My friends and family know that I love buying, borrowing, reading, sharing and discussing books yet they rarely purchase them for me. Since I read so much and so widely, they’re never sure if the book they’re considering for a gift is one I’ve already consumed. And so, in defeat, they often buy me gift certificates and apologize for doing so.
But I’m here to say that there’s no need to be sorry at all! Gift certificates are a boon. Why, there are few things I enjoy more than allowing myself to go wild in a bookstore, either online or in person. Which is why as soon as the holidays ended, I hopped online and indulged in the delayed satisfaction of post-birthday and Christmas receiving.
As a way to support small businesses, my employer gave each worker a $100 gift certificate. Although we could use it at one of several dozen stores, I opted to spend mine at Bookshop.org, a site that allows bibliophiles to shop online while also supporting local bookstores.
I picked up:
* “The Bookshop Hotel” by A.K. Klemm
* “Oddball, 4: A Sarah’s Scribbles Collection” by Sarah Andersen
* “Deliciously Foxtrot” by Bill Amend
* “You Are an Artist: Assignments to Spark Creation” by Sarah Urist Green
* “Bake with Anna Olson: More Than 125 Simple, Scrumptious and Sensational Recipes to Make You a Better Baker”
Total cost — including delivery — after the gift certificate? A whopping 67 cents. Best of all, I have hours of reading, laughter, creative pursuits and baking ahead of me.
That’s what I call a true gift.
