The Best Book Club Gift Exchange Ideas

the best gift exchange ideas for a book club session

The best book club gift exchange comes down to two choices: a format that fits your group and gifts that are actually bookish or relevant to your theme, topic, and book. In this post, we’ve compiled six book club exchange idea formats that you can choose from and pick gifts out within each to make sure that your next book club session is an absolute success. This guide covers how each format works and the gifts that will work best for each exchange style. 

Why Book Clubs Do a Holiday Gift Exchange

Most book clubs spend the year talking about books and very little time just enjoying each other. A gift exchange at the December meeting changes the pace. It gives quieter members an easy way to join in, it creates a few good laughs, and it ends the reading year on something warmer than just a simple discussion question.

It also keeps things simple. Each person chooses one thoughtful gift, everyone goes home with something, and nobody has to guess what eight different people want.

6 Book Club Gift Exchange Formats and the Gifts That Fit Each One

1. Secret Reader (A Bookish Secret Santa)

Everyone draws a name a few weeks before the meeting. Each member fills out a short card with their favorite genres, tropes, what they read on (paperback or e-reader), and any reading accessories they already have too many of. Gifts are opened one at a time at the meeting, and the giver can reveal themselves or stay a mystery.

Best for: Groups that know each other well and want gifts to feel personal. Rule to set: Collect the cards early and share them with each giver so nobody is shopping blind.

Gift Ideas for a Secret Reader Exchange

Because you know exactly who you are shopping for, this is the format for gifts that depend on one person's taste or device.

For the Kindle reader: Kindle inserts slip behind the device inside a clear case, so they need to match the reader's exact model. That makes them too risky for a random swap but perfect here. Our inserts are available for the Kindle Paperwhite 11, Paperwhite 12, Basic 11, Scribe 1, and Scribe 2.

Our explainer on what a Kindle insert is and how it works covers sizing in more detail.

For the member who already owns every bookmark:

2. Bookish White Elephant (With Stealing)

Everyone brings one wrapped gift. Players draw numbers. Number one opens a gift, and each person after that can either open a new gift or steal one that has already been opened. A gift can only be stolen a set number of times before it is "locked."

Best for: Larger, chattier groups that like a little friendly chaos. Rule to set: Limit steals to two or three per gift, or the game will run longer than the meeting.

Gift Ideas for a Bookish White Elephant

In white elephant, you have no idea who will end up with your gift, so it needs to work for any reader. Skip device-specific items like Kindle inserts and bring something with lots of pieces to unpack. Those are the gifts that get stolen.

Book Club Bookish Bundle and Reading Accessories We designed this bundle with book clubs in mind. It comes in pink, blue, or purple, with every piece color coordinated, and includes:

  • 1 MIL handmade laminated bookmark

  • 1 book tracker bookmark

  • 1 magnetic bookmark

  • 1 butterfly magnetic bookmark

  • 5 annotation tabs

  • 1 scratch-off TBR card with a sticker

  • 1 individually wrapped tea bag

  • 1 paperclip-style bookmark

  • 1 pen

  • 1 highlighter

  • 3 bookish stickers

The scratch-off TBR card is a fun bonus at a book club meeting, because the recipient can scratch it right there to reveal their next reading prompt. This bundle is also the easiest pick for a host who would rather give every member a gift than run an exchange: choose a mix of pink, blue, and purple, set them out as place settings, and let everyone claim a favorite color.

Cat Notepad Stationery Book Club Bookish Bundle The cat notepad has a fully magnetic back, so it sticks to the fridge for tracking upcoming picks, meeting dates, or the group's running TBR. The set also includes:

  • 1 handmade MIL beaded bookish keychain with a tassel

  • 1 pen

  • 1 highlighter

  • 1 scratch-off TBR card

  • 1 scratch-off sticker

  • 3 bookish stickers

It comes in four color combinations. For more bundles like these, our post on the best bookish stationery bundles compares the full lineup.

