Christmas is one of my favourite things. I love the cosiness, the blankets, the Christmas songs, the Christmas trees and decorations, but most of all, the presents. And (this is a surprise to no one), books are my favourite gifts. I love to gift them to people, and it's even better to receive them myself.
This year I want to start doing Christmas gift guides. They will be bookish, because this blog is about books. I have just started a new blog that is non-bookish (Hills and Holly) and I'm thinking about doing a Christmas gift guide on there as well (without books!).
Back to the books. This post will be the first one in a series of themed gift guides. I have 6 more on the planning, so look out for those in the next couple of weeks. This post includes books that feature a very wintery setting and atmosphere, some also Christmas related (bonus!). So, let's get into them.
This book is published by the British Library in their excellent series of newly published crime classics. There are many more in this series with a story centered around Christmas, so there are more options to choose from. This story in particular starts off with a stranded train on Christmas eve in the middle of the snowy countryside. Several passengers climb out of the train to take shelter in a deserted country house and whilst unravelling the secrets of the house, a murderer strikes in their midst.
I read this book last year in December and thoroughly enjoyed it. I love crime classics and this one does not disappoint. It's a very cosy read and perfect to curl up with in front of the fireplace while it's snowing outside.
Buy here with free worldwide shipping
2. 'Murder on the Orient Express' by Agatha Christie
With the new adaptation out in theaters at the moment, this will be a perfect gift for someone who enjoyed the film and may want to discover its original story. Recently re-published in this beautiful wintery edition, it would be a gorgeous gift to give to someone this Christmas.
The story is about Hercule Poirot, famous French detective, who happens to be a passenger on the Orient Express when a murder happens. Because of heavy snowfall the train comes to a halt and is unable to move on. But the passengers won't be bored, because there is a murder case to solve and a murderer to catch, who is very likely to be in their very midst...
3. 'Hercule Poirot's Christmas' by Agatha Christie
Another Christie in a beautiful edition and a perfect seasonal mystery thriller, this story is about a family gathering at Christmas Eve, waiting to hear the reason for this unwanted meeting, when a murder happens upstairs in the house and our trusted detective Poirot is called to help.
This edition might be a little hard to get if you live outside the UK (I bought it in London last year when I was on holiday), but you can order it from the Waterstones website. I will link another gorgeous edition you'll be able to order on the Book Depository.
This gorgeously illustrated edition contains all of Dickens' Christmas stories. If you know any Dickens enthusiast or someone who enjoys a classic Christmas story set in the Victorian era, give them this book. I personally love the Christmas Carol story and it's such a famous seasonal classic it would be a shame not to have it on your shelves.
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5. 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens
I couldn't do a gift guide without mentioning a Penguin Clothbound Classic, could I? This edition of A Christmas Carol was the first Clothbound edition I bought and also one of the first classics I ever read. This covers almost the exact same stories as the 'Dickens at Christmas' edition, but this edition is a bit smaller and therefore contains less stories. So if you don't want to overwhelm someone with a big book, this would be perfect. It has the most wintery cover you can imagine and looks gorgeous on one's shelf.
Buy here with free worldwide shipping
So, that was it for part 1! I hope I've given you some new ideas and let me know if you're planning on gifting any of these to anyone. The next part will be up soon as well.
Lots of bookish love,
Lovely gift guide. I want Dickens at Christmas but I might have to wait for Christmas money and get it myself. People don't know which books to get me hahaha
ReplyDeleteYou should totally do that! I have the same problem, people think gifting me books is hard but when I ask for book vouchers they think it would make a boring gift. Oh well! Whether you get your hands on it sooner or later, I hope you enjoy the stories in the collection :)
DeleteI loved this blog post and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your gift guides. I actually bought the Penguin Clothbound edition of Dickens' Christmas writings and Hercule Poirot's Christmas to read in December. :)
ReplyDeleteMy next one will be up this Friday! I love making them :) Yay! I will be reading Hercule Poirot's Christmas in December as well, would love to talk to you about it.
DeleteI love the new wintry edition of Murder on the Orient Express. It's so pretty. Great gift guide and looking forward to the next one!
ReplyDeleteIt's gorgeous isn't it? I forgot to photograph the endpapers, but they are really beautiful as well. My next one will be up this Friday! :)
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