Have you been wondering about what to get me for Christmas? No? Well, what about someone like me? Who is that? Is she someone short, average build, a fan of butter and ham? A writer who complains more about writing than writing? Someone who Spotify Wrapped has labelled an “adventurer”? Do they love people but also hate them? Are they awkward on the outside, but also on the inside?
Well, it’s your lucky day because this is the gift guide for them.
Tinned Fish
Add some good bread, butter, and a tiny goblet of an alcoholic beverage and you basically have a party. Just not the Brunswick stuff. They taste bad like what I imagine Plankton would serve at the Chum Bucket. Hot tip: check the international aisle of your grocery store for the best selection.
These two books about writing
I try to reread these every year and I never mind extra copies to give away: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, and A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver.
A lovely print from a fav artist
These places have a lot of my fav illustrators, and a great place to discover people I don’t know yet:
These books I read and loved this year. Not necessarily published this year.
LONG WAY DOWN by Jason Reynolds. Written in beautiful verse, powerful narrative, fascinating structure.
CRANKY CHICKEN (books 1&2) by Katherine Battersby— Bright, funny, heartwarming early reader graphic novels. So much heart and humour as a chicken and a worm find their way in their friendship. Every single kid I’ve given these books to loves it as much as I do.
BROOKIE AND HER LAMB by M. B. Goffstein. Tiny trim size, simple line drawings, and a story that warms your heart. I’m a big fan.
NORI by Rumi Hara. Six short stories in graphic novel form about a little girl named Nori. Loved this character, her independence and agency, and the playful, loosely structured storytelling.
BITTERSWEET by Susan Cain. How do we reconcile life’s joys with the inevitability of death? Sad music. I’m joking, but only partly. If you’ve ever leaned towards melancholy and longing and wondered if that was okay, it is, and this book is for you.
A bag of yarn, or perhaps save them the hassle and buy already knitted things
Mittens, leg warmers, and neck warmers are good ideas no?
Things you discover by chance at your local independent bookstore
I live in Toronto’s west end and I love Type Books on Queen w., and Good Egg in Kensington Market. They are both the perfect place to gift browse. Good Egg is a cookbook store with lots of cooking paraphernalia, but also has a well-curated kids corner with kids books. They have a board book version of Rene Charlip’s Fortunately Unfortunately there!
Homemade bread or salami
I mean, if you have such capabilities, you are truly blessed by a higher being. Like, the highest.
One homemade coupon for an act of service like take me I mean them to St. Brigid’s Creamery to buy salted butter.
Happy holidays everyone.
I see yarn! 😍 Most of my holiday gifts for others are Amigurumi hehe