This post can be turned into a drinking game: every time I pat myself on the back, take a shot.
Adults can be hard to shop for- unless they happen to be readers and you know a thing or two or about books. Luckily, my family is, so they got one of the best presents I've ever come up with: The Family Box of Books. Here's how to replicate this awesomeness for your own family next holiday season:
1. Figure out who you have to buy for and scour Amazon to find each person one book (for my family I chose Room for my mom, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian for sister A, The Selected Works of TS Spivet for sister B, The Night Circus for mom's boyfriend's daughter, and Pizza on the Grill for mom's boyfriend.
2. Pick a few other books you feel like people should read- here is where you can continue to inflict your fantastic taste on others (I grabbed The Lost Girls, Fahrenheit 451, and Go the Fuck to Sleep).
3. Wrap presents and put them in a box (have I mentioned how great I am at wrapping gifts?)
4. Create a tag for each family member that lists what book they will definitely like, and one or two that they should try (for example, Sister A should also try Fahrenheit 451 and Room, while mom should read How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and The Lost Girls).
5. Have family unwrap presents and then read tags.
6. Feel proud of self while they exchange books, read the backs, and seem genuinely excited about their options.
7. Laugh hysterically with family while mom, a preschool teacher, reads Go the Fuck to Sleep aloud. Congratulate self for catalyzing family happiness.
Drunk yet?
Joking aside, I actually really loved "shopping" for this gift and putting in a lot of thought and consideration into the titles for each person. Books are always the best presents (fine, according to me).
Adults can be hard to shop for- unless they happen to be readers and you know a thing or two or about books. Luckily, my family is, so they got one of the best presents I've ever come up with: The Family Box of Books. Here's how to replicate this awesomeness for your own family next holiday season:
1. Figure out who you have to buy for and scour Amazon to find each person one book (for my family I chose Room for my mom, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian for sister A, The Selected Works of TS Spivet for sister B, The Night Circus for mom's boyfriend's daughter, and Pizza on the Grill for mom's boyfriend.
2. Pick a few other books you feel like people should read- here is where you can continue to inflict your fantastic taste on others (I grabbed The Lost Girls, Fahrenheit 451, and Go the Fuck to Sleep).
3. Wrap presents and put them in a box (have I mentioned how great I am at wrapping gifts?)
4. Create a tag for each family member that lists what book they will definitely like, and one or two that they should try (for example, Sister A should also try Fahrenheit 451 and Room, while mom should read How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and The Lost Girls).
5. Have family unwrap presents and then read tags.
6. Feel proud of self while they exchange books, read the backs, and seem genuinely excited about their options.
7. Laugh hysterically with family while mom, a preschool teacher, reads Go the Fuck to Sleep aloud. Congratulate self for catalyzing family happiness.
Drunk yet?
Joking aside, I actually really loved "shopping" for this gift and putting in a lot of thought and consideration into the titles for each person. Books are always the best presents (fine, according to me).
I love to give books as presents...usually. I gave my 4 year old nephew 4 different books for Christmas this year. He opened them and then looked at me as if he were going to throw them at my head. He looked at his mom and said "Why didn't she buy me toys?"
ReplyDelete