a gift guide for readers & homebodies

from a cozy stay-at-home gal

I love a gift guide. Of course, like everyone else, I’ve been reading them all month long. Inevitably, I wondered, “what if *I* made one!?”

And here we are.

This guide is from my POV as a highly sensitive person who loves to be home. Ever since I moved into my first real apartment in my second year of college—the one where I got my own room and even had a washer/dryer in unit—I’ve been very focused on making my home a safe, cozy place I love to be.

As a budget-conscious college student, this meant three or four strands of warm twinkle lights with white cording that matched the Landlord’s Special white of my walls.

As a grad student with somehow even less money than my college self, this meant thrifted frames on the walls in haphazard collages with photos I sneakily printed out at the library and splurging once a year on a really nice academic planner.

These days, my comforts have gotten even comfier and I haven’t minded devoting more of my expendable income to cozy goods, like those listed here. I love to gift comforts to others—heating pads, ultra-soft blankets, and twinkle lights are some of my go-to gifts. I hope you’ll find something here that makes you excited, whether it’s for yourself or someone dear to you.

Have fun browsing!

Please note: None of these are affiliate links. These are all items I genuinely love and am really glad I purchased, all on my own!

For an extra-cozy reading nook

I’ve written about how different folks need different things from their reading environments. These recs lean more into the cozy couch snuggle nook, but can also be used at your desk for more intensive reading sessions.

• A Minky Couture blanket, prices vary — These blankets are unbelievably soft and cozy and so warm. A few years ago, I received a travel-sized Minky as a corporate team gift and it was the best corporate gift I’d ever gotten. A few months later, I bought myself another one, this time the “monster” size, in a really pretty green color, when it was on sale. And let me tell ya: enormous “monster” size is where it’s at. Both blankets have seriously up-leveled my reading corner; one of my cats has claimed the smaller one for herself.

• A nice little lamp, $40 — I have this little lamp in a buttery yellow color and it’s such a cozy little aura of light. It’s the perfect size for a small space. If you like the size and shape but the current colors don’t suit your fancy, bookmark the link—they tend to put out new colors every few months.

• Tiny space heater, $30 — If you like to be extra cozy while you read, or if your reading nook is drafty, a small personal space heater is such a cute way to warm it up. The exact one I have isn’t available anymore, but it’s very similar to the one I linked here, which kinda looks like something Daughter Judy would have in her room. (Yes, that is a Jetson’s reference.)

• A heating pad for your shoulders, $26 — I have this. I love it. I’m sitting here wondering why I am not wearing it right now. My one qualm is that I wish it got even warmer, but it’s still so nice to wear.

• A subscription to Poetry magazine, $39 for 10 whole print issues — If you’re hoping to get into poetry next year, may I suggest Poetry magazine? Each issue includes tons of poems from the poets you’ve heard of as well as the undiscovered folks who are putting out seriously beautiful work. You also get a tote bag! Cute! This would make an amazing gift for the (current, aspiring, or already graduated) MFA students in your life.

• Other bookish subscriptions I have had and loved:

  • The Paris Review

  • The London Review of Books

  • Interview Mag

  • Your alma mater’s (or local university's) literary journals — contact the English Department to ask about subscribing! They’d love your support!

  • The author’s society for your favorite author (or gift your friend an annual sub to their favorite literary journal like this one I love or author society!)

    • To explore some options, just Google “[name of author] society” or “[name of author] academic journal” and see what comes up.

• Limited editions from The Folio Society, prices vary — Okay, these special and rare books are what I’d consider a total splurge. Some are in a more manageable price range, but some of the more unique ones are the kind of thing it would take most folks to save months or even years for. I include it here because a gift guide is nothing if not slightly delusional.

For writing and planning and thinking

You can do great thinking in the Notes app of your phone. You can do it with a $.35 pencil and the back of a receipt. You can do it up in your beautiful brain without ever writing anything down. You can also think and plan and write with very intentional materials, like those I list here.

• Papier academic planner, prices vary — I have sung praises of this brand before. I love the beautiful covers you can choose from and that you can customize certain designs to put your favorite quote, saying, name, company, anythingyouwant on the cover. This is the one I’m using this year and I customized the cover with my fave Edith Wharton quote. For most notebook or planner styles, you can choose from spiral-bound or book bound, hardcover or softcover, and browse different books for the layouts you like best. Everything I’ve ordered from Papier has exceeded my expectations.

• A Rifle Paper Co. desk calendar, $48 — How about this: you gift your favorite person a really pretty desk calendar and before you give it to them, you fill it out with all the birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates (including local events like farmer’s markets or shows) you’d like to spend together! You could also do this exact same process for yourself and it’d be the sweetest gift to yourself ever.

