Your Christmas Guide to the Austen Gift Shop

Does Christmas sneak up on you? Me too. One minute, you're certain you're on top of everything, and then suddenly you're whizzing round a shopping centre, chugging a massive cup of coffee to get you through the last minute frenzy. Now, the odds are you've ended up on this post because either you yourself are a big Austen fan looking for a gift for a friend you're trying to get into Austen, or you are a clueless friend or partner of a massive Austen fan, desperately casting about for an idea of what to get them. Don't panic! I'm here to help. Here's my guide to our gift shop so you can purchase the perfect gift this festive season. 

The person you're shopping for is new to Austen in some way. Perhaps you have a partner you're trying to share your interests with, or you have a child who read Pride and Prejudice for the first time this year and loved it. Obviously, the best choice is more Austen. You could get them a really beautiful leather-bound edition of the Austen they first fell in love with,  There's also the option to pick them up a copy of one of the novels they haven't got to yet. 

We all love to share our interests with the little'uns in our life, but Austen isn't quite an entry level writer.  The Awesomely Austen books retell the stories from Austen's novels in a way that is simplified and accessible to a younger audience - plus they have beautiful illustrations to accompany. There's also this ace World of Jane Austen puzzle, which will allow you to introduce the whole family to Austen's characters whilst engaging in valuable team building. 

Oof, I feel for you. You've been drawn into a world of romance and high expectations so now the pressure is on to deliver.  I'm sure they'd love it if you organised them their own afternoon tea with a Christmas blend from Bath. If you're pushing the boat out and have a bit of a budget then we have a whole selection of Jane inspired jewellery for the dedicated fan.

Many Austen fans are also aspiring writers themselves and are bound to have lots of writing-centric New Year's resolutions they want some help with. There's a quill and ink kit, if they fancy kicking it old school, or an embossed leather journal for those who need a stylish notebook for motivation. Maybe all they need is to know that the spirit of Austen is watching over them, in which case, our stained glass paper weight can be that constant on their desk.

So, you've done just about all the shopping, but you just need a few odds and ends to ensure a merry Christmas. This embroidered Pride and Prejudice bookmark is perfect for any big reader and it's available in two colour combos! This Jane Austen candle is also available, with its Citron and Blossom scent providing the perfect reading ambiance. If it's more of a novelty you're looking for, then why not go for this Jane Austen rubber duck?

When you're all stocked up on gifts, you can't forget to wrap them in our Mr Darcy wrapping paper and attach our 12 Days of Pride and Prejudice card! Of course, this is just a selection of the things available in our gift shop. Do make sure to have a good dig around for that perfect gift for a special someone! 

Ellen White is editor of the Jane Austen Centre blog. She would love to hear from you! Check out our Submission Guidelines and get in touch.