Buffy's 2025 Gift Guide

It’s nearly December! In lieu of our usual book choice and in-person discussion, for December I am going to be recommending books for the month, and rounding up a year of wonderful Buffy’s content (coming your way very soon). I have also put together a Gift Guide (like every other Substack you follow!) of book related things that have aided my reading this year, and will hopefully do the same for you. Hopefully there’s something for every book lover in your life. If you buy any of these, please let me know, and have a wonderful, reading-filled Holiday season.

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Bookmarks

I have very kindly been gifted a few bookmarks from my loved ones, and they are one of my favourite things to receive. A personalised bookmark is very chic, and as someone who previously used whatever piece of paper was nearest to me to save my page, it feels very luxurious to use something special.

1. I have this one, in the tan, and it’s my favourite one.

2. I also got this one recently, it’s a bit more fiddly to use, but a lot of colour options.

3. A more expensive one from Smythson, I would choose the navy.

Buffy’s books / rare books

I’ve scoured eBay and found some of the best vintage editions of books we read this year for Buffy’s - I think an older edition of a book is such a special gift, and like a little piece of history. Also, two picks for great rare book/first edition book websites.

1. First Edition of The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch, 1978 - our June Buffy’s book pick. eBay, £41.99

2. A very early edition of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier from 1948 - our October Buffy’s book pick. eBay, £10.79

3. First Edition of The Group by Mary McCarthy, 1964 - our July Buffy’s book pick. eBay, £12.89

4. US First Edition of Symposium by Muriel Spark - our March Buffy’s book pick. eBay, £20

5. Deep Neutral Books curate some incredible first editions of books, lots of them signed, just look at this edition of Denis Johnson’s Jesus’ Son.

6. For those of you in the US, Sunlit Cave Rare Books also have an incredible selection.

Penguin Classics Archive Collection

In September, we worked with Penguin Classics to put on our second annual Buffy’s pub quiz, this year at the beautiful Camberwell Arms. The winning team got to take home a full set of 36 of these Penguin Classics archive books, which are so beautiful and visually striking. Explore the full selection here.

Jigsaws

Doing jigsaws has been a huge part of my year and also my reading, as I have grown to love (read: actually be able to concentrate on) audiobooks, and listening to one while doing a jigsaw has become my ultimate way to switch off and really relax!

1. NYRB Classic Paperback Covers Puzzle, £15

2. This is a custom one where you can send over your favourite books of the year to be made into a jigsaw!! £60 for 1000 pieces.

3. This isn’t book related in content, but is my favourite jigsaw of the year, $36

4. You could order this just in time for advent… an advent calendar jigsaw!!!

Tote bags / book accessories

They need no introduction. I am a slave to the tote bag and have more that I can count and yet still feel drawn to the below:

1. NYRB Zippered BookBag, £38

2. LRB Limited Edition Striped Tote Bag, £20

3. Faber Illustrated Literary Tote Bag, £12

4. LRB Book Brush, £28 - to remove dust/dirt from the top of your books on shelves…had no idea I needed this until now

For cosy reading

Blankets, candles, fragrances, and cosy clothes to make your reading experience as comfortable as humanly possible.

1. Arket Klippan Wool Blanket, £85

2. Aēsop Sarashina Incense, £35 for 33 sticks - we are doing an in-store event with Aēsop in late November and they always have the best smelling stores thanks to their amazing incense.

3. FFern candle - trust me when I say their winter candle smells incredible, and the silver jar is beautiful.

4. Fancy lighter! I have this one and get a lot of compliments on it. A good gift for the person who has everything, and something you will have forever and use all the time.

5. Toast Cashmere striped socks, £25

6. I am an avid tea drinker, tea is my passion, I love the tea aisle in a supermarket, I love trying new teas, I love the process of making a tea, I love being on my way home to my kettle… do you get it? I love tea!! Here are some of my favourite ones: Pukka Winter Warmer tea is my new favourite, the Betty’s Mandarin and Ginger tea is another firm favourite, and M&S gold tea is my all time favourite English Breakfast.

Misc

• La La Books is a gorgeous independent bookshop in Camberwell, South East London. I spoke to Danielle, the owner, as part of our June book selection, where we visited 5 independent bookshops and took a suggestion from each for our vote (Danielle chose Mammoth by Eva Baltasar). La La have a Pay-It-Forward scheme, started after the shop was broken into, to allow people to buy books who might not usually be able to - when you visit the shop, you can ask to donate to the fund. I think this would be a lovely thing to do on behalf of a friend or loved one, to help someone else fuel their love of reading. More info on the scheme here.

• Heywood Hill Book Subscription. London’s Heywood Hill bookshop have curated a 2026 book subscription with a huge range of categories, prices beginning at £175. You can have a subscription entirely tailored to your tastes, or focused just on classic or contemporary literature. As well as receiving books, you get exclusive book recommendations & author questionnaires from leading writers, reading lists by decade of the best books published since 1936, specially designed Cressida Bell 90th anniversary bookplates and bookmarks, and other treats, invitations and surprises, all sent via gift-wrapped book parcels. A really amazing, big Christmas treat for someone special.

That’s it from me! What are you gifting your loved ones this year? Let me know if you give anything I suggested above…

Lots of love,

Lizzy xx