Season’s greetings from your neighborhood bookseller, a 40-year-old woman who has, according to her Christmas list, leaned in to becoming a caricature of an eccentric bookshop owner. 

In addition to the following gift ideas on my list this year (only some of which are truly strange), I have also included book recommendations to help steer your gifting this year. 

Gift Idea: A nice broom. 

Nothing says being an adult like wanting a broom for Christmas. Not just any broom, no, a nice broom. I’d like one that is aesthetically pleasing, cute even. This sage green one from Food52 would do the trick (I googled “cute broom” and there she was…) It appears to even work on carpet, which makes my heart flutter. Or maybe this multi-color handcrafted number? 

I’ve been trying to tidy up my home lately which can be a challenge with three kids, two cats, a bunny, and a new puppy running around. There is stuff everywhere. Something about a nice broom brings me hope. Realistically I should probably ask Santa for a handheld vacuum, too. 

Book Idea: How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis 

This perfectly stocking-sized book champions self-care through clean spaces. It’s equal parts pep talk and how-to manual, offering gentle and compassionate advice for getting organized. A book I wish someone had gifted me when I first had kids.

Gift Idea: A ceramic spoon rest

A few weekends ago at the farmers market I saw a local ceramicist with her wares laid out: ornaments, bowls, trays, and trinket dishes. I almost bought myself a charming little spoon rest but got derailed by a four year old desperately needing a cake pop. Which is for the best - I shouldn’t be buying myself gifts around the holidays. I might get this one for my mom, paired with a nice wooden spoon and a block-printed dish towel. 

Book Idea: Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten 

The only thing that could make the above mentioned foodie-friendly gift better is if it were paired with Ina Garten’s heartwarming memoir. I loved this book. It’s easy to read and as comforting as her recipes. Reading it feels like getting coffee with an old friend who is full of good stories. Every page holds an entertaining new anecdote about a life well lived.

Gift Idea: A beagle ornament. 

This year I began fostering with Homeward Trails Animal Rescue. The experience has been rewarding and I’ve gotten to meet so many lovely people. This social connection - and of course the puppy cuddles! - have been a welcome distraction to the dreary seasonal “blahs” that always hit me this time of year. I’d love to commemorate the new hobby with a cute beagle ornament, since my first foster (hi, Winnie!) was a beagle. Red Barn Mercantile always has the best ornaments, doggie and otherwise. 

Book Idea: Doggie Language: A Dog Lovers Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend by Lili Chin 

Another adorably compact book fit to be a stocking stuffer. This guide gives all sorts of helpful tips on reading body language in dogs and is a must read for anyone welcoming a new pup into their home. It explains in a few drawings what could take whole books to convey.

See below for my personal copy of Doggie Language, which my 7-month-old puppy has, for differing reasons, also found interesting.

Gift Idea: Heirloom Mum Cuttings

Move over, dahlias. My new gardening obsession is heirloom mums. I started growing long stemmed mums two seasons ago in my cutting garden just out of curiosity, and now I am hooked. 

On my Christmas list this year is a new round of varieties to expand my collection. You can order your own heirloom mum cuttings from 3 Porch Farms and get them shipped directly to your doorstep when it’s time to plant them. 

Book idea: Chrysanthemums by Naomi Slade

A bit niche and on the nose, sure, but the book Chrysanthemums would make a lovely gift for the flower fiend in your life. A great reference guide exploring a wide variety of cutting mums in a coffee-table-worthy package. 

Gift Idea: Chicken Camp

I promised this gift list would get weird. Here, my friends, is where things go off the rails: Since getting into dog fostering I’ve become interested in animal training and behavior. I’ve also hand-raised baby chicks with my kids for the last few years and become a backyard chicken enthusiast. 

Chicken Camp is where my interests intersect. I find it hilarious and fascinating. Life is short, follow your dreams, right? Even if that dream involves teaching a chicken to press a button or navigate an obstacle course? In all seriousness though, I’d love to learn more about positive reinforcement and training, and this course would be the perfect fit. 

Book Idea: What the Chicken Knows by Sy Montgomery and Fowl Play by Sally Coulthard. 

Sy Montgomery of The Soul of an Octopus fame turns her attention to the relationship between humans and chickens in this charming book. An instant New York Times bestseller, this book is a delightful look at our feathered friends combining Montgomery’s personal experiences with scientific tidbits. 

Fowl Play is a more in depth look at human-chicken history. It was one of my staff picks that flew off the shelf this past year, so I know I’m not the only chicken nerd in Old Town…

Gift Idea: A wearable throw. 

It’s a blanket, but with a hood and pockets! If ever I were the target audience for a product it would be for this wearable throw.

Imagine snuggling up in a hooded fleece blankie with some hot tea and instrumental Christmas music in the background. Suddenly it getting dark at 5pm doesn’t seem so bad. 

Book Idea: Have Yourself a Merry Little Crossword 

The only way to improve on the above scene is to throw in a book of puzzles - add this crossword book and you’ve got the definition of “cozy”. 

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