During the holiday rush, it is pretty common for you to leave to buy one or another gift at the last minute. But it can be challenging when one of these last-minute gifts is precisely for that partner, relative, or, worse, boss who is an authentic bookworm - that is, that person who has read every book ever written.

Buying a new book for an avid, passionate reader is always a gamble. If you rely on the best sellers list to choose, you may end up buying something they already read six months ago. If you opt for an utterly out-of-the-box title, you might offend your recipient with an author or genre they hate.

A great idea to escape this trap you put yourself in is to present a book lover with gifts that are not books. Stay with us while we review options for choosing the best last-minute gift possible.

1. Spare Eyeglasses

One of the biggest nightmares for a book lover is opening that brand-new edition and suddenly realizing you forgot your glasses at the office. A pair of spare eyeglasses is a gift sure to be appreciated by avid readers, who will be able to keep the new pair in their bags or purses, or other places that are close at hand.

It’s also a quick and convenient purchase: today, eyeglasses can be purchased with or without prescriptions (whether for distance, reading, or fashion purposes), and for convenience’s sake you can even buy a wider range of glasses online.

2. A Non-Physical Book

Gifting ebooks or audiobooks can be an interesting alternative for someone with shelves stuffed with lots of physical books. Especially in terms of technical books, some editions work best in ebook format, with hyperlinks that allow faster navigation through chapters. 

Not to mention that an audiobook is always a different, immersive experience, with some incredible titles narrated by celebrities such as Tom Hanks, Ben Stiller, and Marisa Tomei. Find out your friend’s favorite book and gift them an audiobook version of it, which can offer a completely new experience.

3. Book Light

A portable, rechargeable book light will be an ever-remembered gift during low-light conditions on the go. There are different models, shapes, and sizes on the market. The mini LED clip-on is most popular for those who love to read and are always on the run. 

It’s a pocket-shaped lamp that fits in any purse or backpack and can be placed on top of books at any time, leaving your hands free just to read.

4. Reading Lamp

A book lover can have a collection of reading lights at home and still need another for an unexpected situation. Again, there are dozens of models and sizes out there - from traditional lamps to some smaller models that can be fixed anywhere (for example, at the head of the bed) with a clip-on system that doesn’t damage the furniture. 

Some models even offer different brightness settings. Alternatively, if your friend is into the “vintage reader” style, there are collections of stylish slow-burning candles decorated with quotes from great authors like Oscar Wilde and Jane Austen.

5. Bibliophile Vase

This is a charming gift that any bookworm will love. It’s a book-shaped ceramic vase with colorful illustrations that imitate a vintage volume's cover, spine, and back cover. The cool thing is that this vase can be used both to plant flowers and to help organize the office – instead of plants, you can fill it with pencils, pens, rulers, etc.

6. Aromatherapy Products

Reading a book when you are stressed or very tired can be a challenging task. That’s why any book lover will appreciate getting some aromatherapy products to set the mood for a relaxing time with books. Some websites suggest the best combinations of scented oils to read certain books. So do some research beforehand to ensure an incredibly good time for your gift recipient.

Make Your Gift a Literary Experience

Leaving your bookworm friends at the bottom of the Christmas shopping list is no excuse for buying them a pair of socks or a book you found at a clearance sale. 

Giving a gift to a book lover, even if it is a last-minute purchase, allows you to exercise your imagination and find something that will really make a difference - or even allow a completely different literary experience for the recipient.