorable matchbook sets, however, change that. True, they’re a little less than functional, but I doubt you really care. I know I’d almost list ‘Take up smoking,’ as one of my New Year’s Resolutions just to show these off. Almost.

H.P. Lovecraft Cthulhu Necklace – If you haven’t clicked the link yet, let me warn you that it is exactly what it sounds like. Meaning that it is the most beautiful thing to every grace the neck of the luck gal this is purchased for. In all seriousness, it is a lovely piece for anyone who likes cut-out type jewellery, even if she’s not too keen on evil-cosmic-octopi.