Find the Perfect Pages for the People in Your Life

December 22, 2019 12:00 PM
by Casey Cambridge

Stop. Don’t do it!

Step away from the gift card. Put the cozy socks back on the rack. Because this is your year to surprise and delight. Reach for the gift-giving gold star.

The answer could be in a book. Or perhaps it’s the book itself. And I’m certain that somewhere out there, there’s just the right one, for everyone, on your list. 

For the Creative Types

Consider a wrapped and ribboned addition for their coffee table book collection. You can't go wrong with the collected works of their favorite artist (hint: it's the one they'll never buy for themselves). Or maybe they’re in search of a new craft for the new year. The Santa Monica Public Library has more than a few gift-giving ideas, from books on hand lettering and card making, to creative writing and miniature plant worlds.

For the Little Ones

It was your bedtime favorite. The one your parents read to you so many times, both you and they knew it by heart. Tie a bow on a copy of your beloved childhood classic, and pass it along to the little one in your life. It's a trip down memory lane for you, and a chance to make a memory of it for them. Crack the spine, turn the page, and awaken those familiar verses with the added gift of your voice and time. If their home library already encompasses all of your nostalgic picks, peruse Councilmember Gleam Davis's selections for inspiration from the Let's Read With Gleam! storytime series.

For the Non Readers

We all know one. “I don’t do books,” they say. “I don’t have time to read,” they claim. While it's tempting to give them the hardcover version of the one that changed your life (and is, incidentally, 4 pounds and pushing 1000 pages), I'm guessing you won't want to see it functioning as a doorstop in the next few months. 'Tis the season to show them the light, not scare them away. Prove to them the book was way better than the movie (of course, a few bookmarks in the form of theater passes wouldn't hurt, either).

No doubt there’s a wide variety of interests among the people on your gift list. So if it isn't covered here, let our online catalog inspire you, go on a treasure hunt at the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library's bookstore, or mine the stacks and displays at any one of our five locations for ideas. I hear there's more than just a few programs and events scheduled for these final days of 2019. We invite you to stop in, slow down, and catch a bit of the seasonal spirit before it all blows by.

And just in case you’ve already stocked up on fresh pairs of cozy socks, consider donating them instead. Suddenly, gold star gift-giving status is well within reach.

 

Authored By

Casey Cambridge
Library Assistant II