My 2025 Gift Guide

Like every year, my theme is a “gift guide for people who hate gift guides.” No latest gadgets, trendy fashion choices, zeitgesty references, paid-for sponsors, or twaddley options that you’ll throw away by February. Featured here are the classics: books I love, curated homemade favorites, and beloved staples that please the hard to please. …At least that’s what I’ve found to be true.

Anything you select here supports the work I do at NO extra cost to you, so if you’ve ever benefitted from my books, podcast, newsletter, or trips, this is a frictionless way for you to support my daily work at no extra charge… And always, I’m abundantly grateful for your consideration.

Happy Holidays!

“One can never have enough socks,” said Dumbledore. “Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.”

First off…

A few enjoyable reads throughout the Advent season:

  1. Shadow & Light: A Journey Through Advent, by Tsh Oxenreider (yours truly; more thoughts here) — Amazon | Bookshop

  2. Christmas Around the Fire, by Ryan N.S. Topping (one of my book club reads for this year!) — Amazon | Bookshop

  3. Winter Fire: Christmas with G.K. Chesterton, by Ryan Whitaker Smith (I read this last Advent and am doing so again this year — it’s a delight!) — Amazon | Bookshop

  4. Christmas Karol, by Faith Moore (here’s my chat with her about her debut novel; here’s my most recent chat with her) — Amazon | Bookshop

  5. The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories: from Hans Christian Andersen to Angela Carter (I often teach from this in my class during December) — Amazon | Bookshop

  6. Mr. Dickens & His Carol, by Samantha Silva (I read this last year and loved it!) — Amazon | Bookshop

  7. Little Christmas Carol, illustrated by Joe Sutphin — Amazon | Bookshop

  8. A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens (the GOAT; a must-read!) — Amazon | Bookshop

Books: Fiction

  1. The Lost Bookshop, by Evie Woods — Amazon | Bookshop

  2. Laurus, by Eugene Vodolazkin — Amazon | Bookshop

  3. Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir — Amazon | Bookshop

  4. The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride, by Joe Siple — Amazon | Bookshop

  5. The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig — Amazon | Bookshop

  6. Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt — Amazon | Bookshop

  7. A Week in Winter, by Maeve Binchy — Amazon | Bookshop

  8. The Keeper of Lost Things, by Ruth Hogan — Amazon | Bookshop

  9. After That, the Dark, by Andrew Klavan — Amazon | Bookshop

  10. How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood — Amazon | Bookshop

Books: Non-Fiction

  1. The Idea Machine: How Books Built Our World and Shape Our Future, by Joel J. Miller — Amazon | Bookshop

  2. The Dignity of Dependence: A Feminist Manifesto (Catholic Ideas for a Secular World), by Leah Libresco Sargeant — Amazon | Bookshop

  3. Voices of the Saints: A 365-Day Journey, by Bert Ghezzi — Amazon | Bookshop

  4. Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making, by Andrew Peterson — Amazon | Bookshop

  5. Ask of Old Paths: Medieval Virtues and Vices for a Whole and Holy Life, by Grace Hamman — Amazon | Bookshop

  6. History Matters, by David McCullough — Amazon | Bookshop 

Little Kids

  1. Swedish climbing wall

  2. The Story of All Stories: A Story Bible for Young Catholics, by Emily Stimpson Chapman — Amazon | Bookshop

  3. Doodle board

  4. Balance bike

  5. Wooden train set

  6. Montessori busy board

  7. Wooden musical instruments

  8. Soft play rug

“The smells of Christmas are the smells of childhood.”

- Richard Paul Evans

(Slightly) Bigger Kids

  1. The Boxcar Children: Books 1-12, by Gertrude Chandler Warner — Amazon | Bookshop

  2. Screen-free Bluetooth audio player

  3. The Wild Robot trilogy, by Peter Brown — Amazon | Bookshop

  4. Classic LEGO set

  5. DIY Hydraulic Arm kit

  6. Walkie Talkies

  7. Wooden slingshot & felted wool balls

  8. DIY Lip Balm kit

  9. Classic Lincoln Logs

  10. The Wingfeather Saga (series), by Andrew Peterson — Amazon | Bookshop

Teens (& the Young at Heart)

  1. Magnetic wooden chess and checkers set

  2. Terrible Maps: Hilarious Maps for a Ridiculous World, by Michael Howe — Amazon | Bookshop

  3. Wisephone (this is what our teens have and have been very happy with them — get $50 off with the code TSH)

  4. Woobles beginning crochet kit

  5. Linen slouch beanie

  6. Customized movie poster

  7. Suede clog slides

  8. 3D printer (if your kid already has one, like mine, then a 3D set and kit is a nice idea)

  9. Poker set

  10. DIY jewelry-making supply kit

Men

  1. High-powered binoculars

  2. The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, by Matt Kracht — Amazon | Bookshop (also, here and here is The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World)

  3. Baritus Catholic t-shirt (Kyle has several and gets asked about it every time he wears one)

  4. Waxed canvas work apron

  5. Pillow cube

  6. Blackstone griddle grill

  7. SPQR t-shirt (for that Roman Empire-focused guy)

  8. Tweed flat cap

  9. Whittling/wood carving kit

  10. Secret Maps: Maps You Were Never Meant to See, from the Middle Ages to Today, by Tom Harper, Nick Dykes, and Magdalena Peszko — Amazon | Bookshop

Women

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”

- Charles Dickens

Stocking Stuffers

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