3. Blind Date With a Book Swap

Each member wraps a book in plain paper so the cover is hidden and writes three short clues on the front, such as the genre, the main trope, and one word that describes the mood. Members pick a package based only on the clues.

Best for: Clubs that want the exchange to stay about the books. Rule to set: Decide whether books must be new or whether a well-loved favorite from your own shelf counts.

Gift Idea for a Blind Date Swap

Blind Date With a Book If your club loves this format but nobody has time to wrap books and write clues, this bundle does it for you. You choose a genre (sci-fi, romance, contemporary fiction, romantasy, thriller and suspense, mystery, or Surprise Me), and we hand-select and wrap a new book, then pair it with a full set of reading accessories. The Basic Bundle includes:

  • 1 new book, wrapped

  • 5 bookish stickers

  • 1 highlighter and 1 pen

  • 1 individually packaged tea bag

  • 5 annotation tabs

  • 1 paper clip bookmark

  • 2 handmade, in-house designed MIL bookmarks

  • 1 book tracker bookmark

The Deluxe Bundle adds more extras, including a leather heart bookmark, a magnetic bookmark, a scrunchie, and a color-matched handmade keychain. If you are buying for a specific person, you can share their Goodreads, StoryGraph, or reading list link with us after ordering so we avoid a book they have already read. That makes it a great Secret Reader gift too.

4. Trope Swap

Write popular romance and fantasy tropes on slips of paper: enemies to lovers, grumpy and sunshine, found family, fake dating, chosen one, small town. Each member draws one and finds a gift that matches it. Everyone guesses which trope each gift was built around before it is revealed.

Best for: Romance and romantasy book clubs, or any group that loves to argue about tropes. Rule to set: Let people trade slips if they draw a trope they have never read.

Gift Ideas for a Trope Swap

Trope-themed bookmarks and stickers make the guessing game easy and fun:

  • Soda Can Style Romance Trope Bookmarks: Playful designs styled like soda cans, each one built around a romance trope. A natural match for almost any romance trope slip.

  • Romantasy Enemies to Lovers Trope Sticker Bundle Set: Three gothic fantasy designs reading "Here for the Magic and the Tension," "Give Me Swords and Yearning," and "Enemies to Lovers Enthusiast." The obvious pick for an enemies to lovers slip.

  • Hockey Romance Themed Bookmarks: Three icy blue designs, "If It's Not Hockey I Don't Want It," "I Like My Men Icy," and "In My Hockey Romance Era." Choose one or the full set of three, with or without a coordinating tassel. Perfect if your slips include sports romance.

  • Masquerade Ball Romantic Trope Bookmark Set: A moody, romantic set for a forbidden love or dark romance slip.

  • Book Boyfriend Hook Bookmark: A pink and silver beaded bookmark that hooks over the page and reads "Sorry I can't, I have a date with my book boyfriend." It fits almost any romance trope and gets a laugh every time it is unwrapped.

5. Favorite Things Exchange

Each person brings three of the same small item that they personally love. Everyone puts their name in a bowl three times, and names are drawn to decide who gets what. Each member leaves with three new favorites from three different people.

Best for: Groups that want variety and small, practical gifts. Rule to set: Stick to small items so bringing three of them stays easy.

Gift Ideas for a Favorite Things Exchange

Since you are bringing three of the same thing, choose something small that any reader will use:

Want to give the recipients ideas for using their stickers? Our post on where to put bookish stickers around your home is a fun one to share.

6. Book Plus One

Each member brings a book they loved this year, wrapped, plus one small bookish extra tucked inside. It works with any of the swap styles above and makes even a secondhand book feel like a real gift.

Best for: Clubs with a "used books welcome" rule. Rule to set: Ask everyone to write a short note inside the cover about why they loved the book.

Gift Ideas for Book Plus One

The "plus one" should live inside the book, so a bookmark is the natural choice:

  • Handmade Beaded Leather Fairy Tale Bookmark: A handmade leather piece that turns a well-loved fantasy book into a keepsake gift.

