Here we present to you a (bit of a tongue-in-cheek) guide for buying Christmas gifts this holiday season… in an antiquarian fashion, of course!
1. Know your Subject.
Not your book subject, that is. We mean your audience, your gift taker, the subject of your love, attention and wallet. They may not be readers! (We hope they are, but in all fairness not everyone is as book obsessed as we are – you catch my drift?) If they are readers, you likely know the genre they prefer. If they aren’t self-professed bibliophiles, perhaps you can deduce what they might enjoy from their other interests. Are they political? Perhaps they might enjoy a set of pamphlets on Communism from the 1970s! Are they classicists? Well then perhaps a Dickens would suit them (given that you also provide a box of some wonderful Twinings tea along with it.) Get to know your subject, I mean friend, in an unconventional way!
2. Know your Books!
So you aren’t an expert antiquarian book hunter and gatherer… so what? That is what we booksellers are here for! Not only do we find exceptional items for our customers and even put together collections for them, but we are experts in our chosen fields. So what does that mean? Well, if you’re stuck pick up the phone and give us a call! It doesn’t hurt to ask the opinions of those surrounded by unique items every day.
3. Know your Budget.
We know, better than most, how easy it is to be lured to certain items in the antiquarian book world. A beautiful piece of incunabula catches your eye and BAM! Suddenly you have taken a second mortgage out on your house! (Just kidding. We hope.) But when it comes to gifts for others, it is always a good idea to think about how much that friendship is worth to you before beginning your search for that perfect item.
4. Know your Bookseller.
We booksellers are often elusive beings. For some, we exist on their computer when they order a book and it arrives (very well packaged, if it has been purchased from Tavistock Books) on their doorstep. But don’t just assume that when you order a book online it will come the way you want it. Feel free to do a bit of research on your bookseller! Go to their website, see where they are located… give them a call and ask about their shipping process or their opinion on your gift. We guarantee that not only will you have a better story to tell your gift recipient than “Oh, I found this online.” but you will also meet some spectacular bibliophiles in the process!
5. Enjoy the Process of Giving!
Don’t miss one of our favorite quotes by one of our favorite authors… “A day wasted on others is not wasted on one’s self.”
You thought we were going to go with a Christmas-y Dickens quote, didn’t you? We love to surprise!
Oh fine, and here’s this one just to warm the cockles of your bookish hearts…
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
