The Read Poetry 2021 Holiday Gift Guide
Are you looking for a gift for the poetry writer or reader in your life? From the fun to the functional, Read Poetry has ideas to fit everyone. Explore these eight suggestions to jumpstart your shopping list.
1. Poetry collections
This year’s poetry releases delved into subjects like self-love, anxiety, heartbreak, and coming-of-age, pairing the emotional with the encouraging. Invite your favorite people to connect with their vulnerability through poetry this season.
See the full list of Read Poetry-approved poetry collections here.
2. A smart notebook
Does the writer in your life have a lot of poetry ideas, but limited space on their shelf or desk? A smart notebook stands out as a compact, innovative, and eco-friendly solution. Options like the Rocketbook Fusion notebook and Moleskine smart notebook allow users to draft all their ideas, save them to the Cloud, and then wipe them away when it’s time for a creative blank slate.
3. A membership to boost creativity
Sometimes, giving an experience or an opportunity can be more valuable than giving a physical item. A premium Skillshare membership lets your loved one take advantage of a year’s worth of artistic advice and inspiration. Stand-out classes include a guide to erasure poetry, a workshop on how to submit your work to literary journals, and even a course with award-winning poet Hanif Abdurraqib.
4. An oil diffuser to add relaxing vibes to someone’s space
Scents can seriously boost a poet’s creativity, mood, and concentration. Uplift someone’s writing space through aromatherapy with an oil diffuser, a present that they can use to benefit their long-term writing practice and reduce their stress.
5. A mindfulness membership
Writers often experience burnout and anxiety. Help the poet in your life take a break from their work and return healthier and recharged with a meditation membership. Whether someone needs help managing insomnia, stress, or grief, a premium subscription to Headspace or to Calm offers a wide range of guided, daily meditations to unplug and build better habits.
6. A literary calendar
Ambitious and dedicated writers need a way to track their writing goals, commit to a regular writing practice, and document their progress. A literary calendar is the perfect space to note submission deadlines, readings, workshop meetings, and more. Read Poetry’s roundup of 2022 writerly calendars starts the new year off on a strong note for anyone on your list.
7. A poetry-inspired accessory
What could be cozier than being wrapped in your favorite words? That’s the premise behind Litographs, which arranges stories and stanzas into artful, intricate designs fit for blankets, tote bags, scarves, and hoodies. One design features the words of Emily Dickinson, while yet another gets its inspiration from T.S. Eliot.
8. A fun puzzle featuring favorite writers
The Poet’s Garden 1,000 Piece Puzzle from Eeboo, a woman-owned business, pairs a colorful, whimsical design with a soothing pastime. The tactile comfort of a puzzle can be a grounded, welcoming break for writers accustomed to staring at screens—and this one lets them piece together a satisfying scene featuring female literary icons Maya Angelou, Mary Oliver, Sappho, Kamala Das, Li Qingzhao, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, and Miriam Makeba.
