To gift a book is to initiate a meaningful connection, spark a thoughtful conversation, and to extend an invite into a different world. Insightful and endlessly imaginative, books make some of the best presents for the holiday season.
As Christmas draws near, Vogue rounds up a selection of titles that elicit a touch of festive whimsy, a cosy sense of warmth and the joyful spirit of togetherness. From the beautiful poetry in Ocean Vuong’s Time is a Mother to empowering memoirs in the vein of disability rights activist Alice Wong’s Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life, there’s something for everyone.
Fantastical novels like Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold encapsulate the magic of the holidays—but if you’re looking for a more suspenseful read, Agatha Christie’s beloved sleuth Jane Marple is making a return in Marple: Twelve New Mysteries. For stories closer to home, a Singaporean collection of reimagined Asian folklore also arrives in the form of Eastern Heathens: An Anthology of Subverted Asian Folklore.
On the non-fiction front, there’s Ollivier Pourriol’s The French Art of Not Trying Too Hard, a witty book that makes a thoughtful gift for anyone focusing on productivity and self-improvement. And for your friend who loves to travel, Wally Koval’s Accidentally Wes Anderson will prove a gorgeous and transporting read.
But if you’re at a loss for what your recipient may enjoy, we also have the perfect solution at hand. Bringing together 12 magical tales and 12 treasured recipes, Jeannette Winterson’s Christmas Days is a delightfully festive read that anyone would love to receive.
Below, find our full curation of beloved books to gift this Christmas season.
1 / 8
Accidentally Wes Anderson by Wally Koval
A visual adventure around the globe, this book catalogues photographs of beautiful places seemingly plucked from the world of Wes Anderson’s pastel-hued films.
2 / 8
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
In this work of fiction, a quaint cafe in Tokyo serves its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time—as long as they return to the present before their coffee gets cold.
3 / 8
Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterson
Every year at Christmastime, acclaimed writer Jeanette Winterson pens a mystical story. Here, she brings together 12 wonderfully imaginative tales and 12 treasured recipes that encompass the magic of the holidays.
4 / 8
Time Is A Mother by Ocean Vuong
Vivid and spirited, award-winning poet Ocean Vuong’s second poetry collection is a deeply intimate exploration of loss, restoration and the meaning of family.
5 / 8
Marple: Twelve New Mysteries by 12 authors
An elderly lady with an uncanny flair for solving even the most baffling cases, Jane Marple remains one of Agatha Christie’s most beloved characters. In this special collection, she is brought to life by a dozen authors finely skilled in the art of all things mystery.
6 / 8
Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life by Alice Wong
Alice Wong’s groundbreaking memoir offers a glimpse into her journey as an Asian-American disabled activist, media-maker and dreamer.
7 / 8
Eastern Heathens: An Anthology of Subverted Asian Folklore edited by Amanda Lee Koe and Ng Yi-Sheng
From a crime parable based on ‘Ramayana’ to a science-fiction rendition of the ‘Legend of the White Snake’, this Singaporean collection pays tribute to Asian folklore by reimagining 14 familiar tales.
8 / 8
The French Art of Not Trying Too Hard by Ollivier Pourriol
Rejecting the stress of hustle culture, the French seem to have a certain je ne sais quoi that lends itself to an effortlessly fulfilling life—and this witty read will show you how.
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