• A new notebook, $25-$40 — This is my fave brand. Something about the paper quality and the way the hardcover works as a journal and a workbook for my ideas…I can’t get enough. I always get the dotted paper, but I love the grid/graph paper, too. I love the largest size for doodles, making collages, and trying out new markers or pens. In fact, I use this large one to do most of my creative brainstorming for our Closely Reading Book Club! You can get like 20 post-its on a single page. It is awesome for mapping ideas!

• Ink & Volt dashboard, $29 — I saw this in an instagram ad and I was a goner. I love this desk pad. I use it for work every single week and it organizes the messes in my brain faster than any other desk planner/tool/calendar I’ve ever used. I really like it for home + meal planning, as well.

• Ink & Volt one on one notebook, $18 — If you’re like me, you have anywhere from two to twelve “one on one” calls during the work week. This notebook helps me keep track of what I’ve discussed with each colleague, and it’s a great layout different from all my other notebooks, so it’s easy to pull off my shelf before each 1:1 call. I love flipping back to past calls to remind myself what we’re picking up on each week.

• A sticker book, $24 — I got myself this sticker book at a local boutique last year and I have used it all year long. I put stickers on my daily journal pages, on my calendar, on my sticky notes from work, on the letters I send to friends, and throughout my planner. I love a good sticker and the ones in these books are so eclectic and weird and wonderful!

For running cozy errands

If I’m leaving my house to grocery shop, get my oil changed, stand in line at the wine store, or actually walk around inside somewhere, I am going to be comfy.

• A book cap — I wear my “Mary Oliver” hat from wombhousebooks at least twice a week. I love this hat. I love when the barista recognizes the name on this hat. I love when people don’t know the name and I get to tell them about Mary Oliver. (While you’re shopping this store on Etsy, pick up a few used books, too. Incredible collection!)

• This peptide lip treatment, $22 — No notes. A perfect lippie in texture (silk, I tell you), stickiness (none!), and scent (barely there!).

• A super slouchy sweatshirt, $28 on sale — 7 out of 7 days of the week, you can find me in an oversized sweatshirt. Some of my most favorites are from Aerie; I never buy them until they’re on sale. (I also recently got this ribbed corduroy sweatshirt and love the texture of the fabric! I sized up for a baggy fit.)

• A giant water bottle, $30-40 — My favorite is Owalla. I’ve tried Yeti, Hydroflask, and the infamous Stanley (so many corporate gifts over the years) and the best one—the one I always reach for—is my 40 ounce Owalla. My cold water stays cold; my ice stays ice for an entire day. I take it to my desk every morning. I take it to pottery class. I take it to bed every night. I have dropped it and watched it start to roll down my driveway and it still looks gorgeous. Annoyingly, it really does help me drink more water.

For staying home, the best activity

• Twinkle lights in any shape, like these Snoopy ones!!!! or these peppermint candies!!!! but watch out that they’re not too cold or blue in tone because that throws off the whole vibe. Pay attention to the wire/cord color, as well.

• The WyldeFlowers video game, ~$25 on sale — if you or your loved one has a Nintendo Switch, let me just tell you that this game a sheer delight. It has farming and cute animals and mining and all your traditional farm-sim stuff…but it adds literal *magic* and fun little puzzles to figure out. It’s veryyyyy relaxing to play with no tense combat whatsoever.

• A paint by numbers kit, ~$10-$50 — I’ve been doing kits from this company for the last two years. They take me forever to complete and they’re the kind of meticulous that scratches my brain in the most satisfying way. I feel like this would be a perfect gift for a date night, for a newlywed couple, for your bff who has a million hobbies, or your aunt who loves a good jigsaw puzzle.

• Speaking of puzzles — I love these “World of…” 1000 piece puzzles. There’s one for Agatha Christie. Frankenstein. And lots more. You can find them at most online retailers, including Bookshop.org! Prices seem to vary a little, based on the seller.

Okay, fine, one more idea…

What about an annual subscription to Closely Reading?! Right now, I’m offering 25% off for a whole year, which drops the price down to $33.75 for all of 2025 — plus you get access to the full archive!

I have so many fun things planned for the year ahead. We’ll be doing, drumroll please, six read-a-longs of classic literature (I’m revealing all the titles veryveryvery soon, stay tuned, yes Edith Wharton is on the list!) and I’ll also be running more guided experiences, like the “become a close(r) reader” series going on now.

If you’re not ready to subscribe, but enjoyed today’s gift guide, you can buy me a coffee.

Happy holidays!

When I started writing this Substack almost a two years ago, I had no idea it would turn into such a deep passion project for me. I have so much fun creating new essays and experiences for this space—and as this space grows (there are over 2,800 of us now!) I hope to keep bringing ideas and books and writing exercises that help you believe in your ability to read closely and think deeply about stories.

And beyond all the gifts and packages and ribbons, I truly wish for your holiday season to be filled with cozy nights in, a favorite book, and a heaping plate of your favorite treats. Walker shortbread, anyone?

‘Til next time, happy reading…or writing, or napping, or snacking—whatever makes your season merry and bright!