The books to give as gifts for Christmas 2025 Gift ideas for friends, boyfriend and Secret Santa

Christmas is fast approaching. For readers, there’s no question: the only possible gift is a book. However, not all books are the same, and everyone has different tastes and reading needs. Here’s a helpful list of books to give to everyone in your life, with a certain degree of specificity, while we unwrap our book-themed advent calendar and compile the reading list for 2026.

Books to give (and read) at Christmas 2025

To read with a friend

I believe a book can be a great starting point to spark conversations and reflections that strengthen friendships. Reading allows us to get to know each other better, develop our ideas, and understand what we are willing to accept. If a book can trigger constructive dialogue, even better! For this reason, I recommend gifting yourself and your friend the same book, perhaps paired with an invitation to a post-reading meetup to discuss it together. It will be fun to create your own exclusive book club. It can provide plenty of insights into the past and the choices that make us who we are, like Writers & Lovers by Lily King. Also, The Magic of the Bad Moments by Alison Espach will challenge you, while keeping a cheerful tone and smooth style. One last recommendation is Friendship: Confessions of a Friend by Elizabeth Day, a book mixing memoir, essays, and friendship testimonies to explore the topic from a fresh, real perspective.

For a sister obsessed with journaling

Your sister has practically become a mythological creature, coming home from school to lock herself in her room for hours to write and draw. Her creativity is taking over; she has decorated every possible corner with stickers and photos. She keeps a journal noting everything she is grateful for each day, cherishing memories she loves to preserve. A gift she would adore is John Derian’s Sticker Book, a vintage-style coffee table book with adhesive pages. Every element becomes a beautiful sticker to place wherever she likes, even in her bullet journal. Another great gift is the self-care journal Today Will Be Beautiful by Francesca Biella, to track moods and get daily tips to feel great. If she also loves reading, I recommend the 2025 edition of the Reading Journal by Il Castoro, a carefully curated book to keep track of all the books she has read.

For a history-loving father

I might be generalizing, but I tend to see fathers around me reading history books, maybe I’m wrong. Nonetheless, here are some recommendations. Start with Caesar, the new book by Alberto Angela, which allows a journey through time. I also find Maniac by Benjamín Labatut very enjoyable, inspired by the life of scientist Von Neumann, exploring how discoveries in the early and mid-20th century changed the world. An epic novel is the recently published The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett, detailing the construction of Stonehenge.

For your old classmates for Secret Santa

This is always a tricky gift, but that doesn’t mean falling back on the usual candle. There’s a book for every occasion, even with a budget of just €15. If you’re meeting former classmates or college friends, the perfect gift is Winter Notebook (Vol. 5) by Blackie Edizioni. It’s an activity book to complete alone or with others, ideal for testing your knowledge of current events and having fun exercising the brain, a modern-day crossword book. Alternatively, a wonderful novel is Educated by Tara Westover, exploring through a Mormon family how education empowers and opens new ways to live. Another option is a coloring book for relaxation, a versatile gift that many will enjoy, ideally paired with a set of markers.

For the friend who only listens to true crime podcasts

We all have that friend who relaxes by listening to gruesome stories of heinous crimes. Sometimes, knowing what to watch out for gives a sense of calm because awareness makes us feel safer and more conscious. To reflect on how evil can manifest in the darkest ways, I recommend The Face of Evil by Stefano Nazzi, likely familiar as the voice and author behind the podcast Indagini. Another well-known voice is Paolo Trinca, author of Shipwrecked, which recounts the true story of the Costa Concordia disaster. A curious book that doesn’t focus on a single crime but explains how plants can aid in solving cases is Botanical Cluedo by David J. Gibson.

For your niece who’s now in middle school

I know, it seems like she was born yesterday, but she’s already in middle school, teaching you all the songs of Anna Pepe and telling you you’re her baddie aunt. To assert your role, there’s only one thing to do: gift her her first young adult books. These books will make her scream with joy and, why not, spark a passion for reading. Safe choices include The Tear Collector by Erin Doom, a bestseller recently adapted into a film. Also, Love Me Love Me by Stefania S. is a potential pick for hours of entertainment. In the same vein, Give Me a Thousand Kisses by Tillie Cole stands out. All these stories feature teenage protagonists navigating their first romantic relationships.

For your boyfriend who loves thrillers

Stories full of adrenaline and suspense appeal to many, but navigating that section of the bookstore and picking something suitable for your boyfriend isn’t easy. If you’re unsure about the books he already owns, you can always gift a new release. Dan Brown has just published The Last Secret, a novel set in Prague beginning with the disappearance of Robert Langdon’s new love interest. Alternatively, there’s a new puzzle book for clever minds: At the Crime Scene with Franck Thilliez, featuring four stories to read, annotate, and solve with logic and insight. Another intriguing book, which directly challenges the reader, is Almost Perfect Crime at Villa Elysium by Antony Johnston. Here too, you act as the detective, piecing together clues to uncover the truth.

For your cousin who loves skincare

Gifting a cream or an eye contour can be tricky due to the infinite choices on shelves and the high risk of picking the wrong active ingredient. The best solution is to gift a book about skincare and makeup, perfect for someone passionate and with an aesthetic soul. Start with The Science of Cosmetics by Beatrice Mautino, an illustrated guide packed with tips, myth-busting, and instructions to explore the beauty world. For deeper knowledge, Cosmetology Manual by Umberto Borsellini is also useful. A more philosophical approach is proposed by Sara Marzullo in Preparing, exploring the motivations behind caring for our appearance and striving to look a certain way.

For a colleague who loves classics

Gifting books to someone who reads a lot is challenging but highly rewarding. If your colleague loves classics, they may enjoy collecting special editions. Ippocampo has published many wonderful illustrated editions by Benjamin Lacombe. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one example. There are also books offering unique perspectives on classic novels, like In Jane Austen’s Garden, which takes readers on a botanical tour through her works. Finally, I recommend a novel now arriving in Italy but long considered a Christmas classic in other parts of the world: Holiday Shoes by Noel Streatfeild, a touching story with strong festive spirit.