Saturday, December 24, 2011

Saturday Discussions: Books as Christmas Gifts?

Since Christmas is right around the corner, my little sister and I thought it might be a good idea to keep things light this week. Thus, we decided to talk about something fun and Christmas themed. This week, we are talking about whether or not we buy books as Christmas gifts for people around the holidays. My answer might surprise you!

As a general rule of thumb, I do not buy books for Christmases or birthdays. I know, I know, it's a perfect excuse to support your favorite author or series and I am all for that. But most of the people I know don't read. It's a horrible world I live in but it's mine nonetheless. Pretty much my entire family, with the exception of my grandma and a really cool aunt who I found out likes to read YA, my family is not likely to crack open a book or appreciate if I got them one.

This year I bought books for two people because I knew each of them would like it. See, I'm actually a really picky reader (or I used to be) and I have a lot of books so it's difficult for people to buy books for me. And I don't like forcing the things I love on other people either.

So what I am saying is, I LIKE buying books for people but I like getting them what they will love more. If that happens to be a book than that just makes everything a little sweeter.

On the other hand, I do like receiving books. My mother has no idea what type of stuff I read so she lets me shop for books and wrap them so she can give me something I really want. I know I'll be receiving a bunch of great titles this year.

So fear not blogger friends, though I may not have a lot of people in my life that read, I still have you guys. I enjoy every single second of sharing what I thought about what I read with you and will continue to all next year.

Hope all your holidays are merry and bright!

Do you buy books as gifts?

12 comments:

  1. 'Do you buy books as gifts?'

    Only for my mom. None of my friends or the rest of my family reads.
    And it's pretty easy to choose books for my mother because she only reads old fashioned romance books (No paranormal).

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  2. I totally know what you mean. A lot of my family members don't like to read, so getting them books for Christmas would be pointless. Lucky for me, I'm an English major, so I get a few of my fellow English major friends books for presents every once in awhile!

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  3. I gave books this year to my fiancee and three of my friends. :) But they were books I knew they would really like. Most of my family would appreciate books too, but this year they needed things so that is what they got instead.

    But I do not buy books for everyone, because like you I buy what they would love or really need.

    Happy Holidays!

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  4. Fortunately my sister and I both got our love of books and reading from my father. The three of us devour books. So yes, I buy them books for Christmas.
    My daughters-in-law love books also and one year just before Christmas one of my daughters-in-law noticed a book that I was reading and I told her that it was very good, but there was about 12 books in the series so for Christmas she bought me all the books in the series, that was one of my best Christmas gifts I receved as an adult.
    Merry Christmas to all you book lovers.

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  5. I actually rarely buy books for people as well. I do buy them for my mom but she gives me a list of books she wants and I pick a few to get her. Other than her though, not a lot of people that I know read enough to want a book as their christmas present... sad sad world.

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  6. I've bought 3 people books this year, but I took them to a shop and asked them to pick out 2/3 alternatives. I then go back on my own and buy one of their choices. That way they still get a slight surprise but I know they really want what they are getting.

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  7. I learned a lesson a while ago with my in-laws that they just do not like to read. I'd buy them cookbooks, mystery books, etc., and clearly it was a bust. I do buy books for my family because they absolutely adore reading, and now I've pretty much understood that when it comes to people, it's a case-by-case scenario!

    Happy Holidays!!

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  8. Bummer to hear you don't have more readerly friends. Giving books is a go-to with the folks in my writers' group, and more often than not, we end up doing our own book exchanges since we all have similar reading/writing tastes.

    Hope you get lots of awesome books this season, and best wishes for 2012!


    Smiles!
    Lori

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  9. I totally understand. A lot of people I know aren't big readers so I don't buy them books unless it's something I know they actually want to read. I do give books to my bookish friends but always with a gift receipt because readers are always buying books so it's hard to predict if they already have them sometimes. Hope you get lots of books under the tree this year!

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  10. I know what you mean. For some odd reason, most of my friends don't read, or they do, but it's only really one series, so they read about a book a year. I don't really have much money, so I try to keep all of my gifts on the cheap side, which means no books for my loved ones. :( I did, however, create a few short stories for some of my friends (just a little something tailored to their own interests) if you want to count that.

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  11. I only buy books as gifts if someone asks for a specific title. This year my sister-in-law asked for "true crime" books or "funny chick lit" books, but I don't read either, so I'm out of the loop of what is good. If she would have asked for a good YA book, I probably could have come up with loads of ideas.

    - Jackie

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  12. I never really would buy books for people because I live in a world just like yours. My family doesn't really read but I did manage to get some books for my boyfriend this year. He is the one person in my life who does read!

    Of course 50% of my gifts are normally books, I think I ended up with 25 this year! I'm a book addict and I do not have a problem with that.

    I hope you enjoy everything that your mom got you. Happy reading!

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