  • A trope bookmark that matches the book: Tuck a Hockey Romance bookmark into a hockey romance, or a Masquerade Ball bookmark into a dark romance. Matching the bookmark to the story is a small detail people remember.

  • A sticker set on the wrapping: One of the sticker sets above doubles as a gift tag and a bonus.

How to Set Rules Everyone Will Actually Follow

The exchanges that go wrong usually skip one of these steps. Settle them in your group chat before anyone starts shopping:

  1. Agree on a spending limit. One clear limit keeps every gift on equal footing, so nobody feels awkward when the wrapping comes off.

  2. Choose the format at the November meeting. That gives people a month to shop and leaves time for shipping.

  3. Decide whether books are required, allowed, or banned. Some clubs ban books entirely because every member already has a towering TBR pile. If that sounds like your group, our guide to gifts for readers who already own too many books has plenty of ideas.

  4. Wrap everything the same way for white elephant. Plain kraft paper keeps the game fair, since nobody can guess the best gift from a fancy bag.

  5. Plan for no-shows. Bring one spare gift so a last-minute guest is never left out.

  6. Agree on remote members. If someone joins online, the giver can ship the gift straight to them before the meeting so they can open it on camera.

A Simple Timeline for a December Exchange

Shipping takes longer than anyone expects in December, so work backwards from your meeting date:

  • Early to mid November: Choose your format at the November meeting. Collect wish list cards if you are doing Secret Reader.

  • Late November: Draw names or trope slips. Start shopping.

  • At least 2 to 3 weeks before the meeting: Place online orders. Our orders typically process within 1 to 2 business days, then shipping to the US usually takes 3 to 8 business days and shipping within Canada 2 to 14 business days. Carriers run slower in December, so give yourself a cushion.

  • The week of the meeting: Wrap everything in matching paper and bring one spare gift.

US orders ship delivered duty paid, so there are no surprise customs fees at the door for your recipient.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good gifts for book club members?

Practical reading accessories are the safest choice because every reader uses them: bookmarks, annotation tabs, highlighters, stickers, and small stationery bundles. A coordinated reading bundle covers several of these at once, which makes it feel generous when it is unwrapped.

What is a good white elephant gift for a book club?

The best white elephant gifts look generous when they are opened and work for almost any reader. A bundle with several pieces, like bookmarks, annotation tabs, a pen, and a highlighter, tends to get stolen the most. Avoid gifts that depend on one person's exact taste or device, such as a Kindle insert for a specific model.

How do you do a blind date with a book exchange?

Each member wraps a book so the cover is hidden and writes a few clues on the paper, such as the genre, the main trope, and the mood. Members choose a package based only on the clues and unwrap it at the meeting. If you would rather not wrap books yourself, a ready-made blind date with a book bundle includes the wrapped book plus reading accessories.

What should I give book club members for Christmas?

If you are giving one gift to every member, a matching set of reading bundles in different colors feels personal without requiring separate shopping for each person. For a smaller thank-you, a single handmade bookmark tucked into each member's December book works beautifully.

Can a virtual book club do a gift exchange?

Yes. Draw names online, share each member's address privately with their giver, and ship gifts directly to the recipient before the meeting. Everyone opens their gift on camera at the same time. Order early, since you are relying on shipping instead of handing gifts over in person.

Should books be allowed in a book club gift exchange?

It depends on your group. Some clubs love a book swap, while others ban books because members already have more than they can read. A middle option is the Book Plus One format, where a book is allowed but must come with a small bookish extra.

Make This Year's Exchange the One Everyone Remembers

A good book club gift exchange is about the moment someone unwraps a gift and says, "how did you know?" Pick a format that suits your group, match the gift to the format, and choose something they will reach for every time they open a book.

Browse our handmade bookish bundles and find the perfect gift for your book club

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